What is the difference between Glass awards and Lucite awards?
A question we’ve heard many times over the years is “Why Lucite instead of glass?”.
The answer to this is simple. In terms of quality and durability, no material comes close to Lucite. Cast Lucite is a high quality plastic with a unique property of allowing it to be made into anything you can think of. Glass does not have this same adaptability which limits the creativity of the design and makes it more difficult to create the piece you have in mind.
But What is Lucite? Is it like Acrylic?
Confusion over the name “Lucite” arises occasionally. Is it acrylic? Is is Plexiglas?
Lucite, Acrylite, Plexiglas and Perspex are all the same product trademarked under a brand name. In the same way we’d call any brand of facial tissue a “Kleenex,” these products are all high-grade acrylic with the same properties that can be used interchangeably.
Most consumers are used to handling cheap polyester plastics, which yellow, scratch and can break or chip easily (like glass). Unlike cheaper plastics, Lucite does not yellow over time.
As you can see from the Trebor Candy Dish we created in 1985, Lucite will need to face a lot of abuse before it scratches, let alone breaks or chips. Even if does get scratched, the beauty of Lucite is that scratches can easily be buffed out. It is simply a much harder material than other plastics or glass.
So, Why Lucite?
“Why Lucite?” is another question we hear regularly. Lucite has multiple qualities that make it the perfect material to use in creating custom pieces.
It is extremely strong and impact resistant. Here at Clearmount, we pride ourselves on making pieces that will last a lifetime. If you drop your Lucite award, it will not smash. The worst result will be a few scratches that can easily be buffed out.
In contrast to glass, the physical components of Lucite allow our craftsmen to cut and manipulate the material to create unique coloured acrylic shapes and effects, while maintaining a uniform standard for orders of larger numbers.
Considering Lucite’s durability, it is incredibly light – about 50% the weight of glass. This makes it easier to handle in production and a lot cheaper to ship!
Almost anything can be embedded in Lucite, allowing us to make the ultimate personalized award. Objects of a personal nature Clearmount has embedded in the past include commemorative brick pieces from a demolished building, parts of the Berlin Wall and even Winston Churchill’s cigar!
Lucite is the perfect choice to mark corporate milestones or awards. Lucite can be customized to a coloured acrylic which matches your corporate branding, allowing us to create high volume financial tombstones designed to celebrate your brand and its achievements.
If you want to know more about Lucite, check out a video tour of the Lucite manufacturing process. Or, you can contact us today.