From 3D movie to 3D carving, 3D rapid prototyping technology has been vastly used in various fields. And now this technology also is used in Jewelry casting field. Complicated and exquisite customized jewelry designs that we couldn’t make before are now able to be made by 3D printing.

Shapeways is an Internet 3D printing company in the United States, which helps designer and 3D printers to print and sell designs. More than 20 thousand designers are active on this platform, producing creative designs continuously. The company is known as the Amazon of the 3D world, with monthly orders of more than 18.1 thousand pieces.

Among the Shapeways users, more than half of them are interested in a design that is jewelry. Therefore, the website provides 3D printing jewelry category, not only to undertake printing business, but also allow users to sell on this platform. The products include rings, necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, price from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars, every piece of design are fashionable, even the United States Centennial fashion boutique Niemann (Neiman Marcus) to cooperate with Shapeways, launched a limited edition metal jewelry.

Similarly, in China, the founder of the Chalk brothers, He Qi, has created a similar 3D jewelry customization platform. Consumers can interview massive jewelry designers online, and the design fee is 10 yuan. For 3D printers, as long as there is a drawing, there is a product. Users and designers can interact in real time, interact with each other, and achieve what they want

Jewelry customization become popular

What is 3D print jewelry? What makes it so popular? In simple terms, 3D printing is when a designer turn jewelry design into 3D plaster by 3D CAD jewelry design, and then fill the plaster with molten metal to make the unique jewelry. Unique? Yes, as long as you have the imagination, and tell your idea to designer, 3D printing technology can help you achieve. The production process is the same as the traditional way but cost is much down and make jewelry customize become popular.

3D printing Jewelry VS traditional hand-make Jewelry

3D printing jewelry, it will be compared with the traditional handmade jewelry. Handmade jewelry is usually only used in advanced jewelry pieces, all steps are completed by skilled and experienced craftsmen. It is high humanistic value. In this regard, 3D print jewelry certainly cannot be compared with it.

However, how to achieve complex geometric lines, hollow design and so on from the craftsman? In the past, this was impossible. With 3D printing technology, it can fix this problem. When wax and plaster mold are set a good program and make by mechanical operation, any high accuracy jewelry can be printed.

Jewelry that affordable for everyone

Although 3D print jewelry is a blend of high-tech jewelry, its cost and final price are far lower than traditional jewelry. Why?

For example the traditional way, designer needs to make wax mould first. For now the jewelry industry mainly use the lost wax casting process. It is waste time and labor cost is very expensive. Like a skilled craftsman, it takes around 3-4 hours to make a ring wax mould. If there is any tiny problem, it needs to begin again. 3D printing technology can make 10pcs of wax mould in two hours. Efficiency is nearly 20 times as traditional way. This can reduce the production cost of the jewelry wax moulds, so the price is lower.

With the 3D printing technology, the jewelry industry seems to be entering a new generation quickly. But it must be pointed out that, in some respects, technology has been unable to catch up with the tradition. Even if the design can achieve high degree of difficulty, making the accurate model, the final piece of jewelry still need craftsmen to post gems, grinding and other steps, which requires craftsmen have exquisite craft, otherwise the work may not be able to achieve high standards.