Ailsa Craig Granite: The Olympic Curling Stones That Define a Sport

The video from Business Insider explains how rare granite from Ailsa Craig Island off Scotland becomes the world’s only Olympic curling stone. A handful of masons harvest, cut, core, and polish two kinds of granite blue hone and common green to exact Olympic specifications. They insert blue hone into the green body, then shape, weigh and finish each stone so its weight, size and running surface are uniform. Each stone weighs about 40 pounds, plus a 1-pound handle, and a single stone can cost more than $600, making a full set of 16 roughly $9600. The segment also covers the island’s lease, the craft’s tradition, and why Elsa Craig stones are preferred for the Games.

Introduction

Business Insider takes viewers behind the scenes of Olympic curling stones, revealing that every stone used in the Olympic Winter Games since 2006 comes from a single source, Ailsa Craig Island off Scotland. The island is leased to Kay's and is the last remaining supplier of Olympic curling granite.

The Granite and the Craft

The masons use two types of granite from Ailsa Craig: blue hone, which forms the running surface, and common green for the body. The rock is exceptionally fine-grained and interlocked, giving it resilience in extreme cold and during repeated impacts on ice. Imperfections like fissures are culled during selection.

From Slab to Stone

Rocks are cut into slabs, then cores are removed to shape the final stones. The process is semi-automatic but requires skilled manual control to ensure uniform thickness and weight. The blue hone insert is placed into the green body, and the finished stone weighs about 40 pounds with a 1-pound handle.

Standards and Quality Control

The International Olympic Committee prescribes size, shape, and weight for each stone, and the World Curling Federation has a preferred supplier, Elsa Craig, due to quality control and performance reasons. Stones are polished and tested to ensure uniform running surfaces that determine curling behavior.

Demand, Economics, and History

Demand for curling stones has risen with global participation. The video notes that curling grew from 25 countries in 1998 to 67 by 2022. Prices exceed $600 per stone, with a full set around $9,600, reinforcing why this resource is so highly valued. The island harvests a tiny fraction of the granite annually, underscoring the scarcity of the resource and the craft’s specialization.

Conclusion

Elsa Craig granite remains the gold standard for Olympic curling stones due to material properties, careful processing, and strict standards. The video highlights the dedication of the masons and the enduring importance of a single island in shaping a sport played on ice around the world.