NEW High Resolution Stainless Steel, Glossy Bronze and Reclaimed Metal Options NEEDED

If virtual jewellers are going to be able to make a go of it and genuinely monetise designs via Shapeways, we need high detail, low cost metal options.
For instance, we need stainless steel, glossy bronze and reclaimed metal options at the same detail level as silver.

Unfortunately, even though the price is right, I think the grainy coarseness and the loss of detail, in the current bronze and stainless steel, probably make the results not that marketable to the general public.

It's the lack of full detail in the stainless steel and bronze that is slightly holding back progress if you are a virtual jeweller. The cost of large pieces, or ordering several pieces as stock, in sterling silver is prohibitive if you are a new jewellery designer starting from scratch.

A new trend amongst real world, planet friendly jewellers is to use 100% reclaimed metal in gold and silver tone. I'm not sure what these reclaimed metals are but as long as they don't contain nickle, it would be a fantastic additional option for Shapeway's jewellery designers.

Also on my Shapeways wish list for the future would be a top notch Vermeil solution, gold plating silver or other metals

So to sum up ..... low cost, high detail metal options for virtual jewellery so we can genuinely make a go of it and monetise our designs. If we could start small with high detail low cost metal options, stainless steel, bronze etc, we could become funded enough to order the gold laser sintered pieces when that exciting day arrives

Any other virtual jewellery designers out there needing more low cost, high detail metal options for their jewellery designs ?

As far as I know, those options are being examined. I'll see if I can't get a more official releasable status.

Thank you Michael, really looking forward to learning more about additional high detail metal options

Hi Giles,
Yes the sterling silver is perfect right now for jewellery, the results look amazing and I can't wait to see my first printed items.
But one of the reasons why I think low cost high detail materials are important so we can compete with mass produced real world jewellery at a competative price point.

Right now the Shapeways stainless steel and bronze are at a fabulous price point to get people buying and collecting but they're a little grainy for fine designs.

Michael (above) has hinted that additional high detail metal options will be available soon. Great news

It would be incredible for designers to be able to offer to customers high detail low cost metal options as a stepping stone to more precious metals. Also it's important that designers make sales so that they can keep creating great Shapeways products and lower cost high detail metals, I think would kick start this process and create an affordable entry point for customers

Gold and Titanium ...... yes please to that ! That would certainly add a prestige factor