A question to stump the tartan experts.

[MacWage]

To add a bit to this matter . . .

Tartans: the patterns themselves may be of VERY old vintage and "proof" or be fairly new (with only a "happy coincidence" to any old found material). The naming came about around 1800. To add to that was the romanticism of Walter Scott, Robbie Burns, and the like. The visit by King George IV to Edinburgh in 1814 (if I recall the date off the top of my head) was "Imagineered" by Scott and left many clans and chiefs scrambling to ID and get their hands on "their" tartans. The myths and legends of tartans became propigated, popularized, AND produced during this period. The mills were all to happy to supply what was in such demand. There was even a Robin Hood tartan (the "Rob Roy" red/black, but in green/black), which has been renamed now but is STILL to be found.

The names were a marked improvement over the previous numberingh system, which varied mill to mill. Why?
Think of the Carolina tartan, the Caledonia tartan, and the Prince Charlie one with blue and red. They are all VERY similar. Think of a customer who wanted some and couldn't remember the name. "I want some of the one with the green on red and the red on blue, with the touches of yellow, black, and white. That could be any of a NUMBER sold by Wilson's and not identifyible. Some of the names were superfulous and some arbitrary, while others based on an old portrait, scrap, or some other source. The clans the adopted these tartans. A man named MacPherson and another named Kidd ordered ("adopted") a large amount of the same one (Wilson's Caledonia No. 43, if I remember right). Now, there has been some differenciation created to separate the two, as both are now seen as the respective clan tartans. If that MacPherson have ordered another pattern, say the similar Wilson's No. 1, that might be the clan tartan today. The names made all the different tartans to be able to tell one from another, plus the added "romance" that the name adds to the pattern.
The tartans are now accepted either by common usage or official adoption by the chief or official representative authority over the relevant group. If there was a "gypsy chief" or head and they adopted a tartan, it would BE the official tartan. Also, a series of gypsies could adopt a tartan, have it woven, and it could become a gypsy tartan. They could either design a new tartan, or adopt a historic one, like the Meg Merrilees tartan.
-- http://www.merrileesclan.org.nz/tartan.html

A bit of research into what colors are associated with the gypsies you are related to or any relevant patterns/colors/patterns, or a contact with request as to what you are doing and seeking to know what a "tell-tell" mark of that gypsy group is, such as a scarf, head wrap, coat, or the like. There might even be a tartan design that might either be found (ideal) or result from the relevant research.

[smaughazard]

Dreadbelly, this is a VERY interesting thread! If I might offer a stop-gap solution, how about a chakram-shaped kilt-pin? That shouldn't be TOO hard to find or make…