In the mid-nineteenth century, thin, silvery, and translucent scales were useful for making ornaments. Jewellery, rosary, and pearl makers saw the potential of this by-product of fisheries as an imitation product for mother-of-pearl, establishing scales’ recognition and reputation for being attractive materials. They became a product of innovation and economic solutions that emerged from efforts to find cheaper materials to replace mother-of-pearl. This discovery was published in many scientific journals and publicly displayed at exhibitions such as the galleries of Crystal Palace. Fish scale accessories were also commercially sold. in 1860, this tiara was worth 10 days’ wage for a skilled tradesman. This suggests that the tiara was not a mundane commodity, but a work of novelty that required professional techniques. This process of repurposing and recycling was a new phenomenon recognised as a desirable and economical technology.