Custom sport medals usually showcase a lot of exposed metal. Approximately 80% of the award medals we sell are rendered with electroplating only. To the layman, "electroplating" means bronze, silver and gold. Armed with a bit of insider knowledge you can leverage textures and sandblasting for a unique and classy look.
Engraving Textures
Our factory offers 12 different textures for your custom pin design. CNC mold making technology makes it possible to create a lot of different looks be it in the background of your design or featured front and center.
You should consider using a background texture when you are trying to create a contrast between art elements. The textures vary from gravel-looking to that of a dulled look.
The process is cheaper to administer than sandblasting. The difference is that the pattern is engraved into the mold which is then used to stamp out your pin blanks. Textures 1 and 2 resemble sandblasting the closest.
Sandfrost
This process is our personal preference. Even though the engraved texture comes close to this look, it just doesn't look the same. You don't get the softer look that sandblasting delivers. You'll find that this finish costs a bit more as it's labour intensive. First each medal is sandblasted so that the entire surface is dull. Then each piece is hand buffed with a special wheel that removes the sandblast from the top layer of the design. In our experience, this enhancement can add around $1 of cost to the unit price. But it's worth it in our opinion.