Nacre

Do you know what is Nacre?

Well it is also called the Mother-of-pearl…

And no! It is not the pearl as such! This is a naturally occurring organic-inorganic composite secreted by the epithelial cells of the mantle tissue of certain species of mollusk. They are made of hexagonal platelets of aragonite, between 10 and 20 microns wide and less than a micron thick, arranged in a continuous parallel lamina.

This is known as the toughest material on Earth! If humans could mimic it, it could lead to a new generation of ultra-strong synthetic materials for structures, surgical implants and countless other applications!  For now though we can’t replicate the kind of nano-engineering that mollusks have achieved!

Because of its almost mystical characteristics, mother of Pearl is revered for its metaphysical properties, believed to harness the energy of the ocean and the moon, bestowing upon its wearer a sense of calm, balance, and emotional clarity. It is often associated with the divine feminine energy, nurturing the soul and promoting inner peace!

Buttery smooth with rainbow glisten, no two nacre patches are alike because the colour changes depending how light falls on it when viewed from different angles!

For instance, it could look green from one angle, and turquoise from another. As a material, the mother-of-pearl was stereotyped for feminine watch dials, till recently when brands have broken the rule and are using it in watches showcasing moon phase displays, retrograde calendars and even tourbillons.

Now of course your next question is what is tourbillons?
It is a type of watch so called not only because of the constant dance of whirling motion that defines it and gives it its name (tourbillon means ‘whirlwind’ in French) but also because of its prestigious place in the history of watchmaking!

Mother-of-pearl needs skilled watchmakers who are equipped to use the extreme care required when shaping the material. If properly made and assembled, mother-of-pearl dials can last long and retain their lustre. The entire manufacturing process involving a mother-of-pearl dial can take between four and six weeks!

This process starts with finding the right shell. Mother-of-pearl is procured from different molluscs; the highest quality being the Pinctada family of largest and rarest pearl oysters. The shells are pounded, made into 0.2mm-0.5mm thin sheets, cut into circular blanks according to the desired dial measurement and then applied to the dial. It is finished with either engraving or patterning. They can be coloured, both back and front, with a variety of lacquers and paints. The dials are further enhanced using painting, varnishing, and lacquering. The end result: a luminous dial that is always intriguing to look.

The best thing of course is the limited edition nature since no piece will look exactly the same, but all are guaranteed to be beautifully iridescent and naturally scratch-resistant!

And army officials like Yogendra Singh Yadav are the real diamonds and limited edition pearl!

With Indian army always!

Jai hind!