By Jennifer Heebner, Editor in Chief
Collectors know that there’s no sating voracious appetites for gemstones; if there’s a new way to use gem material, it will be uncovered and created tout de suite! So, when fashion-loving Bryan Aderhold of Nash James Enterprises, LLC—the AGTA member who wears the top hat, inspired by the original Candy Man, Willy Wonka—thought about all the nice dress shirts made with low-end plastic buttons, he thought of a way to elevate attire through his craft. Enter gemstone buttons.
Onyx gemstone buttons
The idea came to him about four years ago as he pondered his own button-downs.
“I thought, ‘why are buttons so cheap?’” he says. “Whether it’s a $20 shirt from Macy’s or a fancy one from Ralph Lauren, the buttons are all the same—plastic and nothing special. So, I wondered if we could make them from gemstones.”
He reached out to manufacturing facilities he knew in Jaipur, having samples made from a few different firms. After about a year, he and a cutting partner had the shapes—round and hexagon—and material (Onyx) selected, with drill holes perfected. He chose Onyx for its versatility and stability.
“Onyx is a hard stone that we can permanently dye in a lot of different colors,” Aderhold explains.
To date, 12 colors are available, and the button sizes are made for dress shirts. Aderhold plans to make bigger ones for sport coats, but for now, he and a few customers are enjoying the originals.
Gemstone buttons on a shirt belonging to Bryan Aderhold
“I had 20 shirts made with them,” he says. “They get sewn on just like a normal button. We’d like to roll them out to bridal and tuxedo shops and to clothing manufacturers. They can also be an add-on in jewelry stores and can be customized for corporate gifts.”
Aderhold has only been selling them for the last six months and established a company name, website, and Instagram handle for Brilliant Gem Buttons. The buttons are for sale in sets of 14—seven for shirt fronts, a few for wrists and collars, and some extras. Triple key prices per set are $105.
There are 12 different colors of dyed Onyx gemstone buttons
Trade response thus far is positive, with multiple orders already having taken place—including from AGTA’s own CEO John W. Ford Sr., who has several shirts with the buttons.
“Our gemstone buttons take an average shirt to an extraordinary place,” he says. “Plus, it’s a whole other place to use a gemstone, and it’s something that’s not been done before. They really pop on a shirt or blouse.”
Reach Aderhold at [email protected] or 800-518-8150.
This is proprietary content for AGTA and may not be reproduced.