3D Printing

JewelryThis.com Explores 3D Printing’s Full Potential with Global Marketplace and Local Production

Create globally and produce locally: through online, social media tools and local manufacturing means, 3D printing is set to radically change the way we create, make and sell objects. As far as consumer items go, the area where this trend has been most evident is jewellery making.

Recently I reported about how the latest edition of the Vicenza Oro Fair, a leading global event for the jewellery industry, has been more focused on 3D printing technologies than ever before. The use of SLA/DLP 3D printers to make incredible jewels, however, dates back quite a few years, while the retail landscape remained virtually unchanged.

JewelryThis.com, a new online marketplace, is introducing established online model sharing tools, such as those adopted by the likes of Thingiverse, Cubify, Yeggi and many others, to the amateur and professional global jewellery community, with the double goal of offering multiple design possibilities to manufacturers and worldwide visibility to designers.

3D Printing Jewelry this

The network launched three months ago and already lists over 1,700 designs, including rings, bracelets, earrings and pins. “We have received a great deal of positive feedback from users”, says Dror Habusha, the website’s founder, “designers from around the world have started uploading their designs, while many users have already downloaded and purchased, providing feedback.”

Designers can upload their 3D jewellery designs, sell them and earn royalties. Customers can choose any design they like, purchase them (some are free, most cost around 20 dollars), download them, and 3D print them. Designers can showcase their jewellery, gain followers, earn money and receive feedback.

3D Printing 3D Printed ring“It’s a revolutionary way to create and sell jewellery and we’re happy to be at the forefront of this new process”, says Habusha, who did not stumble upon 3D printing by chance. An entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience starting, developing and operating online businesses (including an online language school and virtual world for kids), he is a self described “avid follower and fan of new technologies”. He feels JewelryThis is the offspring of his business experience and interest in technology.

The company’s structure embodies the concept of de-localization: Habusha lives in Israel but the company is based in Barbados. Developers are in Ukraine, Russia and Canada, while customer support and renders are done in the Philippines. The community of designers includes contributors from more than 50 countries.

“I believe that our community will innovate the jewellery process,” he concludes. “Our short term goal has already been achieved: with JewelryThis, jewellers and manufacturers are no longer limited to just their in-house designers, and our designers have a much larger audience for their designs than they would have without our platform. In the long term, our end customers will be able to buy and 3D print jewellery directly from the designer as well as order unique, custom designs”.