Autumn Essentials

Our collections feature three materials: sterling silver 925, 14k gold-filled, and 18k gold (750/1000). For everyday wear without restriction, both 14k gold-filled and 18k gold hold up well in water — shower, pool, and beach are all fine with either one. Sterling silver 925 alone calls for a bit more attention, since it's a living metal that can oxidize on contact with chlorine or bleach, a natural and reversible process. For a customer who swims often or has her hands in water throughout the day, 18k white gold is the material to recommend, as it does not oxidize. All of our materials are hypoallergenic, silver 925, gold-filled, and 18k gold alike — none is reserved for sensitive skin more than another. Since 2014, Atelier Paulin has hand-shaped each of these materials in Paris, from a single continuous precious wire.

14k gold-filled, also known as Gold Filled, is a solid layer of 585 gold bonded to a metal base: it contains 50 to 100 times more gold than traditional gold plating, and comes in yellow and rose only. 18k gold, 75% pure gold in a solid wire, is hallmarked and certified, and comes in yellow, rose, and white. The price gap reflects this difference in gold content: on the Original Personalized Bracelet, it ranges from €280 in gold-filled to €1,640 in yellow or rose 18k gold. The one thing to know about gold-filled: it cannot be re-soldered if it breaks clean, so the piece is remade instead. 18k gold, like sterling silver, can be repaired and re-soldered, quoted on a case-by-case basis.

The number of letters depends on the design, not its size: a ring holds up to 5 letters, an ear cuff 7, a brooch or an Original or Richelieu bracelet up to 10, as do most necklaces. The Mantra Original necklace goes further, with a short phrase or up to five names. The Richelieu Duo necklace is designed for two names. Lettering on a hand-shaped word is entirely lowercase, except for a capital 'J' when it opens the word, with no accents or apostrophes (spaces can be added on request). The 'Capital' and 'Capital Initial' designs follow a different logic: their lettering is entirely in capitals. Alongside the hand-shaped word, the Initial option lets you feature one or several initial letters, standing for one or several names.

On product pages for personalized pieces that offer it, an online previewer lets you see the name, word, or initial you enter directly on the piece, in a realistic 3D rendering of the hand-shaped wire. This gives a precise sense of the composition before purchase. Once the order is placed, our artisans reproduce that same piece by hand, with pliers: the precious wire is hand-shaped, then the entire piece is cold-worked to give it its shape memory. This previewer isn't available on every page — each product page indicates whether that particular design offers it. It doesn't replace the artisan's hand, it previews it.

Yes, to a certain extent: a ring can be adjusted by up to two sizes, a bracelet by one size, depending on the lettering and the design. This resizing is free, except when it requires adding 18k gold material, in which case it's quoted on a case-by-case basis. This is an important nuance to know, since a piece hand-shaped to order, with the word or initial chosen by the customer, is neither returnable nor refundable once made to the order's specifications — resizing remains the way to correct a fit issue, without going through a return. That said, if the personalization received doesn't match what was ordered (a different word, material, or size), Atelier Paulin takes the piece back and either remakes or refunds it.