3d-printed gold-plated award

A while back a client and I proved that 3d-prints can be beautiful. He needed an award for a photoshoot, so while the production was limited the level of polish should not be. We ended up having the base of the award 3d-printed in ceramics to get a premium look straight away, while the top of the award went through a longer process. It was printed in plastic to keep costs and weight down, after which it was primed to get the surface right (polished on the flat parts, while keeping the grainy feel in the crevices to keep those visible). Finally it was covered in pure gold, and the result was stunning.