Tartan Watches Inspired by National Trust for Scotland Heritage Sites

Key Takeaways

• We've partnered with the National Trust for Scotland to create two exclusive tartan watches and matching Apple Watch straps
• The Pink Castle Tartan Watch is inspired by the iconic Craigievar Castle in Aberdeenshire, using soft pinks, greens, and blues that mirror the castle's famous walls and landscape
• The Spirit of Culloden Tartan Watch uses colours chosen to reflect the mood, environment, and symbolism of the 1746 battlefield at Culloden Moor
• Both designs are available to buy in National Trust for Scotland shops across Scotland and online at shop.nts.org.uk
• Every purchase directly supports the National Trust for Scotland's work protecting Scotland's most treasured historic sites
• The collection also includes tartan Apple Watch straps in both exclusive tartans, so you can carry a piece of Scottish heritage on your wrist regardless of which watch you wear

Why We Made These Watches

Some collaborations just make sense. When the National Trust for Scotland approached us about creating something together, we didn't have to think twice.

We've always built MacKinnon Watches around the idea that a watch can be more than a timepiece. It can be a connection to somewhere. To something. And the National Trust for Scotland cares for some of the most powerful places in the country: ancient castles, historic battlefields, wild coastlines. Bringing those two ideas together into a wearable product felt like exactly the right thing to do.

So we got to work creating two entirely new and exclusive tartans, one for each place: the Pink Castle Tartan for Craigievar Castle, and the Spirit of Culloden Tartan for Culloden Moor. Both tartans were developed specifically for this collaboration. You won't find either of them in our wider tartan watch collection. They exist solely to tell these two stories.

The Pink Castle Tartan Watch: Craigievar Castle

About Craigievar Castle

If you've seen Craigievar Castle, you understand why it captures people's imaginations so completely. Sitting in the Aberdeenshire countryside, its pale pink harled walls and cluster of turrets rising above the treeline look almost too beautiful to be real. It's the kind of place that genuinely looks like it belongs in a fairy tale.

Craigievar Castle is cared for by the National Trust for Scotland and dates back to the early 17th century, completed around 1626. It's one of the best-preserved tower houses in Scotland, and its distinctive salmon-pink colour is immediately recognisable.

The Design

We wanted the Pink Castle Tartan to feel like the castle itself: soft, warm, and full of character. The palette draws from the castle's pink walls, the greens of the surrounding parkland, and the blue-grey tones of a Scottish autumn sky.

The result is a tartan that's genuinely joyful. It's vibrant without being loud, and it works beautifully against the rose gold case and white dial of the watch. The back of the case is engraved with the National Trust for Scotland logo, which felt like the right way to make the connection between the watch and the organisation official.

It's a little piece of Craigievar that you can wear every day. That was the whole point.

The Spirit of Culloden Tartan Watch: Culloden Moor

About Culloden Moor

Culloden is a different kind of place entirely. The Battle of Culloden, fought on 16 April 1746, was the last pitched battle on British soil. The battlefield at Culloden Moor, near Inverness, is now cared for by the National Trust for Scotland as a site of profound national significance. It's quiet there, in a way that feels earned rather than peaceful.

The colours of the moor itself tell you everything. The grasses, the boggy earth, the grey skies that hang low over the heather. It's a landscape that carries weight.

The Design

The Spirit of Culloden Tartan was designed to honour that weight, not in a mournful way, but in a way that recognises the seriousness of what happened there. Each colour in the tartan was chosen deliberately to represent the mood, the environment, and the symbolism of the battlefield.

Paired with a silver case and white dial, the watch has a quieter, more contemplative feel compared to the Pink Castle design. But both share the same fundamental construction: a hand-crafted tartan strap made from authentic fabric, backed with tan leather, and finished with careful stitching. And like the Pink Castle watch, the Spirit of Culloden watch carries the National Trust for Scotland engraving on the case back.

Apple Watch Straps in Both Exclusive Tartans

We know not everyone wears a traditional watch. So alongside the two timepieces, we also made tartan Apple Watch straps in both the Pink Castle and Spirit of Culloden tartans. Same authentic tartan fabric, same leather backing, same quality you'd expect from us.

Whether you've got an Apple Watch or a MacKinnon watch, you don't have to choose between technology and heritage. Both straps are available at the National Trust for Scotland online shop alongside the full watches, and they fit a range of Apple Watch case sizes.

Where to Buy the NTS Collaboration Pieces

All four products in the collection, the Pink Castle Tartan Watch, the Spirit of Culloden Tartan Watch, and both Apple Watch straps, are available through the National Trust for Scotland's watch collection at shop.nts.org.uk. You'll also find them in National Trust for Scotland shops across the country.

Each watch is priced at £195. The Apple Watch straps are £145. These aren't mass-produced products. They're genuinely limited, made for this partnership, and sold through NTS channels as exclusive pieces.

If you've ever bought something from an NTS shop, you'll know that every penny of their profits goes back into protecting Scotland's heritage. So buying one of these watches isn't just buying a watch. It's a direct contribution to the work that keeps places like Craigievar Castle and Culloden Moor protected for future generations.

What Makes These Different From Our Other Watches

We make a wide range of Scottish tartan watches, and we're proud of all of them. But the NTS collaboration pieces sit in a specific category. They're not just watches with a pretty strap. They're pieces that belong to a particular story, tied to particular places, and made in direct partnership with the organisation that protects those places.

The exclusive tartans can't be ordered through our custom watch service. They don't exist on the Scottish Register of Tartans as widely available setts. They were created for this collaboration, full stop. That matters to us, and we think it matters to the people who buy them.

We've been lucky enough to work with some brilliant organisations since we started, but this one feels genuinely special. If you want to see what else we've been up to, our Heritage Collection is a good place to start, and our customer reviews page gives a real sense of how people feel when they receive one of our watches.

Buying a Piece of Scottish History

Not every purchase comes with a story. But this one does. Whether you're drawn to the fairytale charm of Craigievar or the sombre, powerful history of Culloden, these watches give you a way to carry that story with you.

We're honoured to have made them.

Shop the MacKinnon Watches x National Trust for Scotland Collection

The Pink Castle Tartan Watch, the Spirit of Culloden Tartan Watch, and both exclusive Apple Watch straps are available now through the National Trust for Scotland. Browse the full collection and shop online at the National Trust for Scotland's watch collection, or visit an NTS shop near you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MacKinnon Watches x National Trust for Scotland collaboration?

We partnered with the National Trust for Scotland to create two exclusive tartan watches and two matching Apple Watch straps. Each design uses a bespoke tartan created specifically for this collaboration, inspired by two of Scotland's most significant heritage sites: Craigievar Castle and Culloden Moor.

Where can I buy the Pink Castle Tartan Watch and the Spirit of Culloden Tartan Watch?

Both watches and both Apple Watch straps are available through the National Trust for Scotland's online shop at shop.nts.org.uk and in NTS physical shops across Scotland. They aren't sold through the MacKinnon Watches website directly, as they're exclusive NTS products.

How much do the NTS collaboration watches cost?

The Pink Castle Tartan Watch and the Spirit of Culloden Tartan Watch are each priced at £195. The matching Apple Watch straps in both exclusive tartans are £145 each.

Are the tartans used in these watches available to buy separately?

No. The Pink Castle Tartan and the Spirit of Culloden Tartan were developed exclusively for this collaboration with the National Trust for Scotland. They're not available as custom tartan options through our standard watch or strap ordering process.

Does buying one of these watches support the National Trust for Scotland?

Yes. The National Trust for Scotland is a charity, and all profits from their shop go towards protecting Scotland's historic and natural heritage. Purchasing one of these watches directly supports their conservation work at sites like Craigievar Castle and Culloden Battlefield.

What's the difference between the Pink Castle and Spirit of Culloden watches?

The Pink Castle Tartan Watch has a rose gold case and uses a lighter, more vibrant tartan with soft pinks, greens, and blues inspired by Craigievar Castle and its landscape. The Spirit of Culloden Tartan Watch has a silver case and uses a more muted, earthy palette reflecting the colours and atmosphere of Culloden Moor. Both carry the National Trust for Scotland engraving on the case back.

Can I get a tartan Apple Watch strap to match these watches?

Yes. We made Apple Watch straps in both the Pink Castle Tartan and the Spirit of Culloden Tartan as part of the same collaboration. They're available at the NTS shop in multiple Apple Watch sizes, so you can wear either tartan even if you use an Apple Watch rather than a traditional timepiece.