Small Black Watch Wool Scarf

The Black Watch is among the most widely worn of all Scottish tartans. Its story begins in 1725, when watch companies were raised under General Wade, drawn from clans including the Campbells, Frasers of Lovat, Munros and Grants. They were known in Gaelic as Am Freiceadan Dubh, “the dark watch”, a name possibly inspired by their dark tartan plaids, and by 1739 they had become a regiment. The pattern is also called the Government tartan and the Universal tartan, and it shares its blue, green and black check with the Campbell tartan. Worn by Highland regiments on campaigns across the world, it has become one of the best-loved patterns in the country.

This scarf is crafted from 100% pure extra fine lambswool in a Scottish mill with 250 years of heritage. Deep navy, forest green and black meet in an even check, as calm and rich as deep water beneath a night sky. It sits easily with ivory knits, charcoal trousers or a classic denim shirt.

Twenty-nine meticulous stages carry each scarf from raw fibre to finished cloth, and the last is the most traditional: the lambswool is brushed by hand with teasels, which lift the fibres into a velvety, cloud-light softness. The result is a scarf of understated luxury, light in the hand and gentle in warmth, its fringed ends adding a graceful finish, made to be worn on any occasion and treasured for years to come.