Revolutionary techniques in 3D jewellery printing are moving in and becoming common practice in the Jewellery industry. Thanks to computer aided design (CAD) what used to take craftsmen ages to perfect can now be accomplished in a matter of hours thanks to the magic of lasers. This technology was developed by a team of physicists and aerospace engineers but it did not take long for people to realize that it could be used for fashion too. The machines can craft jewellery designs that jewellers of the past could only dream of, including very intricate designs hollowed out with structures already inside of them. CAD jewellery does not waste any materials and the end result is practically perfect and completely free of human flaws.
MLAB Machine
The MLAB Machine debuted at the JCK Las Vegas trade fair this fall. Using lasers the $289,000 machine can render a gold plate into dozens of pieces of jewellery using a computer imported design in a matter of hours. The MLAB Machine was designed by Romanoff International Supply Corporation. Romanoff was founded by Barney and Jessie Romanoff in 1949. Today at age 1999 Jessie is an active contributor to the technology company. Their website features a bendable interlinking chain made by the MLAB machine as well as an incredibly complex brass ring in the shape of flower pollen.
Kraftwerx
Based in Houston, Texas Kraftwerx is a start-up company that offers customizable 3D designs, including jewellery, from the comfort of your own computer. Truly customizable toys, sculptures, figurines, and signs are also available. If you have every wanted a golden topographic map of Australia, or perhaps a crystalline butterfly, then this is the website for you. Sellers can upload their own 3D designs and the engineers at Kraftwerx will design it for you with CAD technology. You can choose to sell your new product on the website or just have it shipped to you. Design nearly anything you can imagine.
Gemvision
Gemvision was founded in 1990, and today they have headquarters in both Davenport, Iowa as well as at Leeds in the UK. The founder, Jeff High, was frustrated with traditional hand drawn jewellery design techniques. He began to research new methods, integrating his digital camera with graphic design software. Using the Gemvision system customers can actually sit down with jewellers and customize an entire piece of jewellery using stunning 3D rendering technology in real time. The finished result is sent to their engineering experts who use CAD technology to manufacture the new piece in 8 to 10 days.
Nervous System
Nervous System is a company in Massachusetts that uses generative design methods to complete customized jewellery that is based on nature’s design. It was founded by MIT alumni Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg in 2007. Their shop offers 3D jewellery and housewares in the shape of the fundamental structures of algae, coral, ammonite, cell cycles, dendrite, hyphae, lamina, radiolaria, and xlym, as well as one of a kind designs. There is no stronger designer than nature.
Joel Mayer writes about current trends and fashion from Jewellery Melbourne to dresses in Paris.