How were badges etc made? Where they unique or made by help of some form?

[Amely]

I have been discussing about badges, buttons and crosses etc fastened on the uniforms of noble men.

Now I wonder if those things were handicraft - every piece unique - or if they were made by help of some forms.

It seems too cheap to make things of gold by help of some form, but if they were "only" of silver then I can understand. However silver feels too cheap to me.

I have heard stories that buttons etc on uniforms were worth a fortune. Did they also tell something about the owner's identity? Hadn't it been important for example in war situations?

[Amely]

Is it possible that badges were made of Platinum or white gold? Who can tell about the materials used to badges for uniforms?

[Mia]

Since nobody has answered to this question I could make some guessing on the topic of the material and the technique of making buttons and badges.

First we can probably rule out white gold, since it is rather new invention. Also platinum seems to be a bit too precious metal for something as common as a button. It is also very difficult to work.

Buttons, badges and medals are in general stamped in a metal press. That allowes making finely detailed items in large quantities and I guess that there were great demand on the buttons.

Stamping might sound too simple and cheap solution for making jewellery, but even the great Fabergé used machines in for example the engine turned surfaces (guilloche) in the enamel items such as photo frames and cigarette boxes.

[Mike]

Wnenever an officer or civil servant was awarded an order or medal, he was supposed to purchase it at his own expense. As an exception, the jewelled stars of 1st class orders were ordered and paid for by the state. The same was true for order crosses presented to military personnel at wartime. Many jewellers in cities like Petersburg, Moscow and Warsaw manufactured and sold various order crosses and medals. While made to standard patterns, they slightly differed in size, color and small details. Almost all crosses were made of gold and enamel.