http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php Shapeways: Bring your creativity to life in 3D http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=50352&th=9999#msg_50352 I just wanted to share a couple of pictures of my first creation with shapeways!
The final version is printed in silver glossy and polished.

As it was expected it wasn't possible to polish inside the small groove but I think it gives a nice texture contrast.

I have put some shot of the WSF prototype (with the gem intended for the silver ring) so you can see how good the details are in silver.

The only issue is that shapeways left some of the building support in silver. So I will have to deal with these myself

What do you think? Any ideas how to improve even more the surface finish of small silver features?
I noticed a couple of "dirt' mark on the silver ring which were easily removed by hand.
]]> Sapro 2012-06-25T19:10:48-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=50604&th=9999#msg_50604




]]> Sapro 2012-06-29T16:33:47-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55766&th=9999#msg_55766 MrFluffyThing 2012-10-22T14:39:49-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55770&th=9999#msg_55770 Yes, I did set the stone myself by carefully spreading the prongs apart (they are little grooves in the tension prongs, see bottom pictures). Silver is very soft and bend easily so I had to be very careful.
This was also an engagement ring and it was a hit
However, we had the exact same ring made in gold by a jeweler with a real diamond, and I think no one was keen on this type of setting. They all said that if it catches on something it can pull the prongs apart and loose the diamond. My opinion is that there is nothing to be caught on as the prong "blend" into the diamond. 4 months she wears it daily and it is still there!

Regards,
Sapro
]]> Sapro 2012-10-22T14:57:32-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55772&th=9999#msg_55772 MrFluffyThing 2012-10-22T15:45:10-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55910&th=9999#msg_55910 natalia 2012-10-25T09:40:44-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55925&th=9999#msg_55925 SGDesigns 2012-10-25T16:43:42-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55929&th=9999#msg_55929 BillBedford 2012-10-25T17:06:01-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55931&th=9999#msg_55931 SGDesigns 2012-10-25T17:47:43-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55932&th=9999#msg_55932 MrFluffyThing 2012-10-25T17:53:09-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55934&th=9999#msg_55934


]]> SGDesigns 2012-10-25T18:02:25-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55936&th=9999#msg_55936
For buying cz stone, this website offers very cheap ones: http://www.diamondcz.co.uk/
The one in the picture is not a cz diamond but a "simulant" from http://www.diamondnexus.com/loose-stones in the US. Apparently it is quite different than a CZ, but I am still not convinced by the difference in price...
Finally for real diamond, as I don't like the idea of a mined diamond (neither did she by the way ), I bought a lab created diamond from Gemesis in the US to: http://gemesis.com/diamonds/. There I can really tell the difference (but obvioulsy there is a huge difference in price to).

Regards,
Sapro]]> Sapro 2012-10-25T18:11:17-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55937&th=9999#msg_55937 Proper lab grown diamond are real one (you can tell by their price to, even if they are a bit cheaper than mined one). You can find very good quality (near perfect in some case) which is very rare for mined one.
Anything else (simulant, cz, etc) are not the same thing as a real diamond.]]> Sapro 2012-10-25T18:14:13-00:00 http://www.shapeways.com/forum/index.php?t=rview&goto=55983&th=9999#msg_55983 GemSelect for real gems and RioGrande for lab grown and simulants.

Glenn
]]> lensman 2012-10-26T16:04:59-00:00