Technology and jewellery: a priceless pairing

Progressive technology is nothing new for the jewellery sector, with local artisans and global brands both early adopters. Tanmay Shah, Head of Innovation for India-based Imaginarium, explains why technology and creativity are a priceless partnership

Jewellery is a natural medium for self-expression. The percentage of consumers looking to purchase unique pieces, however, has traditionally been low, and one of the biggest shifts we’ve seen in recent years is increased ease of access to custom-created pieces. This has driven a trend for uniqueness, customisation and personalisation.

Another notable trend is conscious consumption, with consumers increasingly aware of sustainability issues and the importance of understanding the story and supply chain credentials behind a product.

This includes knowing where diamonds are sourced and knowing that the metals used to craft a piece have been responsibly mined or recycled.

The emergence of digital channels is yet another trend that is driving our ability to discover, select and purchase jewellery. Previously, online resources were only used to make consumers aware of their options, with a follow-up store visit to complete the purchase.

Online channels are becoming more and more widely accepted in the jewellery space, and we have seen an explosion of digital resources that offer end-to-end services.

Early adopters of technology

The jewellery industry has always been at the forefront of technology adoption. When I joined the Imaginarium team in 2014, 3D printing was already a mainstream tool, but this was just the latest round of technology in play.

Around 15-20 years ago, in India, computer-aided design (CAD) software had already begun to mature and was in widespread use by bigger companies. It was also disseminating down to artisans in generations-old communities of craftspeople.

These artisans were quick to realise that technology wasn’t a threat to their craft, rather it was another useful tool to add to the design and production arsenal.

Community exponents learned how to use the then-latest software, pairing new tech capabilities with their inherent, intuitive generations-old skills, in order to better express their creativity while being able to accelerate the design process.

Fast forward to 2022 and we now see some of the pre-eminent cutting-edge jewellery designers are descendants of these early technology adopters.

An industry with room for all

There is still, of course, consumer demand for 100 per cent handcrafted jewellery but I believe that the industry offers a naturally diverse offering, rooted in creativity and supported by technology.

Jewellery plays so many expressive roles and is unashamedly personal, from the choice of item – earrings, bracelet, pendant, etc. – to colour preferences and type of materials, which is another area undergoing significant evolution and influenced by technology.

Technology has accelerated demand for products made from recycled materials, for example. It has also enabled the crafting of jewellery pieces that are so dainty they are almost invisible, but which hold intensely personal meaning for the wearer.

At the same time, there will always be a market for jewellery that has been lovingly crafted by hand, over months and months, because these pieces are truly unique and ‘priceless’ to the owner.

Digital innovation driving design

The design process has been irrevocably – and positively – transformed through technology.

From the customer’s perspective, we can now take a child’s doodle, palm print or even a map of the stars at the moment they were born and use it to inform a unique design.

This means that the customer is involved in the design journey long before there is a physical piece. A jeweller can share a design concept via a phone app, while customers can upload software that will let them tweak a design to their unique specifications.

Technological advancement has also rendered the need for hand sketches unnecessary and driven visualisation opportunities, with designers able to share photorealistic digital versions of pieces. And all this can be done at zero cost to the customer because nothing has been manufactured.

Once the design is agreed, we can finally look at prototyping. This is where 3D printing enables the production of a single piece that can then be shipped to the customer.

Manufacturing is the final piece of the design puzzle, and 3D technology has been instrumental in enabling the use of exotic materials and precious metals. It’s not only gold, silver or titanium that can be 3D printed, but an ever-growing collection of exciting new materials.

The end result is the creation of a unique piece with a deeply personal connection.

Mass production gets personal

Technology has made it easier to mass produce a single design, but what's even more exciting is its role in enabling mass customisation, at scale, whereby hundreds or even thousands of pieces can be produced, but where no two pieces are alike.

This presents a strong ROI case for many companies. For example, a name pendant manufacturer who can only begin production once an order has been placed, can make the switch from manual to machine-based production using computer numerical control (CNC), laser cutting or 3D technologies.

It is critical to also remain mindful of the technology life cycle. Machines that deliver advanced output capabilities are the factory workhorses of the 21st century, but companies need to closely monitor both performance and market demand in order to be primed to invest in additional machines when required.

And there is always going to be technology that is fresh out of the lab, or on the threshold of commercialisation, and with that comes operational uncertainty and investment risk.

Historically, it’s the most advanced industries that are able to fund groundbreaking technology adoption and, typically, we see this level of innovation taking place in the R&D driven space, defence and automotive industries.

Once use is proven to be of high-value, luxury linked industries such as jewellery tend to follow suit; and this is a starting point for a domino effect that will eventually cascade down to the mass market segment.

This is a space where a company like Imaginarium, and other service bureaus, can add value. We work with hundreds of clients, so it makes sense for us to buy a titanium 3D printer to support our clients who can’t afford to commit that level of capital.

Demand for innovative materials

Today’s consumer actively seeks innovative designs made from equally innovative materials.

We are on the cusp of implementing widespread adoption of precious metal 3D printing. Coated paper-based jewellery is another area of innovation, as is the expanded use of composite materials, such as carbon fibre; while anodised titanium pieces can be produced across a rainbow colour spectrum, and even nylon is featuring in innovative designs.

A slightly more mature example is lab-grown diamonds. A polarising gemstone, there is one camp that will always value natural diamonds over lab grown. At the same time, there is a younger generation that has not grown up on stories of diamonds as a marker of romance and everlasting love. They are growing up in a world that is talking about the environment and sustainability, and who are excited by the idea of an affordable, lab-grown diamond.

Generally, however, customers don’t buy jewellery because it represents the latest technological advancement. They don’t care how it is made: they want to purchase a thing of beauty that is allied to self-expression, or a piece that has a strong personal link or story.

Our ability to bridge the old, the manual and the automatic, the artisanal and the technological is what characterises the jewellery industry, and what will continue to propel it into the future.

Looking ahead, to work more efficiently and creatively, and to continue growing as an industry, we need to explore cross-collaboration opportunities both within the industry, and externally. We have a natural tendency to exist and communicate in silos, but in my experience, where one day I could be talking to a film director or an automotive interiors designer, inspiration comes from every corner.

Anything that comes from our imagination, intellect or emotions cannot be substituted by technology, which is purely an aid. The very act of creation and design is championed by human beings and, while innovations improve efficiency and provide the impetus to produce something exciting and different, they can only truly flourish when partnered with human creativity.