Love the kilt, is that "Black Watch"

[MacLowlife]

I recently saw Lindsay referred to as "red watch".

[OC Richard]

As I understand, Black Watch is not the tartan, but it is the government tartan, and Black Watch is a darker colour tones, with the Argyll lighter tones.

Yes I believe it was called "government tartan" in the 18th century and was worn by a large number of regiments, sometimes with additional lines. The Black Watch themselves often added a red line.

Barnes lists 20 Highland regiments raised and disbanded between 1745 and 1800.

I think the clear colour distinction between the tartan of The Black Watch and of The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders is relatively recent.

A book I have from the 1960s gives the same tartan for the ORs of the two regiments, however the tartan of senior NCOs and Officers of the Argylls has the green a much ligher shade, and was called "Sutherland" within the regiment. It is this tartan which has been adopted for all ranks of the RRS.

Black Watch.



Sutherland, as worn by two senior NCOs of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.



Sutherland, as worn by members of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.