Modern, ancient, and weathered tartans are variations of the same pattern that differ in color palette rather than design, meaning the sett remains the same while the colors are adjusted. Modern tartans use deeper, more saturated dyes that reflect contemporary dyeing methods, while ancient tartans use lighter, softer tones intended to represent earlier natural dyes, and weathered tartans use muted, earthy colors to give the appearance of aged or faded fabric. These terms do not indicate that one tartan is older or more historically original than another, but instead describe different stylistic color variations of the same design.