01/11/2025
I often get asked why I only make jewellery by hand and don't just use CAD and rather cast my pieces instead.
This is my answer, it's not a short one so if you're interested, you might want to save this post before it dissappears into the algorithm.
I'd say more than 99% of the jewellery you see in stores and what is sold online is CAD/Cast. This doesn't mean it's all rubbish and only my jewellery is the best. You get great casters and terrible castings, the same applies to goldsmiths and handmade jewellery.
Cast jewellery still needs to be finished by hand, the stones are set by hand and the pieces often require a skilled goldsmith to assemble more complicated designs and to fix up any holes in the cast. 3d printed models leave rough surfaces called grow lines on every nook and cranny of the piece. This requires some careful handwork to clean up inside crevices and behind stones etc.
I actually offer this service to a select few jewellery designers whom I truly admire and they keep me very busy with beautiful pieces that I unfortunately don't often get to share on here.
Despite what Google says about CAD/cast being quicker, when it comes to a once off piece I often get asked by my trade clients to make them by hand. If it's a unique piece that isn't necessarily going to get replicated then having a designer create the CAD file, sending it off to the casting company and then having it cleaned up, set and finished can be a much longer and more costly process.
Another reason I do work for the jewellery industry is that when their client's are sentimental about using their own gold, it has to be handmade. Casting companies and their machines require very specific alloys and won't be happy with using your grandmother's ring or an old chain, even though they test as 18ct gold or platinum, the small percentages of metals these are mixed with can vary a lot.
That still doesn't answer why I've stuck to my chosen path. My main reason is I obviously love creating and making things by hand. I feel like becoming a CAD designer would be selling-out only to possibly get replaced by AI and another bench jeweller who stuck to his craft.
Continued in the comments...
