Cloisonné - Hard Enamel
Cloisonné – Hard Enamel:
Our Cloisonné process continues the fine art of glass enameling that was started in China centuries ago. This is the traditional method of producing lapel pins. We start with a base metal of Brass, that is die struck to your custom design. The recessed areas are then filled, by hand, with colors made of finely ground genuine Cloisonné glass powder. Each pin is then baked at high temperatures to harden the glass and creating a level surface between the glass enamel & the metal outlining. This gives the pins a smooth, lustrous, inherently scratch resistant finish. Cloisonné lapel pins are generally considered to be the highest quality lapel pins and are the most desirable to collectors. Colors are limited to a select group of genuine Cloisonné glass powders.
Semi-Cloisonné - Hard Enamel
Semi-Cloisonné – Hard Enamel
Semi-Cloisonné, also known as Epola, provides you with the same high quality, hard enamel finish as Cloisonné, but takes advantage of synthetic glass powders that allow for PMS color matching. A Brass metal plate is die struck to your custom design. The recessed areas are then filled by hand with colored synthetic glass powder. Each pin is baked at high temperatures to harden the enamel and creating a level surface between the enamel & the metal outlining. This process reveals small details beautifully and gives a glassy smooth finish to each piece. It is an effective & useful alternative to the genuine Cloisonné process.
Misty Finish
Misty Finish
The Misty Finish process, also known as Tone on Tone, is one of our most elegant processes. The finished product is very distinguished and perfect for corporate use. Misty Finish pins are made by creating a custom die that is cut and stamped into a Brass metal base. Traditionally there is no color fill used on a Misty Finish pin. Instead the recessed areas are left with a matte finish or are sandblasted, creating a textured background. The raised metal areas are highly polished giving a mirror-like appearance. Another option is to use an antique plating, which creates a high contrast between the raised & recessed areas.
Die Struck – Soft Enamel
Die Struck – Soft Enamel
The Die Struck Soft Enamel process is the most common process currently used. Die Struck pins are made by creating a custom die that is cut and stamped into a Brass metal base. The recessed areas are hand painted with soft enamel colors. The pins are then kiln-fired to dry & seal the soft enamel paint. The soft enamel remains slightly recessed from the metal outlining of the design, producing a lovely relief appearance that you can both see and feel. An epoxy coating can be added to create a smooth, shiny finish.
Iron Stamped – Soft Enamel
Iron Stamped – Soft Enamel
The Iron Stamped process is identical to the Die Struck process, but uses Iron as the base metal. The use of Iron lowers the cost of the finished product, making these pins cost effective and ideal for larger orders. Iron Stamped pins are made by creating a custom die that is cut and stamped into an Iron metal base. The recessed areas are hand painted with soft enamel colors. The pins are then kiln-fired to dry & seal the soft enamel paint. The soft enamel remains slightly recessed from the metal outlining of the design, producing a lovely relief appearance that you can both see and feel. An epoxy coating can be added to create a smooth, shiny finish.
Photo Etched – Soft Enamel
Photo Etched – Soft Enamel
The Photo Etched process is an excellent choice for showing off small details in your design. Unlike the die striking & stamping of other processes, the impressions in a Photo Etched pin are made by acid etching the design onto a custom shaped Brass metal plate, enabling us to reproduce very fine details. The recessed areas are hand painted with soft enamel colors. The pins are then kiln-fired to dry & seal the soft enamel paint. The recessed areas on a Photo Etched pin are shallow, allowing the enamel to remain almost level to metal outlining and creating a finish similar to Cloisonné. The Photo Etched process produces a beautiful and detailed pin, that is always a crowd pleaser!
Printed Lapel Pins
Printed Lapel Pins
Printed pins are ideal for trademarked logos, photo real images and other artwork that will not allow for the metal outlining necessary in all other manufacturing processes. Two different printing processes are available. The cost and quality of the finished products are the same, the difference is determined by your artwork. Silk Screening is used for spot color images. The artwork is silk screened, one color at a time, directly onto a custom cut metal plate. Offset printing is a similar silk screening process, but allows for a full color, CMYK, replication of a design that has gradients or shaded areas.