THE SHELL
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers. The shells are empty because the animal has died and the soft parts have been eaten by another animal or have rotted out.
The term seashell usually refers to the exoskeleton of an invertebrate (an animal without a backbone). Most shells that are found on beaches are the shells of marine mollusks, partly because many of these shells endure better than other seashells.
Apart from mollusk shells, other shells that can be found on beaches are those of barnacles horseshoe crabs and brachiopods. Marine annelid worms in the family Serpulidae create shells which are tubes made of calcium carbonate that are cemented onto other surfaces. The shells of sea urchins, and the moulted shells of crabs and lobsters are called exuviae. While most seashells are external, some cephalopods have internal shells.
Seashells have been used by humans for many different purposes throughout history and pre-history. However, seashells are not the only kind of shells; in various habitats, there are shells from freshwater animals such as freshwater mussels and freshwater snails, and shells of land snails.
All of the Seashells we use and work on comes from protected species, with high control on biological balance and availability according international laws.
THE MOTHER OF PEARL
Iridescence is the main feature of this raw material, given from light’s reflex on several point of the Seashell. Technically is an effect coming from diffraction and interference of light in layer’s structor of Mother of pearl, breaking a beam of light in iris’s color.
Given nuance tend to infinite and iridescence, given from different kind of layers present in Mother of pearl, is not regular, reason why every button or creation is unique.
Mother of pearl is also very famous because of its structural features, such as strength but a great flexibility.
A true natural wonder!
OUR BUTTONS
As a precious natural element, Mother of Pearl requires a delicate handmade complex work . Mother of pearl buttons are made from exotic shells, with their unique iridescence and light, from which they are cut manually diskettes with the help of circular diamond cutters.
In the second stage of the procedure, the process continue with the division of the sections, through a selector switch selected for uniformity of thickness in order to decide the ideal shape. As natural products are by definition unique all items are different one from the other. With a process of grinding or flattening they are taken to an equal thickness. Passing under the diamond wheel they lose all those bumps and defects typical of the shell, achieving an almost perfectly flat shape. After that processes begin turning and shaping, drilling, sanding and possibly custom engraving, decorating, dyeing or enamelling and polishing definitively that enhances the brightness of mother of pearl.
We like to point out that often the tools used to give shape to the button are created and shaped by hand. Of course to be button makers someone should be an artist.
Looking to a button you can hardly imagine how much work there is behind this simple disk: but to get a button there are very specific processes and procedures to follow, required materials and proper equipment and high professionalism. With creativity and technologies available in BOTTONIFICIO LAB its production has found wide application exploring the field of jewelery and accessories, with pendants, buckles and cufflinks. From simple tool for lacing, the mother of pearl button it has become so fundamental to define the success of a clothing item.
ACCESSORIES
NOT ONLY MOTHER OF PERAL
We perform high precision customisations and engravings by laser , you can create any type of drawing, writing or logo on the product you wish to create. We can provide the customisation on the upper face of the button or on side edge to make the button more and more exclusive.
If you want to learn more about, please log in in our Reserved Area and take a look to our catalog or contact us at the following email.
