Our Commitment to Sustainable Sourcing

The gemstone industry can be complex, with gemstones often
passing through many hands before reaching a retailer. This can make it
difficult to establish their origins and trace their journey from the ground to
the finished piece of jewellery.

At Two Skies, provenance, traceability and responsible
sourcing have been central to our values since the company was founded by Adam
McIntosh.

We believe in understanding where our materials come from
and how they are obtained. We encourage customers to ask questions about the
origins of their gemstones and to support businesses that prioritise
transparency and responsible sourcing.

 

Where Do Our Scottish Gemstones Come From?

Scotland is home to a remarkable variety of gemstones and
has a long history of gemstone collecting, cutting and jewellery making.

Every Scottish gemstone has its own story, and the way it is
sourced depends on its geological location, the surrounding environment and the
circumstances in which it is discovered.

At Two Skies, our Scottish gemstones and marble come from a
combination of historic collections and newly sourced material.

 

Historic Collections and Previously Collected Gemstones

Some of our gemstones come from old private collections and
auctions. These are previously collected materials, sometimes dating back
hundreds of years, with accompanying provenance detailing their origins and,
where available, the individuals who originally discovered them.

Many of these historic gemstones originate from locations
that are now protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or form
part of National Parks.

These collections allow us to work with rare and
historically significant Scottish gemstones, including materials from locations
where further collection is no longer permitted or where the original deposits
have been exhausted.

By acquiring these historic collections, we can preserve and
incorporate these remarkable materials into our jewellery without the need for
new extraction.

 

Newly Sourced Scottish Gemstones

Some of our gemstones are newly sourced through a variety of
methods, each depending on the location and geological circumstances.

 

Quarrying

We work with quarrying companies across Scotland that
extract large quantities of rock, primarily for the construction industry.

As different geological layers are exposed during quarrying,
gemstone-bearing material can sometimes be discovered. With the cooperation of
quarry operators, we are able to recover suitable gemstones and incorporate
them into our jewellery.

 

Geological Digs

Some gemstones are collected through geological digs in
areas known to contain gemstone-bearing material.

These activities require permission from the landowner and
any relevant authorities. Depending on the location, the process may involve
removing surface material to access the gemstone-bearing layers.

Once the collection is complete, the land is restored as far
as practicable to allow it to recover.

 

Road Cuts

Several Scottish gemstones have been discovered in rock
exposed during the construction of access roads.

These exposures can result from work carried out by
organisations such as Forestry and Land Scotland, local councils or private
landowners.

When gemstone-bearing material is identified, permission
must be obtained from the landowner before any material is collected.

 

Natural Erosion and Pebble Jewellery

Scotland has a long tradition of pebble jewellery, using
naturally occurring stones such as agate, jasper, carnelian and amethyst.

These materials can be found in places such as shorelines,
riverbeds and agricultural fields, where natural erosion has released them from
their original host rock.

This method of collecting can have a relatively low
environmental impact, as the material has already been naturally separated from
the surrounding rock.

However, the landowner retains ownership of the material,
and permission must always be obtained before any gemstone-bearing material is
removed.

 

Do You Have Permission to Collect Scottish Gemstones?

Yes. We recognise that gemstone-bearing material remains the
property of the landowner, and permission must be obtained before it is
collected.

Where relevant, the necessary permissions from authorities
must also be secured.

We are committed to sourcing our materials responsibly and
respecting the land and environments from which they originate.

 

Can I Find Out Where a Particular Gemstone Came From?

Yes. We understand that the provenance of a gemstone is an
important part of its story.

Our Scottish gemstones come from a variety of locations and
sources, and the available information can differ depending on the individual
stone or collection.

If you would like to know more about the origins of a
particular gemstone or piece of jewellery, please contact us. We will be happy
to share the information we have available.