Hey everyone... so I decided to apply the gold stars to my Brown Perfecto 618...and I think all is well. I pierced the leather by pressing down with my thumb. Used my thumb nail to bend the prongs back... then used a jewelers tool (end of tiny hammer) to further press the prongs down. Done deal. Took ten minutes... and saved a few bucks.If you're scared of doing it yourself, just take it to a shoe repair shop.