Editor’s Note
This article examines the technological transformation reshaping the jewellery industry over the past decade, from manufacturing to retail. Samuel Ord explores how these advancements are changing the game for designers and retailers alike.
Over the past decade, the jewellery industry has witnessed a significant shift in strategy fueled by emerging technology. SAMUEL ORD takes a closer look at how improvements in manufacturing and design have influenced the retail game.
The jewellery industry has long been known for its complexity and demanding nature. For many, it is defined by long hours at the bench, challenging custom orders, and discerning customers.
Over the past two decades, the demand for custom-made jewellery and services, such as repairs, has steadily increased, with a specific spike during the COVID-19 pandemic noted. With an ageing workforce and an inadequate number of jewellery apprentices entering the industry each year, the trade struggles to meet this demand. Earlier this year, a report noted that three to four weeks is considered an acceptable turnaround time for completing and delivering a newly designed and manufactured jewellery item.
An industry survey found that around one-third (34 per cent) of respondents were willing to concede that they were unable to meet this industry benchmark three years ago.
Carlo Romeo, Carlo Romeo Jewellers
Unfortunately, it was clear that the situation had worsened, with 63 per cent of respondents indicating that this work cannot currently be completed within four weeks for customers.
With that in mind, it is not surprising to learn that an increasing number of jewellers are experimenting with emerging technologies and incorporating new tools into their business. Indeed, scientific and technological progress has transformed many retail industries, and the jewellery trade is no exception.
Few innovations have had as significant an impact as Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM). As many retailers have told Jeweller, CAD/CAM technology is capable of unlocking seemingly limitless design possibilities.
For some, it opens the door for the creation of pieces that were once thought impossible. These tools enable jewellers to produce high-quality pieces more efficiently and at a lower cost.
As a consequence, high-end and custom-made jewellery isn’t restricted to elite designers and brands with exhaustive resources. Skilled jewellers can now deconstruct complex designs into individual components, streamlining production and finishing while maintaining exceptional standards.
Indeed, these jewellers no longer have to feel daunted by intricate designs that would once take many agonising weeks and even months to make by hand. In many ways, the ultimate beneficiary is the consumer, who wins access to dreamy jewellery at a price that doesn’t crush the budget.
With that said, these forward-thinking jewellers also enjoy the benefits of not only another happy customer, but also an improved reputation in their respective market.
Improved technology allows for greater accuracy in design and production, helping to minimise waste and maximise efficiency.
Two years ago, Jeweller spoke with several retailers about the transformative impact CAD/CAM has had on their business. Among them was designer and gemmologist Maria Kostina.
She is the owner of Maria K Jewellery in Sydney. She said that the ability to work closely with customers during the design process was valuable.
“With CAD, you could show the design through realistic renders and also 3D print the model for the customers to try on. This way, the customer knows what to expect, and even those particularly fussy customers can be satisfied.”
Another contributor to that report was Eric Kojadelian of Vahe Jewellery in Victoria, who explained the significance of technology in manufacturing as a younger jeweller.
