Wedding Rings
When I became engaged, I decided against buying a ring in favor of modeling and printing one myself. I had never made any kind of jewelry in SolidWorks before, and it took a lot of experimentation to create the design on the round surface.
To have the ring produced, I decided to use Shapeways, a 3D printing service. According to the material guidelines, items made with metal are not directly printed; they are instead printed in wax for use in investment casting. Once I confirmed that the model met minimum requirements for engraved details and thickness, I sent them off to be produced, first in gold-plated brass, and then upon realizing that the copper in the brass was turning my husband's finger green, again in pure gold.
It was a very fulfilling (and not to mention economical!) project for me to create my own wedding ring. The design is inspired by Journey, a video game where two players can meet and explore the world together. With the ability to create custom designs, people can find symbolism in more than just a standard diamond.
