The 11^th Annual Rock n’ Roll Marathon, held June 1 in San Diego, promised to be challenging and fun. The 26.2 mile course begins in Balboa Park, runs through Hillcrest skirts the San Diego Zoo, then features the historic Gaslamp Quarter and the San Diego Harbor. After that, the course travels up Highway 163, by the bayside communities, Sea World and ends up at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Point Loma. “Just come home with the finisher’s medallion and you’ll make us proud,” Jeff said to his girlfriend, one of the salespeople at The Monterey Company.  Since he’d completed six L.A. Marathons in the past, Jeff knew what he was talking about. “It’s not about the race, the thousands who run along side you, or all the free stuff you get, it’s all about the finisher’s medallion,” he said with conviction. “The medallion proves that you ran their 26.2 mile course. No one gets one until they cross the finish line.” That statement really hit home since she works for The Monterey Company, a top medallion manufacturer. She thought of the 20,000 eager entrants who would battle heat, pain and exhaustion just to earn that medallion. It was their newfound symbol of victory! She imagined wearing it on race day, like a hard-fought badge of honor. Then proudly showing it to her boyfriend, family, friends and coworkers. Alas, she couldn’t view the Rock n’ Roll finisher’s medallion on the official web site, www.rnrmarathon.com. She wanted to see if she’d like the design and their choice of colors. She imagined it to be a 2-inch die-struck antique gold medallion with a blue ribbon. The central image would have to be a runner with musical symbols and background scenes of San Diego, including the ocean, of course.  “No one gets a medallion until they cross the finish line” rang in her ears as she laced up her shoes to run 5 miles that evening. She would just have to wait until June 1 to hold that elusive medallion.  The folks at the Monterey Company help you design your next sports medallion. “It’s not the medallion, but what it represents,” said Paul Stark, the company’s president.

Over the past 20 years, The Monterey Company has created thousands of medallions that people all over the world proudly wear, later show to their family and friends, and keep as treasures for years. Call toll free 1-800-259-6496!

Posted: May 16th, 2008 under Medallions.
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Recently we were asked by one of our customers for a reference and and much to our delight we received the glowing review.

Good to meet you Angie.  I can’t say enough about Monterey.  I run a tournament every year that hosts upwards of 1000 girls, and we give them pins as gifts for participating.  I work with a board of directors for my league that has no concept of time, so for 2006 and 2007 we were on a very SHORT time frame.  Laura was able to get me them pins for tournament day with no problem (2006 was just over 3 weeks).  There was some nail biting going on, but everything worked.  Laura and Monterey bent over backwards for us.  The quality of the work is awesome.  I have a friend that made the line drawings for me and Monterey’s art department worked their magic.  Being involved with Little League, I tend to trade a lot of pins.  I always receive compliments on the ones I got from Laura.  Side by side you can see the quality of the pins from Monterey and the other companies – detail – colors.  I’ve attached pictures of our pins that we got from Monterey.  If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Posted: May 15th, 2008 under Testimonials.
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Keith Richards, an English guitarist, songwriter and founding member of The Rolling Stones, is known for his innovative rhythm playing. In 2003, he was ranked 10th on Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”International Guitar Month, celebrated this month, creates awareness, satisfaction and the joy of playing a guitar. Guitars are primarily used for blues, country, rock and pop music, and are enjoyed the world over.Keith Richards’ mother introduced him to the music of Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, and bought him his first guitar - a Rosetti acoustic - for seven pounds.Richards and lead vocalist Mick Jagger knew each other as schoolboys and even lived in the same neighborhood, but cemented their friendship on a train from Dartford to Sidcup in 1961. They began talking about Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters, and later played in a band together, and the rest is history.Richards, who owns over 1,000 guitars, is often associated with the Fender Telecaster, particularly with two 1950s Telecasters outfitted with Gibson PAF humbucker pickups in the neck position.Today, there are a wide variety of both acoustic and electronic guitars performed by musicians all over the world. Whether you’re a musician, music instructor, store owner, guitar enthusiast or fan club member, The Monterey Company can help promote you.We can create your guitar-shaped lapel pin in 3-D cast gold, showcase a photo of your band on a printed pin or highlight your guitar’s workmanship with a die-struck raised metal pin. The possibilities are endless!In fact, one of the graphic designers at The Monterey Company is intimately involved with guitars. He is a bass player and engineer who designs and builds 10-15 custom made guitars a year. You can imagine the care he takes in creating your custom-made guitar pins!For more information on your custom made guitar pin, please call The Monterey Company toll-free at (800) 259-6496.

Posted: April 22nd, 2008 under Lapel Pins, PINS.
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 It’s the frosting on the cake, the lipstick on the face, it’s … packaging for your lapel pins!

Without final packaging, your lapel pins are well . . . bare. You wouldn’t give your girlfriend diamond earrings without a package, or a strand of pearls without a velvet box, would you?

For years, The Monterey Company has been creating quality, jewel-type lapel pins that beg to be presented in the most flattering way. The right packaging sets the tone and states that your pin is as special as the person receiving it!

Many customers of The Monterey Company create custom-made lapel pins for their own service organizations, including philharmonics, doctors without borders and cancer societies, to name a few. Those who make up their membership are giving their time, talent and heart into these organizations. What better way to say that they’re special than by giving their lapel pins in velvet boxes or pouches?

The Monterey Company has a variety of packaging and pricing for you to choose from!

Boxes

• 2 ¼ inch x 2 ¼ inch Velvet Box w/cardboard sleeve (red, black or grey)        $ 2.20 to  $3.20

• 1 in. x 1 in. Plastic Presentation Box (hinged with foam insert)                        $0.40
• 1 ½ in. x 1 ½ in. Plastic Presentation Box (hinged with foam insert)            $0.50
• 2 in. x 1 ½ in. Plastic Presentation Box (hinged with foam insert)                        $0.80
• 2 in. x 4 in. Plastic Presentation Box (hinged with foam insert)                         $1.40
• 3 in. x 3 in. Plastic Presentation Box (hinged with foam insert)                         $1.40
• 1 ½ in. x 1 ½ in. White, Gold or Silver Foil Two-Piece

Cardboard Box Square                                                                                    $0.60

Velvet Pouches

• 3 ½ in. x 2 ¾ in. Round Velvet Pouch (black, green, burgundy, navy)            $0.90
• 3 in. x 2 in. Rectangle Velvet Pouch (black, green, burgundy, navy)            $0.90

What’s more, with perfect packaging from The Monterey Company, your lapel pins will stay safe and secure for years to come!

Call The Monterey Company toll-free today at 1-800-259-6496.

Posted: April 8th, 2008 under Lapel Pins.
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Remember when you fell down and your mother put a patch your jeans? It was an ugly iron-on version and your jeans never looked the same again. Well, patches, especially embroidered ones, have come a long way since then!

The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts youth organizations use patches to mark their accomplishments, while service organizations, such as motorcycle groups, often use them to distinguish membership and rank. Individuals wear patches to show off a popular design or to announce their political affinity. Leading up to the November election in the U.S., there appears to be an influx of “Peace” patches appearing on backpacks, jackets and bags.

The manufacturing of an embroidered patch can be done by hand, by machine, or in a factory with computers. The firm backing, called a twill, forms the “backbone” of the design. Most of the colored threads used in embroidered patches are rayon or polyester, but cotton and hemp threads can also be used.

Embroidered patches from The Monterey Company offer a high-quality, low-cost alternative to direct embroidery. Our artists produce computer-aided designs using the latest technology. Your insignia can be made with cotton or mixed threads, in an iron-on or sew-on style.

Of course, digital proofs and pre-production samples are always available. The entire process is simple, quick and professional. You will have your completed embroidery in a little as two weeks–and at a price to fit your budget!We also offer:

• Free Artwork and Revisions with Every Order
• 7 Standard Thread Colors
• Free Fed Ex Ground Shipping
• Free Setup
• Rush service available. Please inquire.

Let The Monterey Company create the perfect patch for you! Call today at 1-800-259-6496.

Posted: April 8th, 2008 under Patches.
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The manufacturing of a Cloisonné pin is a very detailed, thoughtful process. Actually, it was developed in China centuries ago, but is still used today in crafting fine, emblematic jewelry. Cloisonné lapel pins have a rich finish and the greatest perceived value.

1. To make a 1-inch Cloisonné lapel pin, the artisan starts with the raw material, a 1.25 by 1.25 inch copper bronze square. It looks like a small copper tile.
2. Then the copper square is die-struck, or stamped, onto the surface. The die imprints your design onto the metal.
3. The outline of the pin is then cut out, along with any other parts that need to be cut out (according to your design). In this example, there are cuts-outs around the crown at the top, around the figures on both sides of the crest, and around the banner at the bottom. Each of these cuts-outs is done meticulously by hand using tiny carving instruments.
4. Then the colors are hand-filled with a powdered glass-like mixture. Note that the colored areas are overfilled.
5. Then the pin is hand-polished with stones to set the colors in place.
6. Then each color is fired one at a time at 1,700 F for two to four minutes each. This two-step process insures that color bleeding does not occur.
7. Next, the attachments are assembled to the back of the Cloisonné pin. Butterfly attachments are free with the order, but you can also select from cuff link, deluxe flat and safety pin styles.
8. Then the pin is hand-polished to make the colors shine and ensure there are no rough edges.
9. At this juncture, the Cloisonné pin has brilliant color, but is still showing its original bronze plating. Next, the pin is plated in silver or gold, which makes it resistant to scratching.
10. Finally, each pin is inspected to ensure only the highest quality is individually packaged and sent to The Monterey Company.

To order your Cloisonné pin, call The Monterey Company toll free today at 1-800-259-6496.

Posted: April 1st, 2008 under Lapel Pins.
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The NCAA Basketball Tournament and “March Madness” is in full swing! College teams from across the country are battling it out for the chance to be hailed number one. National sportscasters, local newscasters, coaches and players are all wearing American flag lapel pins and patches, but why?First of all, basketball is an American sport. It was created by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian PE instructor at YMCA Training School (now Springfield College) in 1892. He was looking for a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied during the long winter months. The first game was played on January 20, 1892, with nine players, two peach baskets and the game ended 1-0.Today’s players have put aside the peach baskets, and they’re sporting American flag patches on their uniforms. (Of course, they cannot wear lapel pins; they would poke someone’s eye out!) But why are they wearing flag patches–because they’re patriotic or because the game is shown on national TV?What about those college players who come from other countries? UCLA has two players from The Republic of Cameroon in central Africa. They’re wearing U.S. flag patches on their shoulders like their teammates, but how do they feel about it?Wearing the flag shouldn’t come as any surprise to anyone. The American flag is one of our nation’s most widely recognized and used symbols. The three main colors are red, white, and blue. Red represents hardiness and valor; white represents innocence and purity; and blue represents perseverance, justice, and vigilance.Perhaps the NCAA basketball players are looking to the flag as a reminder that they need valor and perseverance to win the championship! But you don’t need to be sports enthusiast to enjoy custom-made American flag pins or patches! Create your own patriotic pin—just in time for the baseball season and the Fourth of July! Call The Monterey Company today at 1-800-259-6496!

Posted: March 28th, 2008 under Lapel Pins.
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Sliders are a popular enhancement to many baseball trading pins. They get their name because they actually slide a short distance across the main pin.

Some early popular sliders showed a baseball player sliding into home base, or a rocket lifting off into space. Yet, sliders do not necessarily have to slide along a straight line.

Designers at The Monterey Company have become more creative and made sliders arch along the side of the pin or jump across a field. Sliders can be placed just about anywhere to enhance your design!

They don’t necessarily have to be limited to the shape of baseballs either. One customer asked The Monterey Company to create a slider in the shape of an airplane. He wanted to depict where his team was traveling across the United States—on their way to Cooperstown, NY.

Sliders take time to construct and set up, so there’s a one-time set-up charge of $60, in addition to the price of the slider. Just like the main pin, sliders are priced according to quantity. For 100-200 pins, sliders cost $1.12 each; for 300-500 pins, sliders are .92 cents each and for 1,000 to 2,000 pins, sliders are only .77 cents each.

The main thing about sliders is they make trading pins look really cool! With a slider on your trading pin, players from other teams will definitely want to trade with you! Another good thing is that sliders do not wear down over time. They still look good years and years later on!

For more information on how a slider can make your trading pins truly unique, please contact The Monterey Company at 1-800-259-6496.

Posted: March 27th, 2008 under Case Studies, Lapel Pins, Trading Pins.
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The Monterey Company has the perfect boost for the sagging real estate market: Lapel pins made in an exact replica of your own home!

Imagine, you’ve been trying to sell your home for months. Barely anyone has looked at it. You’ve reduced it down as far as you can go and still make a profit–and they continue to balk! Suddenly, you start wearing a 2-inch lapel pin (which is a tiny replica of your home) then you can now reach a whole different market.

“Is that a house you’re wearing on your lapel?” asks a co-worker at lunch.

“Why sure, it’s my home on the west end. It’s for sale, you know,” you answer.

“That’s a nice-looking place, how much are you asking for it?” he asks.

That’s your cue to pull out a four-color flier of your home interior. Then you slyly take your house pin off your lapel and put it on his. Before long, you’ll be on your way to lapel-pin generated home sales! Wear them to the grocery store, the DMV, social events, anywhere you go!

Seriously, these custom-shaped house pins are also perfect for:

• Real Estate Agents
• Historical Societies
• Docents of Museums, Homes or Lodges
• Family members at Annual Reunions
• Architects
• Interior Designers
• Contractors
• Sales Agents of Home Improvement Supplies
• Anyone who Loves Their Home

For custom made lapel pins of your own beloved home, call The Monterey Company today at 1-800-259-6496.

Posted: March 25th, 2008 under Lapel Pins.
Comments: 1

Easter eggs are dyed or painted chicken eggs that are given away to celebrate springtime or the Easter holiday. These eggs are “mysteriously” hidden all over the house and garden by the Easter Bunny for children to find on Easter morning.
One of the most famous Easter eggs was a jeweled egg designed by Peter Carl Faberge in 1885 for Tsar Alexander III of Russia as a surprise for his wife, Maria Fyodorovna.
On the outside, it looked like a simple egg of white enameled gold, but it opened up to reveal a golden yolk. The yolk itself had a golden hen inside it, which in turn had a tiny crown with a ruby hanging inside, similar to the matryoshka nesting dolls.
Empress Maria was so delighted by this gift that Alexander appointed Fabergé a “Court Supplier” and commissioned an Easter gift each year after that. His son, Nicholas II of Russia, continued the tradition, presenting an egg each spring to his wife, Alexandra Fyodorovna, and his widowed mother.
The Imperial Eggs can be recreated, enjoyed and worn today as an Easter lapel pin—in less than four weeks! All you would need is a good photo of the jeweled egg. Then our knowledgeable salespeople and designers can help you create your own, memorable Easter pin!
Call The Monterey Company toll-free today at 1-800-259-6496!
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Posted: March 21st, 2008 under Lapel Pins.
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