From Lucite to Legacy: How Materials Tell a Story
Every deal toy begins with a design idea. The concept comes first, because the story of the deal, the people, and the achievement should always drive the shape, the structure, and the message.
Only then do we choose the material that best supports that design.
Lucite, crystal, resin, and metal each have their own history and visual language. When they are selected in service of the design, they do far more than hold text. They enhance the story the piece is meant to communicate.
This is the real power of materials: not as the starting point, but as a tool for bringing a thoughtful design to life. It’s all about storytelling.
From Industrial Material to Creative Medium
Lucite didn’t begin in conference rooms or closing dinners. It began in wartime engineering labs. Its clarity and strength made it ideal for aircraft canopies, submarine periscopes, and precision industrial components.
After the war, designers realized that Lucite’s optical clarity could preserve and display objects. That insight led to early embedments, coins, hardware, electronics, small artifacts captured inside blocks of cast acrylic.
These early experiments paved the way for the deal toys we know today.
But even then, the design dictated the material – if something needed to be preserved visually, Lucite was the medium to support that idea.
Read more about early Lucite embedments → History of Deal Toys
Crystal, Precision, and Light
Crystal entered corporate recognition from a different world, the world of fine glasswork and optics. Designers used its weight, sharp edges, and reflective qualities to bring structure and sophistication to an idea.
When laser etching became commercially viable, crystal turned into a canvas. Intricate artwork could be etched inside the material, allowing geometry, architecture, and symbolism to live within the piece.
Again, the design determined whether crystal was the right fit – not the other way around.
Resin, Metal, and the Rise of Mixed Media
As deal toys evolved, so did the desire for sculpted detail, narrative scenes, and specific industry elements.
Resin allowed for sculpted storytelling. Whether it was a factory model, a pipeline, a mascot, a product, or an abstract symbol, resin gave designers the flexibility to represent key elements of the transaction.
Metal introduced structure, weight, texture, and a sense of heritage.
Machined, cast, or cut, metal elements could anchor a design or convey stability and permanence.
But neither resin nor metal is the “solution” by itself. They work only when the design calls for them.
Why Materials Matter
At Polaris, materials matter because they help a strong design communicate more clearly.
Lucite can highlight clarity, growth, and modernity
Crystal can emphasize precision and formality
Resin can bring narrative detail to the foreground
Metal can add structure and permanence
But none of these materials create meaning on their own.
Material chosen first will limit the design.
Material chosen last will strengthen it.
That’s why expertise matters.
Understanding how each material behaves, how it performs in production, how it interacts with lighting and shape and weight — that’s what ensures the design works in the real world.
Material Supports the Story. Design Tells It.
A meaningful deal toy isn’t defined by what it is made of. It’s defined by what it communicates.
Materials are tools. Design is the differentiator.
When used together with intention, they turn a commemorative object into a lasting symbol of the work behind the deal.
About Polaris Custom Awards
We bring decades of hands-on experience across Lucite casting, crystal fabrication, resin molding, and metalwork. That manufacturing knowledge shapes how we design, and it ensures that each piece is done right, from concept through production.
If you have a closing ahead and want a recognition piece that feels intentional, thoughtful, and worth keeping, we’re here to help.
Want to learn more about deal toys? All you need to know is in our Deal Toy Hub
Questions for the Deal Toy Experts? Our FAQ has the answers
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