Smoky Quartz stone set on a sleek sterling silver bangle.

Did you know Smoky Quartz is the national gem of Scotland? The Celts, who began colonizing the island around 300 B.C., mined the brown Quartz in the Cairngorm mountains of the Scottish Highlands.

These stones eventually became prominent adornment for Highlander apparel in the form of jewelry, brooches and kilt pins, and as power stones on the handles of weaponry, especially the Scottish dagger the Sgian Dubh, a “sock knife” which is still part of the kilted dress uniform.