Personalized necklaces

Each design has its own character limit, set by the piece itself. The Original Personalized Mantra Necklace holds up to five first names; the Richelieu Personalized Duo Necklace is limited to two first names, hand-shaped facing each other. The initial designs (Original Initial Necklace, Capital Initial Necklace) carry one or several letters, one for each name to evoke.

The lettering follows a consistent rule across hand-shaped words: all lowercase, except for a capital "J" when it opens the word. Only one script style exists for these words: cursive. The Capital and Capital Initial designs follow a separate logic, entirely in uppercase. The Maison does not hand-shape accents or apostrophes; spaces can be added on request, as can certain symbols, to be specified when ordering.

A word on the making: work-hardening — the cold-working of the metal that gives the wire its shape memory — is applied to the entire piece once hand-shaping is complete, never letter by letter. This is what sets a hand-shaped piece apart from jewelry where a motif is cut into a flat surface: here, the form comes from the wire itself, not from an imprint added afterward.

Manufacturing time varies by material: 1 to 3 business days for sterling silver and 14k gold-filled, 2 to 5 business days for 18k gold, before shipping. Home delivery is added on top of that, typically 2 to 5 days. In Paris, two options are available directly at the boutique: on-site personalization in about thirty minutes, or same-day courier delivery.

Three materials make up the collection, each with its own properties. 14k gold-filled, a solid layer of 585-thousandths gold bonded to a metal base, contains 50 to 100 times more gold than traditional gold plating, and comes in yellow and rose only. You'll find it across the full 14k Yellow Gold-Filled collection.

18k gold is a solid gold wire composed of 75% pure gold, what's known in France as traditional gold. Each piece is hallmarked, certified, and hand-shaped by one of the Maison's jewelry artisans. It comes in yellow, rose, and white, as seen in the Number Necklace - 18k White Gold and Number Necklace - 18k Yellow Gold, also browsable under 18k Yellow Gold.

Sterling silver rounds out the palette: an alloy of 92.5% pure silver, hypoallergenic and antibacterial, with a bright white tone. Browse the selection in Sterling Silver. None of these three materials replaces another — the choice comes down to the color you want and how the piece will be worn day to day.

Care differs by material. 14k gold-filled needs no special attention — a soft cloth is enough — and it holds up to water: showers, pools, and the beach don't damage the gold layer. The one precaution, to preserve the delicacy of the hand-shaped wire, is to remove it during intense physical activity. Its lifespan is measured in decades.

Sterling silver is a living metal: on contact with air or moisture, a light patina can appear — a natural, reversible occurrence that doesn't affect the quality of the piece. Cleaning with lukewarm soapy water is enough, but unlike gold-filled, it's best to avoid the pool and the shower. 18k gold follows the same simple care: lukewarm water, mild soap, and a soft cloth to dry.

Every necklace in the collection comes presented in a jewelry box, backed by a one-year warranty from the date of purchase, with 14k gold-filled additionally carrying a lifetime shine guarantee. A piece hand-shaped to order, bearing the word chosen by the customer, cannot be exchanged or refunded.

Since 2014, Atelier Paulin has hand-shaped every necklace in this collection in Paris from a single continuous strand of precious wire, reinforced with laser micro-welding at points of tension. To continue exploring material and personalization choices, the Personalized Earrings collection follows the same material and personalization guidelines, as do the Personalized Bracelets in Gold and Silver for a matching piece on the wrist.