Mother of Pearl buttons - How to recognise?

[billiebob]

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

This is my preferred method.


Tapping them on your teeth is 100% accurate if you have any nerves at all. Plastic buttons don't come close to the sharp click that MOP buttons do.

 

[idfnl]

I've tried the lip thing a few times but it never seems to work. They all feel cold to me.

I'll try the teeth-tink test but will feel a fool doing that in a store.

 

[sonlegoman]

In the store, I just look at them. If you look close enough, there is a rainbow effect. Also, some plastic buttons will put the brown on the back just to simulate mother of pearl's outer shell side. But get good at it and you will be able to ID by eye.

 

[apropos]

Originally Posted by idfnl

I'll try the teeth-tink test but will feel a fool doing that in a store.
Try it in the changing room.

 

[Daniel W]

What they said.

If you want to be discreet, you can place the back of your hand on the button. The MOP will feel cold, and the plastic warm. It's accurate if you practice the technique. Tapping the button on your tooth is very fast, and highly accurate. It's the test that I usually perform. I prefer to get stares in the store than to purchase a shirt with plastic buttons when the salesman assures me that they're MOP!

You asked for 100%, so here it is... Heat the tip of a pin until it's red hot with a lighter -- it will not stick in the MOP button, but will in the plastic one, and produce a characteristic wiff of burnt plastic smelling smoke.

 

[Sighahka]

Does anyone have a good source for whitelip mother of pearl shell buttons from Australia? Cheers!

 

[HRoi]

great. this means that every fine shirt button i've been handling most likely has been in the mouth of a Styleforum member

 

[polar-lemon]

Once you get an eye for it, you won't have to do the tooth/mouth method. It's all in the back of the buttons. True MOP/shell of any kind will have one of two appearances:
1. Splotchy pinkish/redish markings, the outside of a seashell, as it were.
2. A very shiny, luminous back that reflects rainbows back.

True MOP (as opposed to Trocas or other shell) produces a shiner, more vivid rainbow.

 

[StopPolloition]

Originally Posted by HRoi

great. this means that every fine shirt button i've been handling most likely has been in the mouth of a Styleforum member

Originally Posted by antirabbit

Because the mouth is the most sensitive part of your body to temp (well, and your schwantz

So assuming you test buttons with your schwartz and everybody else is putting the same buttons in their mouths, does this mean you pwn3d everybody?