Short answer
Most custom pieces today go through a digital design stage before any metal is touched, and understanding that process helps you catch problems before they're expensive to fix. Computer-aided design software lets a jeweler build a precise 3D model of a ring or piece, incorporating exact stone measurements, metal weight estimates, and structural details like prong thickness and shank profile.
Starting with CAD design
Computer-aided design software lets a jeweler build a precise 3D model of a ring or piece, incorporating exact stone measurements, metal weight estimates, and structural details like prong thickness and shank profile. This stage is where the vast majority of design decisions actually get made and adjusted, since changes here cost nothing but time.
A good jeweler will show you renderings from multiple angles, and ideally a rotating video file, rather than a single static image, so you can evaluate proportions realistically before moving forward.
From CAD to a physical model
Once a CAD design is approved, it's typically 3D printed in wax or a resin material to create a physical model you can hold, try on for approximate scale, and check proportions on in a way no screen rendering fully replicates. This step catches things like a setting sitting too high, or a band feeling thicker than expected, before casting locks anything in.
I recommend asking for this physical preview step explicitly if it isn't offered — it's a meaningful checkpoint, and skipping straight from CAD approval to casting removes a chance to catch issues.
Casting the metal
The wax or resin model is used to create a mold, into which molten metal (gold or platinum) is cast, using a lost-wax casting process refined over centuries but now guided by digitally precise starting models. This produces the rough metal piece, which still needs significant hand finishing.
Casting quality depends heavily on the caster's experience with the specific metal — platinum casting, in particular, requires higher temperatures and different equipment than gold, and not every casting house does both equally well, which is worth asking about for a platinum piece.
Finishing and stone setting
After casting, a jeweler files, sands, and polishes the piece by hand, refines prongs and details that don't come out of the mold perfectly, and only then sets the stones. Stone setting is a distinct skill from casting — a jeweler needs a steady, experienced hand to set prongs tightly and evenly without stressing the stone.
Ask to see the finished piece before final polishing if you have specific concerns about a detail, since small adjustments are still possible at this stage but become much harder once stones are set and the final polish is applied.
What to remember
- CAD design is where most decisions should be finalized, since changes are cheapest at this stage.
- Ask for a physical wax or resin model to check proportions before casting.
- Confirm your caster has specific experience with your chosen metal, especially platinum.
- Stone setting is a distinct skill from casting and deserves its own scrutiny.
Frequently asked questions
- What should you know about starting with CAD design?
- Computer-aided design software lets a jeweler build a precise 3D model of a ring or piece, incorporating exact stone measurements, metal weight estimates, and structural details like prong thickness and shank profile.
- What should you know about from CAD to a physical model?
- Once a CAD design is approved, it's typically 3D printed in wax or a resin material to create a physical model you can hold, try on for approximate scale, and check proportions on in a way no screen rendering fully replicates.
- What should you know about casting the metal?
- The wax or resin model is used to create a mold, into which molten metal (gold or platinum) is cast, using a lost-wax casting process refined over centuries but now guided by digitally precise starting models. This produces the rough metal piece, which still needs significant hand finishing.
- What should you know about finishing and stone setting?
- After casting, a jeweler files, sands, and polishes the piece by hand, refines prongs and details that don't come out of the mold perfectly, and only then sets the stones. Stone setting is a distinct skill from casting — a jeweler needs a steady, experienced hand to set prongs tightly and evenly without stressing the stone.