Feb 15, 2017 | By Julia
Belgian diamond brand Baunat has teamed up with Twikit, an Antwerp-based mass customization startup, on a new initiative that brings handcrafted jewellery and 3D printing together for one of the first times ever.
The two Belgian companies have just launched the Twikit Tool for Baunat Customized, an online tool that lets shoppers design their own diamond name necklace. Using 3D printed molds and expertly handcrafted diamonds, customers can have their name cast in G VS2 diamonds, on their choice of 18 karat gold chain. Depending on the length of the name, the whole product is priced starting at €1,800.
Compared with the soaring prices of the Antwerp Diamond District though, a couple thousand euros for a diamond collier looks like pennies. That affordability is one of the driving forces behind Baunat’s company vision. Founded in 2008 by Stefaan Mouradian and Steven Boelens, Baunat is one of the few high-quality diamond brands geared entirely towards online sales. By pairing online retail with direct trading and sourcing, the Belgian jeweller has been able to effectively compete with the three thousand-plus diamond cutters and merchants that crowd Antwerp’s Diamond District.
For its newest venture, Baunat has paired with the fast-growing startup Twikit to bring customization to online diamond buying. Known for its previous partnerships with brands like Philips and Auchan, Twikit is an online tool for designing and customizing products.
The key is in the company’s 3D printing model. In Twikit’s own terms, “we guide companies into 3D customization and digital manufacturing.” For Baunat, that guidance has taken the form of a user-friendly interface on the jeweller’s webstore, which allows customers to see what they’ll be buying and its online price in real time.
Shoppers enter their name (or text of their choosing) and select a chain in either white, yellow, or rose 18 karat gold. A visualization of the product is rendered instantly, along with a price. Once the customer is satisfied with their order, the design files are then sent to a 3D printer. A 3D printed mold of the name is created and lost-wax cast. Finally the piece is polished, and outfitted with hand-cut diamonds. The entire production takes place in Antwerp, in the heart of the city’s Diamond District.
An official Twikit update details that “Baunat is doing well with its Twikit implementation and will continue to work hard to bring transparency and direct prices to diamonds.
“[The jeweller’s] transparency and affordability cuts through the cloak of the traditionally opaque world diamond sales,” Twikit says. “Their direct model and efficiency also means that Baunat can guarantee unmatched prices in diamonds.” And for about two thousand bucks a pop, they’re not kidding around.
Baunat’s diamonds are G VS2, certified and conflict-free. Check out the Twikit Tool for Baunat Customized and customize your own 3D printed diamond collier here.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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