Hyperrealistic baby dolls can cost upwards of 15,000 euros. Babyclon, a doll producer, uses medical-grade silicone, alpaca hair, and nail resin, which contribute to the high price point. But the months of painstaking manual labor required to achieve a lifelike doll are what account for most of that price. And with added features such as animatronics and artificial intelligence, the possibilities are endless.
00:24 Dolls like these sell for a minimum of 1700 euros.
00:30 The most expensive models can reach upwards of 15,000.
00:35 Every last detail, from the texture of the skin to the hair on the doll's head, is hand-crafted.
00:42 These dolls are often collect as items, but they're also used in medical settings, like midwifery training and therapy.
00:52 So what makes these baby dolls so lifelike? And why are they so expensive?
00:58 In Catalonia, Spain, Cristina Iglesias and a small team of artisans at BabyKlon
01:06 are making some of the world's most realistic and expensive baby dolls.
01:12 I started in my profession when I was 19, specifically in the special effects of makeup for movies.
01:19 That's where I adopted the hyper-realism technique.
01:23 Cristina drew on her nearly two decades of experience creating hyper-realistic effects for zombie and fantasy movies to found BabyKlon a decade ago.
01:35 Also known as reborn dolls, these dolls have an eerily lifelike quality that allows the company to sell them for top dollar.
01:44 The basic model for BabyKlon's most popular line, Newborns, starts at just under 2000 euros.
01:52 And adding more features can increase the price significantly.
01:57 The hyper-realistic eyes, you can add animatronics that breathe and move their mouths.
02:06 A baby can cost you 10, 12, 15 thousand euros.
02:11 Even if you want to do it with a realistic internal skeleton, you can feel the bones when you touch it.
02:18 You can get to the price that the collector wants.
02:24 But BabyKlon doesn't just work on human baby dolls.
02:28 They also sell infant versions of beloved characters like E.T. or the Na'vi from Avatar.
02:35 Creating these lifelike dolls is a four-month long process and it all starts with sculpting the prototype.
02:43 This prototype will be used to create a mould for the final silicon doll.
02:50 Standard models already have moulds that are reused, but any dolls with customisations need to be designed from the ground up.
02:57 Today, the BabyKlon team is sculpting its E.T. doll.
03:01 When finished, it'll sell for 1650 euros.
03:06 Like most of their dolls, this one is being sculpted out of plasticine clay.
03:11 Craftspeople perfect the folds on the skin and even the skin's texture.
03:18 These details are directly transferred onto the mould, so it's imperative that every last square millimetre is hyper-detailed.
03:26 That's why this step requires the most skill.
03:30 Without extreme attention to realism here, the subsequent mould is useless.
03:36 In the process of making the mould, the sculpture is destroyed.
03:45 That's why it's important Eugenie works carefully, as any mistake in the mould means the sculpture will have to be redone.
04:09 One of the main reasons for BabyKlon dolls' high price point is the silicon they're made from.
04:15 It's medical-grade platinum silicon, which is often used in implants and prosthetics.
04:20 According to Christina, this silicon provides the most durability and realism possible.
04:27 That's why the company is willing to spend 300 euros on silicon alone for each baby.
04:34 In fact, the cost of materials can reach 450 euros per doll.
04:40 Eugenie uses a special formulation for the silicon mixture to achieve the most realistic-looking skin, weight and texture.
04:50 This extreme attention to detail accounts for up to 80% of the value of the dolls BabyKlon sells.
04:59 Over half of the product's price is attributed to the cost of labour alone.
05:04 Once the injection is complete, Eugenie lets the silicon dry for 24 hours.
05:11 He carefully opens the mould to reveal the doll inside.
05:17 But the moulds don't include all the parts of the doll, like the hands or feet.
05:22 Those are assembled together, here.
05:26 Joining the body and limbs of the dolls is the most challenging part of the process.
05:33 The silicone is not sanded. It has to be cut, so that the cut lines are visible.
05:46 It's a thin line that's at the edge of the silicone, so that the line is visible.
05:52 Apart from cutting it, you have to cut it a little more inward.
05:58 You have to fix it with thick silicone on top. It's very difficult to integrate that thick silicone with the rest of the piece.
06:05 It's a very complicated process, so that in the end, you don't notice that joint.
06:11 Artisans carefully remove excess silicone, making sure not to cut too deeply and damage the doll's skin.
06:19 The realism of the doll's physical structure hinges on how seamless they can make the joints look.
06:27 Once this is accomplished, the doll is ready to come to life in the painting and hair department.
06:34 Here, craftspeople meticulously work on the cosmetic details,
06:40 from the texture of the skin to the shine of the nails and the colour variation in the mouth.
06:46 Various changes in complexion and veining on the body are all painted on.
06:53 Depending on the hair style and age of the baby, we use different types of hair.
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