“It took 50 to 70 L of water to conduct a single expe-
rience,” Lischina said. “Even the 20th experience did not
satisfy me. The impulse to quit happened several times, but
my obstinance and perfection didn’t let me stop halfway.”
It took him 10 months to perfect the process of gilding
an iPhone 5. By then, the 5s had been released.
To fill orders at scale, Lischina had to get out of the
garage. He found a well-ventilated space in Kiev that could
house his growing set of equipment, which included a laser
engraver, washing and polishing devices, molding equipment,
and tools for fine jewelry and leatherwork. To keep up with
orders, he finally hired an assistant, and he now has 12 employ-
ees, including engineers, machinists, designers, and artists.
His most valuable associate is an elderly man who is
an expert in galvanic processes. This man, through many
phone consultations, sometimes in the middle of the night,
has helped Lischina refine his technique to work on the most
recent aluminum surfaces.
Since the release of the iPhone 6, Aurum Edition has
introduced new materials to its repertoire of customization
services. Phones and other devices can now be coated in
yellow or pink gold or receive a veneer of carbon fiber, wood,
or leather. They can also be topped off with diamonds and
other jewels.
Lischina has also experimented with additives that
make the gold layer more resistant to wear and tear. The
company uses only parts supplied by the factories that
manufacture the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other gadgets it
will customize.
Among other designs, Aurum Edition supplies phones
finished with a dragon shaped like the number eight: when it
is adorned with eight diamonds, it is the Black King Dragon,
and when it is adorned with six diamonds and two rubies
for the eyes, it is the Grand Ruby Monarch. A dragon with
16 diamonds and 2 rubies for the eyes is even available —
that’s the Grand Imperior. A wolf’s head and a bitcoin design
are also available.
Lischina said that orders come in from all over the
world from political figures, entertainment stars, and profes-
sional athletes. “They are demanding customers,” he said.
“But we have managed to surprise them every time.”
An iPhone shell is on a lathe so its
surface can be prepared for gilding.
PHOTO: Aurum Edition
A gold-plated iPhone. PHOTO: Aurum Edition
This silhouette of a dragon shaped like
the number 8 has been popular with
customers. PHOTO: Aurum Edition
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