▲Oscar statuettes sit in a safe at the Polich Tallix foundry in Walden, New York before being shipped to Epner Technology in Brooklyn to be electroplated in 24-carat gold.

▲The Oscar statuette master production mold is seen at the Polich Tallix foundry.

▲Oscar 3-D wax printed statuette molds stand at the foundry waiting for their star turn.

▲A bronze Oscar statuette sits on a workbench waiting for the next stage of the manufacturing process—cleaning.

▲Each statuette is subject to thorough cleaning.

▲The cleaning process requires a keen eye and steady hand.

▲A statuette is unceremoniously hung upside down during later stages of the cleaning process.

▲Waiting its turn to be sanded and polished.

▲Each statuette is placed in a vice to be individually polished.

▲An Oscar statuette is polished and sanded by the finishing department's supervisor.

▲Sanding the statuette is an intricate and time-consuming process.

▲Polishing an Oscar requires patience and precision craftsmanship.

▲The next stage sees the statuettes transferred to Epner Technology to be dipped into a chemical ionized solution of gold cyanide.

▲An ionized solution of gold cyanide gives an Oscar its distinctive color.

▲Shrouded in linen to avoid being marked or scratched, the statuettes are carefully unwrapped for the penultimate stage of the manufacturing process.

▲A finished Oscar statuette sits before being mounted with a base.

▲The statuette is inverted to receive its bronze black plating base.

▲Now looking familiar, the finished statuette is held with its bronze black plating base mounted.

▲Detail of the bronze black plating base of a finished Oscar statuette.

▲Each finished Oscar statuette is carefully polished.

▲Resplendent in their color and design, the finished Oscar statuettes are ready to be delivered to Los Angeles.

▲Best Actor and Best Actress Oscar statuettes packed and ready to be shipped to LA.

▲Oscar statuettes stand in line to be presented to lucky recipients.

▲MGM art director Cedric Gibbons (1893–1960) is credited with designing Oscar, a statuette of a knight standing on a reel of film gripping a crusader's sword.

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Miniature replica Oscar statuettes are shown for sale in a shop along Hollywood Boulevard. According to Refinery29, a real Oscar statue is worth US$629.

See also: Iconic photos from Oscars past.

▲Each Oscar statuette stands 13.5 in (34 cm) tall and weighs 8.5 lbs (3.9 kg).

▲Hollywood lore suggests that Academy librarian and eventual executive director Margaret Herrick thought the statue resembled her Uncle Oscar. The moniker stuck, and the Academy made the name official in 1939.

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy locks extra trophies in a vault in case of theft or mishap.

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Oscar statuettes were originally made in gold-plated solid bronze. Today, they are manufactured using gold-plated metal.

So, let's look into that process, shall we?

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A collection of Oscar statuettes fresh out of the mold.

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It's a night for the stars, but they're not the only ones shining. Who could miss the bling that is the Oscar statuette? It's Hollywood's most prized possession, and yet so few know the story behind how these shiny awards came to be. Have you ever wondered how they make the Oscar statuette? Well, wonder no more! Browse this gallery, read the script, and find out how they create the world's most famous figurine.