How’s it made - The Heathergems Process

Ever wondered exactly how Heathergems come to life? This is the story of handmade jewellery from Scotland, where the rugged beauty of the Perthshire moors is transformed into exquisite wearable art through a time‑honoured and highly skilled process.

Harvesting the Heather

The journey begins high in the Perthshire hills, where mature heather stems are harvested by hand. 

These older stems, no longer offering nourishment to local wildlife, are gathered as part of a sustainable practice that actually supports new growth and helps restore the natural balance of the moorlands.

Drying and Preparing

Once collected, the heather is stored indoors to dry. After drying, a bandsaw cuts the stems to a manageable length, preparing them for the next stage of the journey.

Cleaning and Grading

To achieve a clean, uniform texture, the bark is removed by tumbling the stems in a specially adapted shot‑blasting machine. 

This thorough cleaning process leaves behind only the bare, cleaned stems. These are then graded by size and thoughtfully bundled — it’s this mix of thicknesses that gives the final gem its strength and character.

Dyeing and Colour Blending

The stems are dyed using carefully chosen hues that reflect the shifting shades of the Scottish landscape. 

Placed in a vacuum chamber, they are exposed to a heated dye which can take up to two days to fully penetrate. Afterwards, stems of different colours are mixed together to create the distinctive marbling effect seen in Heathergems.

The mixture of colours means that no two Heathergems are exactly alike.

Compression and Resin Treatment

The dyed stems are soaked in resin before being subjected to an astonishing 60 tonnes of pressure, compressing them into a solid block. 

This block is then gently heated to cure and set the resin, ensuring the gem's durability. 

Cutting and Shaping

After curing, the rough block is trimmed and sliced into varying thicknesses. Each slice is shaped using computer‑controlled cutting machines, allowing for precise and varied designs. 

Finishing Touches

Finally, skilled craftspersons painstakingly fill any imperfections, sand the pieces to perfection, and hand‑apply up to five coats of lacquer, enhancing both durability and colour.

The finished pieces are then mounted as pendants, rings, earrings or other forms of jewellery—a testament to the art of handmade jewellery in Scotland at its finest. 

Heathergems are a unique fusion of nature and craftsmanship, rooted in Scottish heritage and crafted with dedication. 

Each piece is a one‑of‑a‑kind creation, showcasing the vibrant colours and rugged elegance of Scottish moorland in a beautifully refined way.

If you want to own your own little piece of the Scottish landscape, browse handmade jewellery from Scotland at Heathergems.