Anyone who’s shopped for an engagement ring can attest to the almost inevitably overwhelming nature of such an undertaking. You know what you want, and among the seemingly infinite number of options available in the many retail stores, you can’t seem to find that specific combination of features that you’ve set your heart on. Now there’s an alternative to that potentially frustrating and often fruitless quest: WIZEgem. WIZEgem is an internet-based jewelry-design system that allows you to design and then 3D print your own jewelry, including that elusive engagement ring, via a web-based 3D printing service.
On WIZEgem’s site you have a number of options. You can design your own jewelry, selecting from a variety of “readymade jewelry elements” or you can browse the site’s existing designs and select the one you like. Once you’ve narrowed down the kind of jewelry you’d like and the material you want–yes! you can 3D print it in gold!–you then have the ability to modify the object in a number of ways. Let’s say you’re designing a ring. You can…
– Adjust the size to fit the wearer–in this case, let’s say it’s your fiance.
– Alter the geometric parameters of the ring.
– Change or add shapes using the freehand mode using the 3D-design program on WIZEgem’s site.
– Add or adjust the texture on the outside of the ring.
– Augment your design by including 3D decoration such as gemstones or icons.
– Include text or add engraving–maybe a short, romantic phrase or the date of your impending wedding.
If you choose to register on the WIZEgem site, you’ll have access to advanced features, which we imagine must be additional design options not included in the basic service.
After you’ve completed your design, you can save the STL file and show it to your fiance or maybe her best friend so you don’t have to divulge your secret. Or, you can hit “print” and then select from one of three online 3D printing services: 3D Hubs, i.Materialize, or Shapeways. Probably obviously, prices for jewelry vary based on materials, size, and the extent to which details like engraved text are used with a given object.
Once you’ve ordered your jewelry, it will be 3D printed based on your specifications and shipped directly to you. That aspect of the service alone should make WIZEgem even more appealing to prospective grooms who’ve made the engagement- and wedding-ring pilgrimage on multiple, exhausting occasions. We recommend that, as an alternative, you put on your most comfortable walking shoes, go out on a reconnaissance mission with your bride-to-be, find out what kind of ring she has in mind, and then get on WIZEgem and let them help with the rest.
Are you considering using such a service, whether for your engagement or perhaps another special gift? Let us know in the WizeGem forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out the promo video provided by WizeGem below:
