- Jewellery design tools at a glance
- Ten jewellery design tools
- Matching a jewellery tool to your bench
- Why UK designs need room for a hallmark
- Jewellery CAD, general modeller or sculpting app?
- Questions to settle before you buy jewellery CAD
- Signs your workshop is ready for CAD
- My plain advice on jewellery design software
- Frequently asked questions
Jewellery design software lets you model rings, pendants, settings and stones in 3D and send them for 3D printing and casting. Some tools are dedicated jewellery CAD, others are general 3D modellers or sculpting apps that jewellers use for organic shapes. Ten options follow in no particular order.
A ring that looks perfect on screen can still fail at the bench: a shank too thin to cast, prongs that snap, a stone seat a fraction too shallow.
Jewellery CAD is about designing for the real metal. The ten tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. For a look at how others built their brands, my piece on Australian jewellery businesses entrepreneurs can learn from is a good read.
Jewellery design tools at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free account, a free edition or an open source release. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DESIGN | 3D jewellery CAD | Parametric rings and settings | Not stated |
| Blender | Free open source 3D suite | Free sculpting and renders | Yes |
| CounterSketch | Custom jewellery design software | Retail counters designing with customers | Trial only |
| Jewelry CAD Dream | Jewellery CAD | Jewellers learning CAD for the first time | Not stated |
| MatrixGold | 3D jewellery design software | Studios wanting ready-made settings | Not stated |
| MoI | 3D modelling for designers | Clean, simple surface modelling | Not stated |
| Nomad Sculpt | Sculpting and painting app | Organic sculpting on a tablet | Not stated |
| Plasticity | Solid and surface modelling | Smooth fillets and surfaces | Not stated |
| Rhino | 3D modelling software | The base many jewellery plug-ins need | Trial only |
| ZBrush | Digital sculpting software | Detailed sculpted pieces | Not stated |
Ten jewellery design tools
3DESIGN
Best for: Professional jewellers who want 3D jewellery software built for designing, creating and producing pieces.
Blender
Best for: Makers starting out who want free, open source 3D modelling, sculpting and rendering for jewellery concepts.
CounterSketch
Best for: Jewellery retailers who want to design custom pieces with a customer at the counter, with a 15-day free trial.
Jewelry CAD Dream
Best for: Bench jewellers moving into CAD who want software and training aimed squarely at jewellery design.
MatrixGold
Best for: Jewellery studios who want a dedicated 3D jewellery design tool from Gemvision, with libraries of settings and parts ready to use.
MoI
Best for: Designers who want a light, easy 3D modeller for clean shapes before sending files elsewhere for production.
Nomad Sculpt
Best for: Makers who want to sculpt organic shapes such as leaves or animals on a tablet, then refine them in CAD.
Plasticity
Best for: Designers who want sophisticated surface modelling and smooth fillets with a straightforward, artist-friendly interface for detailed pieces.
Rhino
Best for: Jewellers who want the 3D modeller many jewellery plug-ins run on, with a 90 day free evaluation licence.
ZBrush
Best for: Artists who want detailed digital sculpting for figurative or heavily textured jewellery pieces, from the makers at Maxon.
Matching a jewellery tool to your bench
- Dedicated jewellery CAD: 3DESIGN, MatrixGold or Jewelry CAD Dream.
- Designing with customers at the counter: CounterSketch.
- The modeller many plug-ins need: Rhino.
- Clean surfaces and fillets: MoI or Plasticity.
- Sculpted, organic pieces: ZBrush or Nomad Sculpt.
- Free concepts and renders: Blender.
Why UK designs need room for a hallmark
GOV.UK's guidance on hallmarking in the UK says items sold as gold, silver, platinum or palladium must have a hallmark to guarantee authenticity and quality, with minimum weight exemptions depending on the metal. It also says selling unhallmarked goods is a crime.
For a designer that's a practical point. If a piece will be sold in the UK above the exemption weight, it needs a flat, accessible spot where an assay office can apply the mark. Plan it into the model now, so you're not discovering it at the end.
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Jewellery CAD, general modeller or sculpting app?
Dedicated jewellery CAD comes with ring sizes, gem libraries and settings built in, so a classic solitaire or halo doesn't take hours.
General modellers and surface tools are more flexible, and they're a good match for designers who make unusual, architectural pieces.
Sculpting apps are what you'll want for organic work, such as leaves, animals and textured metal. Many jewellers sculpt the decorative part, then they'll finish the functional part in CAD.
If you design wearables from fabric rather than metal, this guide to fashion design software lines up tools for patterns and virtual samples.
Questions to settle before you buy jewellery CAD
- Does it check minimum thickness for casting?
- Can it export files your printer or caster accepts?
- Does it include ring sizes and stone libraries?
- How realistic are its renders for showing customers?
- Is there training made for jewellers?
- Will it run on the computer you already own?
Jewellers who mill their pieces rather than print them will find CNC and CAM software worth a look.
Signs your workshop is ready for CAD
- Customers want to see it first. Show a render.
- Repeat designs take hours. Reuse the model.
- Castings fail at thin spots. Check thickness on screen.
- Stone seats vary. Use a stone library.
Do you make jewellery design software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on jewellery design software
Design one piece you already make by hand, such as your best-selling ring, and have it printed and cast. Comparing the casting with the bench-made version will teach you more about a tool's limits than any tutorial.
When a customer's ring is finished, my guide to insuring an engagement ring is a helpful link to pass on.
Frequently asked questions
What software do jewellers use to design rings?
Many use dedicated jewellery CAD with ring sizes and stone libraries, while others use general 3D modellers or sculpting apps for unusual and organic pieces.
Is there free jewellery design software?
Yes. Free open source 3D software can model and render jewellery concepts, though it doesn't include jewellery-specific libraries. Check the free plan column above.
Can I 3D print jewellery from CAD?
Yes. Most jewellery CAD exports files for resin printers, and the prints are then cast in metal, usually by a casting house.
Do UK jewellery pieces need a hallmark?
GOV.UK says items sold as gold, silver, platinum or palladium must be hallmarked, with minimum weight exemptions depending on the metal.
Is sculpting software good for jewellery?
It's excellent for organic shapes like leaves and animals. Most jewellers combine it with CAD for settings and ring shanks.
How long does it take to learn jewellery CAD?
Simple rings can come within days, while complex settings take longer. Software aimed at jewellers usually has the gentlest learning curve.
