Trove launches today and becomes one of the first consumer platforms that provide its clients with the freedom to customize their own 3d-printed jewelry.
The New York based enterprise convinced investors to finance it with $640,000, with names such as Uprise Ventures and Resolute Ventures backing it.
There are two possible reasons why 3D printing didn't make the grade for industries such as high-end jewelry. First, the production requires advanced software know-how and the 3D printers themselves are quite expensive. Second, most 3D printers use plastic as main material for the objects they produce, which is inappropriate to use in some areas, such as precious accessories.
This is where the Trove developers see opportunity. They make a mold on the 3D printers, into which metal is poured and it becomes a luxurious wearable.
An important selling point of the one-off molds is the unique set of preferences that clients can implement. They are able to modify the 30 designs that Trove offers on its digital platform, virtually turning the variation number into hundreds of models.
A basic bronze bracelet costs around 50$, but for gold jewelry the price tag can go much higher, up to thousands of dollars.
The company understands that clients are cautious when making expensive purchases and offers them a "test" model of the accessory first. Buyers receive a plastic-molded piece that looks exactly like the precious metal one and they can try it on and see how well it fits. This helps a lot with buyers who still want the hands-on feeling when shopping. The price of the prototype is $6.49.
Shapeways is the firm that powers Trove and takes care of the printing and shipping of the prototype and the final jewelry piece.
Trove cofounder, Brain Park, said that the API from Shapeways allowed his team to perfect the customization side of the business, while somebody else is in charge of the printing process.
"Funny thing about the market right now is that it's not really supply-constrained," Park commented on the jewelry-manufacturing world.
3D printing promises to be a game changer when it comes to producing objects, be it serial or unique. With jewelry printing, turning software images into reality might add more shine to the everyday life.
