How we make a TOV: from sketch to 585 hallmark

Every piece starts as a line on paper and ends in your hand. In between: fire, precision and a great many polishing cloths.

Atelier TOV6 min readUpdated 11 November 2026

The short answer

A TOV piece starts as a design in our studio. Then our goldsmith shapes it with the technique that suits the design: casting, 3D printing, stamping, tubing or a chain machine. Next, the stones are set, everything is polished and checked, and every piece gets its hallmark: 585 for 14 karat, 750 for 18 karat. It reaches you in a TOV box, with a digital certificate of authenticity.

In this story

It starts with a line
Five ways to shape gold
Setting the stones
Polished until it shines
Checked and hallmarked
In the box, on its way to you
Frequently asked questions

It starts with a line

Every TOV piece starts in our studio, as a sketch. We draw shapes you'll keep wearing for years: timeless, easy to combine and beautiful enough never to take off. How does a necklace fall on your collarbone? How does a ring feel after a whole day? We answer those questions on paper, long before any gold is involved.

Five ways to shape gold

Not every piece is made the same way. For each design, our goldsmith chooses the technique that gives the most beautiful and strongest shape. Here they are.

Casting

The classic. A model is made of the design and placed in a mould. Liquid gold fills the space the model leaves behind. Once it has cooled, the mould is removed and a rough gold shape remains, ready to be finished. Casting is ideal for rings with stones and for small, detailed shapes, such as the tops of our piercings.

3D printing

The newest technique. The piece is built up in gold, layer by layer. That allows shapes a mould can't make, with open, light structures that are still strong.

Stamping

A thin sheet of gold is pressed into shape with a die. The result: crisp, perfectly even shapes that are light to wear, such as shiny little spheres and some hoops.

Tubing

Gold is drawn into a fine tube. The posts of our flatback piercings are made this way, with a screw thread on the inside. That's why the top screws on firmly and stays put.

The chain machine

Our gold chains are made on chain machines, link by link and exactly the same size. Then they're cut to length and get their clasp.

A piece often combines more than one technique. A piercing, for example, has a post made by tubing and a cast top.

Shaped, polished, checked.

Setting the stones

Zirconia or natural diamond: every stone is set by hand. In a bezel, between prongs or row by row in pavé. Our natural diamonds always have F-G colour and SI clarity, so they shine bright white. We check every setting before the piece moves on.

Polished until it shines

After shaping, gold is still matt and rough. Every piece is carefully shaped, polished and finished until it has the shine you expect from real gold. White gold then gets a fine layer of rhodium, for that bright, white glow.

Checked and hallmarked

Every setting, clasp and hinge is checked and tested. Then every piece gets its hallmark: 585 for 14 karat, 750 for 18 karat. The little number that proves you're wearing real gold.

From this story

Stationed Spheres Bracelet €279,00

Herringbone Chain Bracelet €409,00

Sphere Cluster Piercing €119,00

In the box, on its way to you

Every piece goes into a TOV box, ready to give or to open yourself. It comes with a personal digital certificate of authenticity and a two-year warranty. From our studio straight to you, without a shop or wholesaler in between. That's how we keep real gold affordable.

Gold Jewellery Real 14 and 18 karat gold, never gold-plated. Shop Gold Jewellery

Frequently asked questions

Is TOV jewellery handmade?

Every piece passes through a goldsmith's hands: for setting the stones, polishing and the final check. The shaping is done with the technique that best suits the design, from casting to a chain machine.

What's the difference between casting and 3D printing?

With casting, liquid gold fills a mould. With 3D printing, the piece is built up layer by layer. 3D printing makes open, light shapes possible that a mould can't make.

Why does my jewellery say 585 or 750?

That's the hallmark for the gold content. 585 means 14 karat (58.5% gold), 750 means 18 karat (75% gold).

Do I get a certificate of authenticity?

Yes. Every TOV piece comes with a personal digital certificate of authenticity.

How long is the warranty?

Two years. On our warranty page you can read exactly what it covers and how to request a repair.