DeMEC Jewellers Collections
Vegetable ivory
To reach its goal DeMEC is working with a very old seed that was used 200 years ago in the finest products but that was replaced by plastic in the 50s.
The palm seed known as vegetable ivory [Phytelephas Macrocarpa], coming from the Amazon Jungle in Latin-America, is called this way because its colour, hardness and density are very similar to animal ivory.
These properties make this amazing seeds the only natural and one hundred percent sustainable alternative for ivory. The buttons of the Victorian dresses, the draw handles of the fine furniture were made with this seeds as well as some special accessories (Japanese carvings), rare miniatures and sculptures.
But before it can be worked, the seeds must be allowed to dry naturally to gain the hardness required to be carved. This drying time can go to up to twenty years. Obviously the older the seed the more valuable it becomes.
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