American Pearl, a jewellery company operating out of New York, can use a photo of jewellery and create a 3D model ready to print. Their service ranges in price depending on the material in each piece, and American Pearl will not accept photos of jewellery under copyright like your grandmother’s lost Tiffany’s bracelet. However, family heirlooms lost to chance and captured only in photography can be sent to American Pearl.
The company provides a jewellery service from photo to 3D print mould casting for the eventual piece under the option “Jewelry Replicator”. With an automated 3D modelling program and adjustments by hand, American Pearl transforms the image into a digital rendering. The rendering service is free, but the file will not be sent to the customer. If satisfied, the customer may order the jewellery through American Pearl. The files are stored and received through American Pearl’s Google+ account.
Interestingly, American Pearl will not share the 3D files unless it is ordered by the customer who sent the original photo. If the digital rendering prompts a purchase, American Pearl will own the rights to the image and will share the jewellery now available to the wider consumer public. If the piece of jewellery must remain unique, customers can decide to make the design exclusive for a premium.
Recently, American Pearl started using 3D printing in its custom jewellery. Its method 3D prints the moulds in that the jewellery is cast rather than printing the jewelry itself. The company chose this method because 3D printing in metal, while possible, is expensive, and flaws in a plastic printed mould are easier to fix than flaws in a printed gold ring. The accuracy achieved from grainy photos and angles not highlighting the jewellery simply astounds after a cursory browse through American Pearl’s offerings. They have moved towards 3D printing as a way to meld the past with the present, and the results shine.
