The final piece is functional fine art at its best, a feat of engineering and artistic execution worthy of the droid’s status in pop culture. But it’s more than the thousands of dazzling hand set European crystal some plated in 24K gold that set this couture handbag in Artoo’s image apart from the crowd. Beyond its beauty, each one tells the story of the artisans and crafters whose hands helped complete it. The painting and beading process alone takes more than 80 hours, the work of a single artist skillfully nesting and angling each crystal to reflect the light just right. All told, it takes more than 150 hours of labor and a trip around the world before these droids are ready for action.