The Ultimate Guide To 3D Printed Jewelry

The Ultimate Guide
to 3D Printed Jewelry
Everything explained: Technology – Materials – Software – Design – Cost – Inspiration
2
Hi,
I’m Aura. I work for a 3D printing service for jewelry designers & makers called i.materialise.
In this handbook I want to explain to you in a short and easy manner how 3D printing jewelry works
and why this might be an interesting alternative for you.
We won’t skip any important topic. We’ll take a look at the ups and downs of this technology,
we will talk about the costs, and we’ll discuss the struggles of creating a printable 3D file.
I want to give you an un-biased view on the matter. But I promise you one thing: you will be surprised.
You’ll be surprised to see how great the result of our 3D printed & casted jewelry can be and about how
cost-efficient 3D printing jewelry is.
Thanks for taking time to browse through this guide. I hope you’ll have fun reading it.
If you need any further help don’t hesitate to contact me at community@i.materialise.com!
Best,
Aura
The Ultimate Guide to
3D Printed Jewelry
What to Expect 3
Table of Contents
Introduction: What 3D Printing Jewelry Is & How to Get Started 4
Technology: How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry works 11
Materials: How to find the Perfect 3D printing Material & Finish 17
Software: Which 3D Design Software Is Recommended for You 33
Designing: How to Avoid Common 3D Modeling Mistakes 39
Costs: How Much Does It Cost? 50
Selling: How to Start Selling Your Design & Make Money from Your Talent 53
Inspiration: Some of Our Best Jewelry 3D Prints 56
What’s next? Steps You Need to Take after Reading this Guide 67
Introduction
What 3D Printing Jewelry Is & How to Get Started
3D Printed Jewelry
What 3D Printing Is & How to Get Started 5

Introduction
Let’s kick off this guide with three practical lists that put 3D printing jewelry into
perspective. What are the most common misconceptions about it? What do you need
to get started? And what are the main reasons for jewelry designers to embrace this
technology? Here are the main facts!
3 Common Misconceptions about 3D Printed Jewelry

• 3D printed jewelry is not produced in metallic plastic. It is produced as a real, solid piece
of jewelry created in precious metals.
• 3D printed jewelry does not have a rough surface. When you see hold feel the finish object
you cannot tell it was 3D printed. It will feature a smooth surface. You’ll have plenty of
finishing options to choose from.
• 3D printed jewelry is not entirely created by the printer. The process to create 3D printed
jewelry is a mix of 3D printing wax models and traditional casting (we’ll look deeper into this
in the next chapter). This process is simply the best and most economical way to create
3D printed jewelry.
3D Printed Jewelry

Introduction
3 Thing You Need to Get Started

• All 3D printers have one thing in common: they need a 3D file. This 3D file holds the information
about what object the printer is supposed to print. These 3D files are generated with special
3D modeling software. These programs range from beginner-friendly free modeling apps like
to high-end programs especially designed for jewelry makers.
In our software section of this handbook, we’ll talk about which software is right for you.
• Besides the right 3D modeling software you need a general passion for designing or working
on a computer. You need to learn how to ‘translate’ hand-drawn sketches or images into
3D models.
• Last but not least you need some general information about which designs are printable and
which aren’t. You’ll learn all about that in the ‘Designing’ section of this guide.
3D Printed Jewelry

Introduction
3 Main Benefits of 3D Printed Jewelry

• The biggest advantage for jewelry designers is that they no longer need to worry about
production. Once the 3D file is generated we can take care of the entire production process.
With a 3D file, we have all the information we need to get our 3D printers & cast irons going.
Printing jewelry without an online 3D printing service is much more difficult, as this typically
requires industrial 3D printers and does not work on common home printers.
• Another big advantage is that 3D files can be easily edited. A 3D model can be printed as a
plastic prototype first to check if the quality and design are correct. Changes can simply be
made in the 3D modeling software. The final design can then be printed in the desired metal.
• Last but not least, 3D printing comes with an incredible amount of detail. Words can hardly
do justice to this, simply take a look at the stunning designs on the next pages.
Polished silver
and bronze
by Alexander Palmer
Laurel Bracelet and Ring by Vulcan Jewelry
Bracelets Star and Star Wide by Blueberries
Photo Credit: Adéla Havelková
Technology
How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry works
3D Printed Jewelry
How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry Really Works 12

Technology
3D printing has become a popular term recently and most people are aware of
the general concept behind this new manufacturing process: A real, physical object
is created layer by layer.
‘3D printing’ includes many different technologies. While some printers work with filament, others
use powder, and yet others work with liquid resin or wax.
For creating jewelry in gold, silver, bronze, and brass, we use a combination of Lost-Wax Printing
and Casting. This technology builds upon modern 3D printing technology as well as traditional metal
casting techniques.
This production process simply leads to the best results at the best price. So here is how it works.
3D Printed Jewelry

Technology
Step 1: Upload your 3D Design

It all starts with you uploading your design to our website. You can choose the material of your
choice and you’ll see the price for your finished product in real time. It’s as easy as that.
Once you place the order we’ll take care of all the rest. In case that there should be a problem
with your design we will contact you via email and help you on fixing any issues.
3D Printed Jewelry

Technology
Laser
Step 2: We Sintering
print your 3D model in wax
Once we receive your order, we will 3D print your design in wax. The 3D printer uses
Side
a wax-like resin Viewmaterial. Our software automatically cuts your 3D file into
as printing
extremely thin layers and our printers print one layer after another.
If support structure is needed to deal with overhanging structures or to make sure

that your wax model doesn’t fall apart we automatically calculate, design,
print and remove these kind of structures.
3D Printed Jewelry

Technology
Step 3: We create a mold and cast your jewelry

Next, one or more wax sprues will be attached to your model. Then your model will be attached
by the sprue to a wax ‘tree’, together with several other models. The tree is then placed in a flask
and covered in a fine plaster. When the plaster solidifies, it forms the mold for casting the metal.
The plaster mold is then put in an oven and heated for several hours to the point where the wax is
completely burned out.
Then, the molten metal is poured in to fill the cavities left by the wax. Once the metal has cooled
and solidified, the plaster mold is broken and the metal models are removed by hand. Finally, your
model is filed and sanded to get rid of the sprues. It will be sanded, polished or sandblasted for the
finish you chose when you ordered the print.
Section View
Indirect Metal Printing

3D Printed Jewelry

Technology
Step 4: We’ll send it to your doorstep

And that’s it. Once we check the quality of your model, we will ship it out to your doorstep.
You even have the choice to sell this design to others via our website shop.
Materials
How to find the perfect 3D printing material & finish
3D Printed Jewelry
How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 18

Materials
The world of 3D printing materials is quite complex – but since we use lost wax
printing & casting for creating jewelry, this makes things much easier for you.
Our material choices are exactly what a jewelry designer would expect: 14k & 18k
Gold, Sterling Silver, Bronze, and Brass in many finishes.
Let’s take a closer look at each of those.

3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Gold
Honey Bee Charm by Elizabeth Landis
Basic Info
This material comes in 14k or 18k solid high gloss gold. It is solid gold mixed with an alloy for
hardening for longer ware. This is not a thin veneer but rather your entire jewel will be made
of 14k or 18k solid gold.
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Gold
Colors and Finishes
• 14k and 18k: The karat (often just written as “k”) indicates the amount of pure gold in the
metal: the higher the karat, the larger the percentage of pure gold in the metal. For instance,
100% of pure gold is equal to 24k. However, an object made of 24k would be too soft.
This is why the amount of gold needs to be reduced: while 18k contains 75.2% pure gold,
which is the standard in Europe, 14k gold only contains 58.5% of pure gold and is somewhat less
expensive. In fact, 14k gold is the most popular choice for gold jewelry in the United States.
• Yellow, White and Red Gold: We offer our customers the possibility to choose between
three different color options: yellow, red and white gold. These color options are achieved
by adding different alloys of metals to the gold. For red gold we use a higher amount of
copper, for white gold we use nickel-free white gold to comply with the European REACH
Regulation. Consequently, our white gold doesn’t contain any nickel instead we use a
palladium alloy. Also, your model in 18k white gold will appear slightly more yellowish than
your model in 14k white gold, due to the higher amount of gold in 18k.
Text Rings by Jweel

3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Gold
Alloy Compositions
14k yellow: Au 58.50% Ag 12.60% Cu 25.40% Zn 3.50%

14k white: Au 58.50% Ag 17.43% Pd 10.79% Cu 9.13% Zn 4.15%
14k red: Au 58.50% Cu 39.50% Zn 2.0%
18k yellow: Au 75.20% Ag 12.10% Cu 10.80% Zn 2.10%
18k white: Au 75.20% Ag 10.42% Pd 6.45% Cu 5.45% Zn 2.48%
18k red: Au 75.30% Cu 24.7%
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Sterling Silver
Cufflinks by DAMN x Café Costume
Sterling Silver
The material is a solid Sterling silver, made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of other metals. Sterling
silver is a standard alloy for jewelry purposes and is safe to wear on your skin. Silver is a metal with
very high electrical and thermal conductivity. It shines bright when polished and is very malleable.
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Sterling Silver
Colors and Finishes
• Gloss models are post-processed in a magnetic tumbler. This technique is the least
aggressive process for silver. This finish is ideal for maintaining a high level of detail;
however, surfaces will be left uneven and not as smooth as high-gloss models.
• High Gloss models undergo a particularly vigorous mechanical polishing process that will
round off sharp corners. As a result of this technique, the silver will have the lowest level of
detail, but the highest level of smoothness and shine.
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Sterling Silver
Colors and Finishes
• Satin models are manually post-treated with a wire brush to obtain the effect of lines
on the metal.
Text Ring by Jweel
• Sandblasted models are post-treated with an abrasive blasting operation.

The surfaces of your model will get even and a smooth, matted look.
Text Ring by Jweel

3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Sterling Silver
Colors and Finishes
• Antique Silver features very shiny and smooth outer surfaces, while deeper areas remain
darker and unsmoothed.
Bagues Artof Popof by Edouard Gautier
Alloy Compositions
Ag 93% Cu 4% Zn 3%
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Bronze
Serpents Buckle by Michael Mueller
Basic Info
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper. Bronze is an affordable material for printing
models in metal, strong and used by mankind for ages already. A PU coating can be added and
provides extra protection to tarnish.
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Bronze
Colors and Finishes
• Natural Uncoated: Bronze has by nature a reddish/yellow color.

An uncoated model will oxidize and isn’t protected against scratches.
Ribble Ring by Bert De Niel
• Natural PU Coated: You have the option to coat your bronze model against scratches and
oxidation with a clear PU coat. The coating increases the reflection a bit compared to an
uncoated one.

3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Bronze
Colors and Finishes
• Polished PU Coated: Additionally to the PU coating you can get your bronze model
polished. This post-processed with a magnetic tumbler will smoothen your surface and
make the model shinier.
Alloy Compositions
Cu 90% Sn 10%
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Brass
Basic Info
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. You probably know it from the many musical instruments that
are made of brass because of its acoustic properties and ductility. It is also used in a wide range of
applications as a more economical replacement for precious metals.
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Brass
Colors and Finishes
• Untreated brass: This basic brass gives you the

opportunity to print your creations in “just brass”,
without polishing, coating or plating. It’s the most
affordable option for your 3D prints and it offers
better surface details. Skull Ring by Claude Saos.
Untreated Brass
• Natural PU Coated: Brass has by nature a yellow/reddish

color. Once your model is printed, it is coated with a clear
PU coating to protect it against scratches and oxidation.
You can furthermore decide to it electroplated with a tiny
18 karat gold looking layer. Electroplating is giving the
model a shiny look.
Tie Clip by DAMN X Café Costume.
Natural PU Coated
• Gold Plated Polished: We offer a yellow and a red
gold plated finish, which are achieved through an
electroplating process. Your model will be finished
with an 18kt gold layer in yellow or red. A PU coating
provides extra protection to the plating, enabling us
to guarantee the plating for 6 months.
Tie Clip by DAMN X Café Costume.
Gold Plated Polished
3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Brass
Colors and Finishes
• Color Plated Polished: We offer black color plated finish, which are achieved through an
electroplating process in combination with a colored PU coating. Your model will first be
finished with a very thin layer of palladium and silver. We then add the color by applying
a colored liquid PU coating, which is cured in the oven as a final step. We offer a 6-month
guarantee on this colored PU coating.
Decision Spintop by Michael Mueller

Alloy Compositions
Cu 80% Zn 15% Tin 5%

3D Printed Jewelry

Materials
Other Materials
Next to Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Brass we also offer 15 other materials. Besides metals these include
3D printing materials such as polyamide, alumide (a mix of polyamide with aluminum powder),
rubber-like (flexible plastic), steel and titanium. These materials can be great to produce new and
innovative pieces of jewelry or cheap plastic porotypes for your upcoming designs.
Discover all of the materials you can choose from on our material page. Keep in mind that these
materials are produced with different 3D printing techniques than the one that is described in this
guide and that some of the design rules states in this guide differ for those materials.
Ribble Rings (Alumide) by Bert De Niel

Software
Which 3D design software is recommended for you
3D Printed Jewelry
Which 3D design software is recommended for you? 34

Software
We often get asked this question: “What is the best 3D modeling

software?” The ugly truth: “It depends.”
Think about this in the world of traditional 2D printing: What’s the best software for 2D printing?
It’s impossible to answers this since someone might want to print a text, somebody else might want
to draw something, while yet another personal might want to edit a photo.
For 3D modeling software it’s a bit like that. There’s not one software that dominates the market
and is most suitable for everyone. Every designers has different needs, preferences, and objects in
mind. That’s why it is simple impossible to say “This is the best 3D modeling software for everyone”.
However, we have put down certain questions that you can ask yourself that will help to find the
software that suits you best.
3D Printed Jewelry

Software
• 1st Decision: What kind of objects do you intend to create?
The first decision that you need to make is what kind of objects you have in mind.
The choice of what you want to design often determines which modeling software you should
use. Do you think about organic structures like flowers and animals, or do you rather want
geometrical, edgy designs?
Cufflinks by DAMN x Café Costume Skull Ring - Born to Ride

by Ziggy Hentze - ZeroGrafx – Namibia
• 2nd Decision: What platform do you prefer?
Not each software package or app is available on each platform.

Think about which platform you will be using for creating your designs: Windows, Mac,
Linux, Online Service/Browser-based (no download and installation required).
3D Printed Jewelry

Software
• 3rd Decision: What is your budget?
Now that’s an important one. Software can be free or cost thousands of dollars.
The amount of money you are willing to spend on 3D modeling software facilitates
the choices.
• 4th Decision: Community Size
Some software is around for years and has big jewelry designer communities behind them.
There are tons of tutorials and active forums to be found. Others just started or try to bring
their product on the market. So the size of the community and number of softwarerelated
resources might also be an important factor. For beginners it might be easier to stick
to a software that has been out for years and offers tons of resources and YouTube tutorials.
When you get stuck somewhere, it also means that you will be able to find help from fellow
designers more easily.
• 5th Decision: Purpose of the Software
Another thing to consider is the purpose of the software. Some software was developed
for visual 3D effects or 3D animation films. The 3D printing part is more something like
a ‘side product’ for these programs and it needs some tinkering to turn a great visual
3D model into a model that is actually 3D printable.
Others were developed especially for 3D printing or even especially for creating jewelry
designs and will make it much easier for you to ensure that your designs will turn out great.
3D Printed Jewelry

Software
• 6th Decision: User Interface & Functionality
For many beginners the user interface is an important decision as well. Some software provide
you interfaces like car dashboard: clean, easy to learn, intuitive. Others go for an aircraft’s
cockpit: lots of functionality, much more design freedom, but a steep learning curve.
• 7th Decision: Which modeling approaches do you prefer?
Different software use different approaches to 3D modeling. It is hard to categorize an abstract

thing like “modeling” into different techniques, and it can be difficult to get an understanding of
it, when you haven’t used the software yet. Which technique is best for you heavily depends on
your preferences. While some prefer a LEGO-like box modeling approach, others prefer clay-like
sculpting designs and will make it much easier for you to ensure that your designs will turn out
great.
Okay, this has been a long list but what are you supposed to do now? First thing, go to the websites
of the following software packages and see if they are for you. Take a look around, download trials
or free versions and simply try them out.
3D Printed Jewelry

Software
Possible Software Packages for Jewelry Designers:
• If you’re completely new to the world of 3D modeling, hop over to Tinkercad to get familiar
with a 3D modeling environment. This app is free and doesn’t even require a download.
• If you’re interested in geometrical jewelry, try SketchUp (freemium).
• If you’re interested in jewelry with a focus on 3D sculpting, try Sculptris (free) and later switch
to ZBrush (premium software) for more design features.
• If you want a powerful software that doesn’t cost a dime, feel free to check out the popular
3D modeling software Blender (free). However, this software comes with a very steep learning
curve.
• If you’re serious about 3D modeling jewelry design and need a professional, all-rounder solution,
most people stick with Rhino. Rhino itself is a commonly used software by product designers
and jewelers.
• However, Rhino as a standalone software it isn’t a specialist jewelry program. Several payable
plugins turn it into a very powerful design tool especially designed for jewelry. The most popular
choices are Gemvision Matrix, Rhinogold, and TSplines.
• A low-cost alternative with some somewhat less functionality is Moment of Inspiration (MoI).
Its flexibility of use is compared by many to that of other tools like Rhino CAD, but it costs less
than most other kinds of product design programs.
Of course this list could be much, much longer. If you’re still in the process of searching a software
that is right for you, take a look at our “Top 25 List of the Most Popular 3D Modeling Software for
3D Printing”.
Designing
How to avoid common 3D modeling mistakes
3D Printed Jewelry
How to avoid common 3D modeling mistakes 40

Designing
Introduction
We know that modeling for 3D printing can be a bit confusing: In 3D modeling, as in 3D printing,
there is no one size fits all approach. However, there are some important design rules to stick to
in order to turn your 3D file into a stunning piece of jewelry.
Design Rules In a Nutshell
Minimum Wall Thickness 0.6 mm

Minimum Details 0.35 mm
Minimum Accuracy ±5% (including finish and geometry variables),
Average accuracy ±2% ( around ±0.1 mm)
Maximum Size 88 x 63 x 125 mm
Clearance 0.3 mm
Interlocking or Enclosed Parts? No
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Set the Right Wall Thickness

In 3D printing, wall thickness refers to the distance between one surface of your model and the
opposite sheer surface. For most models in metals, the minimum wall thickness you can is 0.6 mm
(unpolished models) and 0.8 mm (polished models incl. all gold models). However, when making
something small such as the band of a ring, the wall thickness should be at least 1 mm.
The fragility of the metal might cause the ring to break when you wear it if the model is too thin.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Use High Definition

Since the resolution of the wax-printing process is so high, make sure that you create your
model and export your file with enough definition so you don’t see the triangles.
In most 3D modeling software, when exporting your 3D file, you will be asked to define
the tolerance for the export. It is advised to choose 0.01 mm for a good export.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Think About the Geometry of Your Model

Be careful when having large areas of your model connected supported by thin rods. Compare it
to a big head resting on a thin neck. Ask yourself if the rods are strong enough to ‘carry’ the weight
of the larger area. Also, internal structures are possible to print, but removing support structures,
cleaning them and casting them can be difficult or even impossible.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Do You Want to Create a Hollow Model?

Hollow models are possible; just keep in mind that you need to incorporate holes or slots, so we
can get rid of the unprinted wax-resin and to make sure that the casting plaster is sufficiently
supported; otherwise your model cannot be cast properly. Make as many holes or slots as possible
(at least two holes or slots for each side) with a minimum diameter of 1.5 mm.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Set the Right Minimum Feature Size

The smallest possible features should be at least 0.35 mm in diameter and 0.4 mm in height;
although these would have to be attached to a solid surface. With details like this, you could make
micro pave settings. Longer features such as rods or prongs (in mesh-like structures) should be at
least 0.8 mm in diameter. Otherwise they might break during the casting or even when you wear
the piece, since bronze is not that strong.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Do You Want a Polished Model?

In order to polish we have to be able to reach the surfaces. As a rule, we can’t file, sand or polish
cavities and small sharp edges will be rounded off. Also, as you can imagine, complex internal,
mesh-like structures are also impossible to reach.
The polishing technique for gold & most silver finishes is aggressive and will erode your model
by about 0.10 to 0.15mm. Gloss silver will erode your model by about 0.05mm to 0.075mm.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Don’t Use Nested Objects, Hinged and Interlinking Parts

Nested objects (objects floating within another object), hinged parts, and interlinking parts, such
as chains, cannot be made with lost wax casting. The reason is that support structures have to be
removed before being casted in a precious metal.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Engraved Text and Surface Details

For embossing or engraving details such as text, we advise you to keep a maximum
height/depth-to-width ratio of 1:1. Also, keep in mind the minimum wall thickness of 0.35 mm.
3D Printed Jewelry

Designing
Keep in Mind the Maximum Printing Size

Your model can have a maximum size of 88 x 63 x 125 mm.
Cost
How much does it cost?
3D Printed Jewelry
How much does it cost? 51

Cost
So how much does it cost to print jewelry? Now that’s a tough question. The price of a 3D print
typically depends on the size, volume, and most importantly, the material. So each and every
design has its unique price. In order to get your exact quote, you need to upload a 3D file to our
website. You will instantly see the final price it will cost to print your object in each and every
material and finish.
Beginner tip: If you don’t have a 3D file yet, you can visit Thingiverse and download a publicly
available 3D model there (for example, search for ‘ring’). You can then upload this model to
our website and you’ll get an idea of how much a 3D printed object would cost.
But let’s look at a concrete example now. The prize for printing the following ring with i.materialise
would be:
• 30 EUR/33 USD in PU Coated Brass

• 33 EUR/35 USD in PU Coated Bronze
• 57 EUR/64 USD in Sterling Silver (Gloss)
• 802 EUR/899 USD in 14k Yellow Gold
• 29 EUR/35 USD PU Coated Bronze
• 31 EUR/37 USD Natural PU coating Brass
• 59 EUR/71 USD Silver Gloss
3D Printed Jewelry
How much does it cost? 52

Cost
The prize for printing the following pendant would be:
• 31 EUR/35 USD in PU Coated Brass

• 29 EUR/33 USD in PU Coated Bronze
• 59 EUR/66 USD in Sterling Silver (Gloss)
• 816 EUR/915 USD in 14k Yellow Gold
• 27 EUR/352 USD PU Coated Bronze
• 28 EUR/34 USD Natural PU coating Brass
• 55 EUR/67 USD Silver Gloss
So as you see these prices are quite affordable. If you want to find out how much a print of your
own model costs, upload it here and see your price immediately.
Selling
How to start selling your design
and make money from your talent
3D Printed Jewelry
How to start selling your design and make money from your talent 54
Selling
Do you already have great ideas for creating your own jewelry? Then why not start selling it and
making money? We help jewelry designers to sell their products online, learn how to present their
prints properly, and build their own brand. Let’s take a look at the 5 best tips for making money
with a 3D printer!
Once you ordered a 3D print from us, you can simply open your own shop on our website and sell
your product. You can choose your own markup and whenever we sell an item, we will transfer the
money directly to your PayPal account. Of course we will take care of the printing and shipping
the jewelry item directly to the customer.
Some free tips to boost your sales
• For any product, it is important to choose a catchy name, add relevant product tags, and
write a precise description. This will make it easier for your product to be found by people
and search engines. If you are having trouble describing and presenting your items in text,
you can hire a copywriter on Fiverr.
• Spread the word on social media. Of course it’s important to establish connections who are
willing to share your work. Simply tag @imaterialise on networks like Twitter or Instagram.
That way, we can retweet your work to tens of thousands of people or we can even write a blog
post about it. We’re here to help you gain exposure.
• Besides our own website the internet offers a wealth of great platforms for selling your
3D printed products. You can also start selling your items on other platforms such as Amazon,
Etsy, eBay, or your own website. Also perform a Google research for your niche to find other
marketplaces that could work for your jewelry items.
3D Printed Jewelry
How to start selling your design and make money from your talent 55
Selling
Some free tips to boost your sales
• Product presentation is all about quality photos and visualization of your items. You might have
an amazing product, but if people cannot see the quality and details of the item, they will most
likely not end up buying it. Offer your customer more than a dark, pixelated photo or a rendered
image. Browse through our shops and see how other designers present their products.
Below, you can see great examples of jewelry brand design Designeradesigns.
Inspiration
Some of our best Jewelry 3D Prints
Fall & Winter 2015/2016 Collection “Nostalgia” by Francesca Paolin
Photo Credit: Roberta De Min
Spring & Summer 2015 Collection “Opposites” by Francesca Paolin
Photo Credit: Roberta De Min
Photo Credit: Mauro Pawlowski by Koen Keppens
Ring Tree by Blueberries
Necklace Crystals C by Blueberries
Tree in Cross Bracelet by Vulcan Jewelry
Running Rabbit Ring by Vulcan Jewelry
A Titanium Rock by DAMN
Photo Credit: Laura Schillemans
A Titanium Rock by DAMN
Photo Credit: Laura Schillemans
What’s next?
Steps you need to take after reading this guide
3D Printed Jewelry
Steps you need to take after reading this guide 68

What’s Next?
Step 1: Get inspired

Browse through our Flickr account to see what follow jewelry makers designed lately.
Step 2: Lean more about our 3D printing materials on our website

Browse through our ‘table of 3D printing materials’ to understand which material works best with
your designs. Make sure to check out our ’design guides’ to learn how to create the perfect
3D model for each material.
Step 3: Find a 3D modeling software

Find out which software suits your needs best. A great way to start is our list of the 25 most popular
3D modeling programs.
Step 4: Upload and print your design

Once your design is ready, upload it to our website and get your price quote instantly. And no
worries: we always double-check if the design is really printable and we’ll tell you how to solve
any potential design problem.
Thanks you for reading this guide. I hope it gives you the motivation to get started with 3D printing
your own jewelry. If you still have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us via email at
community@i.materialise.com.
More Than an Online 3D Printing Service
Visit us at https://i.materialise.com

The Ultimate Guide To 3D Printed Jewelry

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The Ultimate Guide To 3D Printed Jewelry

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The Ultimate Guide

Introduction: What 3D Printing Jewelry Is & How to Get Started 4

Technology: How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry works 11

Materials: How to find the Perfect 3D printing Material & Finish 17

Software: Which 3D Design Software Is Recommended for You 33

Designing: How to Avoid Common 3D Modeling Mistakes 39

Costs: How Much Does It Cost? 50

Inspiration: Some of Our Best Jewelry 3D Prints 56

What 3D Printing Is & How to Get Started 5

3 Common Misconceptions about 3D Printed Jewelry

What 3D Printing Is & How to Get Started 6

3 Thing You Need to Get Started

What 3D Printing Is & How to Get Started 7

3 Main Benefits of 3D Printed Jewelry

How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry Really Works 12

How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry Really Works 13

Step 1: Upload your 3D Design

How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry Really Works 14

If support structure is needed to deal with overhanging structures or to make sure

How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry Really Works 15

Step 3: We create a mold and cast your jewelry

Indirect Metal Printing

How 3D Printing (and Casting) Jewelry Really Works 16

Step 4: We’ll send it to your doorstep

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 18

Let’s take a closer look at each of those.

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 19

Honey Bee Charm by Elizabeth Landis

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 20

Text Rings by Jweel

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 21

14k yellow: Au 58.50% Ag 12.60% Cu 25.40% Zn 3.50%

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 22

Cufflinks by DAMN x Café Costume

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 23

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 24

Text Ring by Jweel

• Sandblasted models are post-treated with an abrasive blasting operation.

Text Ring by Jweel

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 25

Bagues Artof Popof by Edouard Gautier

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 26

Serpents Buckle by Michael Mueller

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 27

• Natural Uncoated: Bronze has by nature a reddish/yellow color.

Ribble Ring by Bert De Niel

Ribble Ring by Bert De Niel

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 28

Ribble Ring by Bert De Niel

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 29

Cufflinks by DAMN x Café Costume

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 30

• Untreated brass: This basic brass gives you the

• Natural PU Coated: Brass has by nature a yellow/reddish

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 31

Decision Spintop by Michael Mueller

Cu 80% Zn 15% Tin 5%

How to Find the Perfect 3D Printing Material & Finish 32

Ribble Rings (Alumide) by Bert De Niel

Which 3D design software is recommended for you? 34

We often get asked this question: “What is the best 3D modeling

Which 3D design software is recommended for you? 35

• 1st Decision: What kind of objects do you intend to create?