Metal enamel badges are a very cost effective way of promotion and awareness.

Cold enamel badges tend to have a high perceived value but in reality are of very low cost. The method of manufacturing allows the badge maker to accurately reproduce a logo or graphic image with a hand coloured enamel finish giving the impression of high quality enamel at a very economical solution.

These budget priced enamel badges are also known as soft enamel badges and ideal for low run or high runs for service awards or recognition badges.

Traditional enamel process is a glass-like powder that is placed in a copper or brass wire shaped frame of the logo or design and baked at high temperature to melting point. It turns into liquid and then sets to a very hard glossy finish.

Soft or cold enamel badges are die stamped brass or copper and a cold enamel acrylic filling is used instead of the expensive glass-like powder (vitreous). Metals are polished to give it a luxurious look and feel. Although copper and brass is used, they can be plated for a choice of luxury finishes such as silver, gold and even black. So even antique finishes can be obtained.

Some manufacturers have the facility to colour the acrylic to match particular branding using the PMS process (Panton Colour Matching System.

If you require the very highest quality enamel badge, the traditional enamel processes is probably the only choice as it uses glass (vitreous) enamel colours and then fired at high temperatures.

An alternative would be the Cloisonne method. A very similar enamel badge production process as the die struck soft enamel lapel pins. The main difference is in the colour fill. Cloisonné pins are hard enamel instead of soft enamel. The cloisonné material is placed into the metal areas by hand and then baked at high temperatures to obtain a smooth surface.

Attachments are often; butterfly clutch, tie clip, key ring, tie tack, safe pin, simple pin, long pin, cuff link.

Peter Yexley