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The jewelry and watch markets have faced significant disruption in recent years and have weathered the challenges surprisingly well. Like nearly every other industry, they had to manage the chaos associated with the global pandemic, including retail store closures and manufacturing and supply chain interruptions. But that didn’t stop consumers. In fact, a recent poll from The Plum Club suggests that 30% of consumers actually bought more jewelry during the pandemic, while only 21% said they bought less.
Jewelry manufacturing is poised for growth
The global jewelry market is estimated to experience a significant growth rate, doubling between now and 2030. Fine jewelry is spearheading growth, growing up to three times faster than other segments in the sector – with much of the growth coming from online fine jewelry sales.
Trends driving jewelry production
While luxury sales are a primary growth driver for the jewelry industry, branding also plays an important role. For many, a branded piece is a status symbol. Brands are also considered more trustworthy and known for offering uniquely authentic designs. Selling prices for branded fine jewelry can be around six times higher than for unbranded items, and that opportunity is driving competition among established luxury brands and startups alike.
In addition to the growth of online sales, jewelry and especially watch manufacturers are utilizing direct-to-consumer (DTC) models to reach their intended audience. In 2019, direct purchases made up 20% of luxury watch sales, but by 2025, they may account for 30% or more of the total.
Consumers are also changing their habits. In the past, customers relied on brick-and-mortar stores to assist them with jewelry purchases. While 68% of the respondents in one study say they still do buy from stores, 28% now say they primarily buy online. This is also reflected in how people research potential jewelry purchases. 33% of the respondents said they get information from retailer websites, while 14% said social media and 9% said they rely on online (and offline) magazines.
Jewelry designing in complexity and customization
With greater use of eCommerce and social media, jewelry brands are focused on leveraging their online assets to drive greater product engagement. At the same time, product designers in many industries are transitioning to mass customization. In the jewelry market, there is also a trend toward more complex geometries, which allows for a more intricate and unique design. Customers are driving these trends, with higher expectations for bespoke products and, especially, customized jewelry.
How jewelry is made
Traditionally, most jewelry manufacturing is done by cutting and forming metal. This can be accomplished with hand tooling or using die-forming and other mass production methods. Soldering, investment casting, enameling, and polishing are also common processes. With certain categories, including ring design, necklace design, and earrings design, stone setting may also be required.
With watches, other mass manufacturing technologies, such as machining and stamping, are often employed. Typically, the case, bracelet and, plate are manufactured using CNC machining, water jetting, laser cutting and other subtractive technologies. Movement parts (with very small tolerances) - including the wheel train, gears, and more — are often made using stamping, which can also be used for the watch’s habillage.
3D printed jewelry unlocks innovation
Having the ability to 3D print jewelry creates many opportunities for jewelry and watchmakers. For years, many have used 3D printing of wax or polymers for rapid prototyping to create design iterations faster and more cost effectively. Modern additive manufacturing solutions enable new geometries that allow for complex, intricate designs, and a digital workflow more easily supports customization.
3D printing metal jewelry end-pieces can address many of the industry’s needs and challenges. In some cases, it can complement direct casting, investment casting, and other current jewelry manufacturing technologies. 3D printed tooling and molds, for example, can help reduce the cost and time associated with production. In others, metal 3D printing can also provide pre-finished, pre-plated, and final parts, in a variety of materials including, stainless steel, brass, bronze, silver, and gold.
Legor Group 3D prints metal rings and pendants
Serving the jewelry and fashion industries, Legor is an international leader in precious metals science. For over 40 years, its alloys, powders, and plating solutions have helped designers shape their ideas into fascinating creations. Recently they collaborated with HP to develop specialty precious metal materials for HP Metal Jet and to enable functional stainless steel pieces and accessories for the jewelry and fashion markets.
To demonstrate its new capabilities, Legor developed a series of stainless steel rings and pendants. They utilized HP Metal Jet SS 316L material, manufactured the pieces with HP’s metal 3D printing solution, HP Metal Jet, and polished them after production.
Data courtesy1
In their development of the 3D printed jewelry, Legor realized several important benefits:
- Speed-to-market - Less time spent from design to final production
- Less upfront cost - Didn’t need to invest time and money on tooling
- Design freedom - Utilized additive’s unique manufacturing approach to create complex designs with varying sizes, shapes, and thicknesses
Are you trying to determine the best 3D printer for jewelry? Contact an expert to learn more about how HP and Legor are advancing jewelry manufacturing with metal 3D printing.
Watch manufacturers are also going high-tech
Recent innovations in smartwatches by brands like Apple and Samsung, have added new capabilities like fitness tracking, heart rate measurement, and smartphone connectivity. More brands are getting involved, and an increasing number of models and options in various price ranges is further driving overall demand for wristwatches and accessories. In addition, technologies like artificial intelligence, automation, and 3D printing are creating even more opportunities to improve the watch manufacturing process.
In this example, a watch case was manufactured using HP Metal Jet and HP’s Metal Jet SS 316L material While the rough, printed parts demonstrate excellent surface finish, the near-net shape parts can achieve class A1 finish after post-processing. In addition to great part quality, the solution also delivers cost savings. Instead of complicated machining and assembly steps, watchmakers can create complex geometries with less time, effort, and expense.
Interested in learning more about 3D printed jewelry? Contact an expert and discover how you can use HP Metal Jet to transform the way jewelry is designed and manufactured.
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Footnotes and disclaimers
- Data courtesy of Legor