What we call 3D printed jewelry typically isn’t directly 3D printed – it’s made, like most metal jewelry, using investment casting. It’s the molds that are 3D printed. But when Cooksongold talks about 3D printed jewelry, there are no molds involved – pieces produced using their 3D printers are 3D printed directly, using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology. The company, in partnership with EOS, introduced the PRECIOUS M 080 metal jewelry 3D printer in 2014, giving the jewelry industry a new option for 3D printing metal jewelry.
Since then, Cooksongold has seen the PRECIOUS M 080 produce some beautiful lines of jewelry, delicately designed and 3D printed in precious metals. Last year, the company teamed up with jeweler Boltenstern to create customizable, 3D printed luxury jewelry, and that collaboration has been ongoing. Now, the two companies what they say is the first commercial collection on the market to be directly 3D printed in gold and platinum. “Embrace” combines platinum with 18k gold and precious stones for jewelry pieces including bracelets, earrings, rings, necklaces and cufflinks.
The collection features shapes including a star, a cloud and a flower, and it’s customizable, meaning that there are plenty of combinations and variations that customers can choose from. Pricing ranges anywhere from €75 to €7500.
Marie Boltenstern is the Head of Design at Boltenstern, and she is responsible for turning the company, founded in 1964, into a newly technologically oriented business. Boltenstern as a company hasn’t been using 3D printing for very long; they had been using traditional methods of jewelry production until their collaboration with Cooksongold began. Now they’re known for being a 3D printed jewelry company, and they take pride in it.
“Jewellery is architecture in its smallest form. It is only by thinking in multiple dimensions that we can create pieces that are incredibly complex, yet desirably simple,” said Marie Boltenstern. “The Embrace collection embodies precious materials embracing colourful joy. The key element of the collection is a gemstone, woven into a fine structure of precious metal. The fragile cage protects the inner beauty of the tender and unique gemstone. For me as a designer, Embrace reflects the modern woman with her shining inner strength.”
While Cooksongold sells some jewelry directly, they’re mainly a provider of jewelry-making supplies, including precious metals. They have developed several metal powders for the PRECIOUS M 080, including gold, rose gold, white gold, sterling silver, and, of course, platinum, which was just introduced last year.
Even if directly 3D printed jewelry becomes more widespread, Cooksongold and EOS will most likely always be known as the companies that introduced it with the PRECIOUS M 080. 3D printed jewelry in general has been a gift to the industry, allowing designers to create more complex and intricate pieces at a faster rate, and allowing for customization on a level that hasn’t been seen before. The Embrace collection is the latest to demonstrate the versatility of 3D printing.
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