Lab Infiltration

"Infiltrating the Lab"

A story of challenge that began quietly in 2019.

This time, let's take a look inside Sanpo Create's Lab.

The lab was launched in the spring of 2019.

Since then, countless accessories have been created, polished, and shipped out here .

However, there is an insurmountable wall between accessories and jewelry.

Discoloration. Allergies. The rarity of the material.

 This was an unavoidable challenge for anyone who wanted to remain beautiful .

After continuing to search for the answer, he came across the material "titanium."

It does not oxidize, is gentle on the skin, and is highly biocompatible.

Although it was supposed to be the "ideal," no one had ever seriously attempted to tackle this metal.

That's why we thought.

"Let's break into this unknown territory with our own hands."

 The road was longer and more difficult than I had imagined.

The surprise of "titanium's lightness"

Titanium is light, strong, and allergy-free.

The moment you put it on, everyone is amazed at how light it is, unlike anything made of metal.

However, behind this lies the extraordinary difficulty of processing.

 The reason why "iT'sTi" is taking on titanium.

 Now let me tell you a little bit about why it is said to be a "tear for craftsmen."

Each metal has its own unique "temperament"

Gold is soft.

Silver is flexible.

Platinum is quietly heavy.

Metals have a unique and sometimes whimsical "temperament" that is more distinctive than words can describe.

Titanium is particularly strong and sensitive to heat and air.

Even the slightest difference in conditions can greatly affect the shape, requiring high levels of concentration, experience, and a "determination to face the material" from those who handle it.

The "barrier of straight lines" that restricts design freedom

Generally, titanium processing is

Linear cutting processes such as bending and cutting became mainstream.

The reason is simple: it doesn't bend as easily as other metals.

This inevitably limits the freedom of design, which restricts the "range of expression" of the jewelry.

However, what iT'sTi seeks is not a design that suits the convenience of the metal, but a form that is in tune with the wearer's sensibilities.

So we decided to venture into the technology that everyone wants to avoid.

The challenge of shaping titanium through casting

Casting is a basic technique in jewelry making.

The metal is melted, poured into a mold, cooled, hardened, and polished.

This is a common technique for gold and silver, but when you try to do the same thing with titanium, the story changes completely.

Titanium does not melt unless it is heated to approximately 1,600°C, and its properties change instantly when it comes into contact with oxygen in the air.

In other words, even melting and pouring it is extremely difficult.

Gold and silver flow easily, but titanium suddenly becomes unresponsive.

 Air bubbles appear, thin shapes become distorted, and the metal begins to act violently at the boundaries of thickness.

"Even though it's the same mold, the same temperature, and the same procedure, it comes out looking completely different."

 That is the "whimsy" of titanium.

The success rate is close to miraculous

When it comes to titanium casting, failure far outweighs success.

In fact, it could be said that failure is a given.

Prototypes were made 20 times, then 30 times,

Coating, temperature, tool diameter, cooling path, rotation speed, metal flow rate...

Experiments continue day after day, changing all sorts of conditions to find the optimal solution.

With experience, many materials can be finished "as planned."

However, with titanium, you can't let your guard down until the very last moment.

A 1 degree difference in temperature changes the appearance, and a 1 degree change in the polishing angle changes the shine.

That is why each successful creation reveals a unique expression that emerges from the end of a challenge.

Why "iT'sTi" is taking on titanium

Titanium is far from a mass-produced material.

It takes time, effort, and cost.

It takes a huge amount of research and trial to create one.

Still, there's a reason we keep trying.

 "Lightness," "strength," and "free aesthetic beauty."

Because we want to deliver all of that without compromise.

No matter how difficult it is or how many times I fail, I face the material, struggle with it, and never give up.

 The "titanium miracle" that lies ahead. We want to deliver this to you as jewelry that touches your skin.

And so the research continues today.