You recently purchased a tartan which you believed to be Black Watch Modern, but then you learn from others who know their tartan that it’s not really Black Watch Modern.
Unless you have a reason to look up tartans, unfortunately many retailers label their products as “Black Watch Tartan” because it’s popular. People want to own clothing or accessories relating to it.
Granted, chances of someone telling you if you have real Black Watch modern tartan on is probably way less than 5% (especially if you live in the USA) and who will point it at to you (especially if you are wearing a kilt) but for those in the know, let’s take a look at a few tartan and see if they are really Black Watch Modern tartan and also how you can distinguish from other similar tartan patterns.
Btw, if you want to know the history of Black Watch Modern tartan, I discuss a little bit about it on an older blog post.
Before I begin, let’s take a look at Black Watch Modern which is the same as Campbell Clan Modern tartan (the Campbell Clan, many back then were members of the highlands patrol, Black Watch). While Campbell Modern Tartan/Black Watch Modern Tartan can be the same, Campbell has many other Tartan depending on its branch.
So, how do I know if the clothing I want to buy or am interested in is true “Black Watch Modern Tartan”?
What I do is take a look at the dark blue pattern and make sure the intersecting lines you have are the two lines going through the center horizontal, and you have two lines going through the left and right side vertical. On the green square pattern, on the upper left corner of the dark blue square, it’s a single cross pattern. And then the next dark blue square next to another blue square, you can have a double horizontal line through the center and vertical through the center making a cross.
So, here is a Lochcarron of Scotland Beau Black Watch Modern Tartan Luxury Cashmere Scarf.
It’s important to note that there are other tartans that look similar to Black Watch Modern, so it’s very easy to get confused. Use the Lochcarron Tartan Finder, if you want to look at more tartans.
Sutherland Hunting Modern
Austin Modern
Munro Hunting Modern
MacKay Modern
Grant Hunting Modern
Now, this is not an official clan tartan but it’s widely used by Ralph Lauren for its products and many companies try to emulate it, thinking it’s Black Watch. In fact, you’ll notice that Ralph Lauren doesn’t use “Blackwatch” all that much as it used to because, they created their own. They will list it as “tartan” or “Ralph Lauren Spence Tartan”. Note that the Blue has four horizontal lines and vertical lines. Two on top and bottom, two on left and right.
Ralph Lauren Spence Tartan
I know, it can get confusing, but let’s check out a few products.
Let’s take a look at this Wool Tartan Tie – Blackwatch. Does the dark blue have the two intersecting dots in the middle? I see it on all four sides of the dark blue area and it’s repeated on the dark blue portions. This is not Black Watch tartan. It looks very Ralph Lauren Spence Tartan not Black Watch tartan.
OK, next up…
You see the blue and green, the green on the corner of the blue has the single cross but let’s take a closer look at the dark blue portion. Remember, two intersecting lines in the middle and the two intersecting lines on the left and right of the blue square. This is definitely not a Black Watch tartan.
This corduroy shirt is blue and green and while the green is not looking so deep (probably lighting for the photo, not really sure), on the website, you see intersecting double lines on the blue in a cross pattern. While the double lines going center vertically and horizontally is correct, the next blue box should show the center double vertical lines and a vertical line on the left and right. Close to a Black Watch tartan but not a 100% Black Watch tartan.
Ralph Lauren is known for popularizing Black Watch tartan for their clothing. Now that they have been using their Ralph Lauren “Spence Tartan” much more, you can still see Ralph Lauren release Black Watch tartan clothing once in awhile. And there are times where they remove the “Black Watch/Blackwatch” from the name and just put “tartan”.
For both the polo and the sweater, you do see the main green with the cross pattern. And on the blue, you see the double horizontal lines at the center and the double vertical lines on the left and right. This is a Black Watch tartan.
Here is another Ralph Lauren tartan wool sweater. They don’t call it Blackwatch, but some may think it is. But you have one vertical stripe running through. Blue portion has no vertical or horizontal stripe, just one dark blue square, while the green on the upper left corner has a single vertical stripe on the center.
As you can see, many companies tend to call their clothing with blue and green as “Black Watch” tartan. But more goes into a tartan aside of just colors, but the patterns are very essential.
Does it matter? Probably not so much for the main consumer. But if you are in the market of a certain tartan and are interested in its history. Then yeah, it’s good to know your tartans, the clans that proudly wear the tartan and more.
