Jewelry Designs

How Do Our Digital STL Designs Turn into Sparkling Pieces of Jewelry?

1. Opening and Customising the File
   • After downloading the STL file, the designer opens it in a CAD/CAM program such as RhinoGold, Matrix, or even Fusion 360.
   • Size, wall thickness, or personalised engravings can be adjusted before the final save.
   • This stage can also be done the traditional way by carving wax if you prefer hands-on craftsmanship.
2. Creating a Wax or Resin Model
   Digital route
   • The design is printed on a jewellery-grade 3-D printer (DLP or SLA) using a melt-away wax or a castable resin that completely burns out in the kiln.
     Hand-made route
   • Alternatively, the design is redrawn on a block of wax and sculpted by hand—an approach still loved by many classic goldsmiths.
3. Building the Wax Tree (Spruing)
   • The wax models are soldered onto a central sprue, forming what’s called a wax tree.
   • The tree is submerged in a metal cylinder filled with high-temperature investment plaster. Once the plaster hardens, you have a mould that captures every detail.
4. Lost-Wax Casting
   • The flask is gradually heated in a burnout kiln until the wax or resin melts away, leaving a cavity identical to the design.
   • Molten metal (gold, silver, bronze, etc.) is poured in—by gravity, centrifugal force, or vacuum pressure, depending on the workshop set-up.
   • After cooling, the plaster is broken away to release the metal tree and the pieces are cut off.
5. Rough Cleaning and Pre-Polishing
   • Sprue stubs are removed and smoothed with a micro-bur or fine sanding.
   • An initial buffing brush removes any oxide layer.
6. Final Finishing & Polishing
   • The piece is polished in stages (sanding → cotton wheel with various polishing compounds) until the desired shine is achieved.
   • Hand engraving, laser etching, or hammered textures can be added for a unique finish.
7. Stone Setting / Surface Treatments
   • If the design has stone seats, the jeweller sets the gems (bezel, prong, pavé, etc.) and re-polishes the surrounding area.
   • Additional treatments like rhodium plating (for silver) or 18 k gold plating can be applied for colour variation or scratch protection.
8. Quality Control & Packaging
   • Weight and dimensions are checked, ensuring no porosity or scratches remain.
   • The piece is boxed in a premium display case—ready for sale or gifting.