People often ask why a resin turtle takes longer to finish than to cast. The answer is in the painting department on the fourth floor, where every piece passes through twelve stages before it is allowed into the packing room.

It starts with inspection. The cast is checked for air bubbles and seam lines, then sanded by hand. A primer coat follows, applied in a dust-free booth at 22 degrees Celsius. Once dry, the base colour is airbrushed in three light passes rather than one heavy coat, which keeps the shell texture visible.

The detail work is the slow part. Our painters use dry brushing to lift the scales, a sponge technique for the shell pattern, and a fine brush for the eyes. A soft colour wash goes into the crevices to add depth, and the piece is left to cure for 24 hours.

The final stages are a satin varnish, a wax polish and a last visual inspection under daylight lamps. Each painter completes around 60 turtles a day, and every one is signed off on a traveller card that stays with the carton.

It is labour-intensive, but it is also why our customers can sell the same design for years without complaints about fading or sticky surfaces.