Hey everyone,
I work as a jeweler in a small workshop, and most of what I do is custom orders. People walk in with old gold – family rings, broken chains, inherited pieces they never wear – and ask me to turn it into something new. Usually, they have a rough idea, but nothing super specific. Something classic, but with a little twist.
The hard part was always getting them to say yes to the design. I'd show them a sketch, even a 3D render, and they'd still look unsure. Which is fair – it's their gold, their money, and a lot of sentimental value attached. I totally get it.
So I started printing wax models with the WJ530 before casting anything. And honestly? It changed everything.
Here's what my process looks like now:
-
First, we sit down and talk about what they want. Most of the time, it's simple – a solitaire setting with a slightly different prong shape, or a band with a softer curve. Just small tweaks to make it feel personal.
-
Then I model it in CAD. Nothing crazy – just those little adjustments we discussed.
-
Once the design is done, I print a wax model and hand it to them.
That's the moment everything clicks. They hold it, try it on, feel the weight. And suddenly they're not guessing anymore – they know. "Oh, this is exactly what I wanted." I hear that all the time now.
If they want a tiny change, I just tweak the design and reprint. No big deal. Once they give the final okay, I cast it in gold and done.
Since I started doing this, revisions have dropped, clients are way happier, and I don't stress as much about misinterpreted designs. The wax model does the talking for me.
If you're doing custom work and haven't tried wax printing yet – seriously, give it a shot. It's made my life so much easier.
Feel free to ask if you have any questions about the setup or workflow!
Cheers,
