Who is making my jewelry and where is it made?
We’re glad you asked. We have a team of really amazing expert jewelers based in Detroit, MI. Every piece is 3D printed, cast, polished and assembled in our facility located in Core City, Detroit. If you’re ever in the area, give us a holler at hello@gildform.com for a tour and a cup of coffee. 

How is the jewelry made?
Once you’re satisfied with your 3D model, its materials, and quantity we’ll start producing your order.  The Gildform manufacturing process starts with 3D printing and lost-wax casting and ends with precise finishing and polishing based on your specifications. Read more about our jewelry manufacturing process on our process page.

 

What is CAD?
CAD stands for computer-aided design, the technology many experts believe will be the primary process of jewelry design and manufacturing in the near future. As technology progressed, it became possible to create three-dimensional “models” of virtually any design within the computer environment. 

For the bench jeweler, CAD modeling onscreen has much in common with lost wax casting and shares similar benefits as well. Once the virtual model is finished to the technician’s desire, the CAD file may be sent to a CAM machine for production. 

There are many advantages of CAD/CAM over traditional manufacturing methods. CAD files can also be copied, changed, and saved as often as the designer chooses. A model can be designed and saved, then redesigned to allow for a limitless set of variations on the original design.

In addition to its’ manufacturing advantages, CAD software works in tandem with high-tech rendering software to make spectacular realistic images of jewelry models before the actual piece is made.

 

What is 3D printing?
The 3D printing process builds a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design model, usually by successively adding material layer by layer, which is why it is also called additive manufacturing

3d printing is the process of making a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design file.  The three-dimensional object is usually created by successively adding material layer by layer until the object is completed.

3D printing will produce a real, solid piece of jewelry with a smooth surface. The object can also be finished manually with post-processing depending on your desires.

 

What is Lost Wax Casting?
Lost-Wax Casting is an age-old technique that has been used to create jewelry for centuries, dating back to Ancient Egypt. This precision casting technique is used for transmuting wax models and/or castable resins created using our 3-D Printing Technologies into your desired metal.

Lost-Wax Casting can also be used for any pieces that are intricately designed or filigreed due to the wax mold’s ability to be finely imprinted.  The resin that is used in lost-wax casting burns out cleanly leaving no ash residue. This technique is perfect for anyone that wants their finalized product to be highly detailed. 

 

Does the consultation cost go towards my order?
Your initial 30 min consultation is free of charge.  During these consultations, we get to know you, your brand, and your production needs in order to make sure Gildform is the best match.  If you decide that further consultation is for you, the cost will be separate from the cost of your order. 

How do I set up an account?  Why do I need a credit card to upload a 3D model?
Setting up a free Gildform account gives you access to the full benefits of our web app.   Once we’ve been formally introduced, you’ll have a manufacturing partner that can carry your vision from CAD file to finished product.   

Be sure to choose the  *Standard* membership during the last step of your sign-up.  Until you make a purchase, your credit card info is only used to ensure that you’re a real person (bots usually don’t have credit cards).  

 

Can I upload a sketch of jewelry I would like to create?
Sketches are always welcome, the more detailed the better.  We’ll use your sketch to create a CAD file of your design. You can upload a sketch here for a CAD file quote. 

 

How soon can I see a CAD file of my design?
Depending on the intricacy of the design, we’ll have images of your CAD file ready For Review in 2-7 business days.  From there you can ensure that the CAD file is accurate to your design specifications, you can move on to selecting your materials. 

 

I have my CAD files already, how can I get a quote for producing my jewelry with Gildform?
Great! All you need to do from here is to Create An Account and upload your CAD files. Once you upload your CAD files, select your materials, polishing specifications and assembly for an instant price to the metals market. Don’t forget to enter in your preferred quantity, as prices will change based on how many units you order. 

 

What file types can I upload?
You already have a CAD file or 3D model prepared?  Great! Your files can be uploaded in the following formats: r.obj, .stl or .glTF.

Am I able to see my designs in different alloys?
Of course!  Once your 3D model is uploaded (or created) you’ll be able to select your materials/alloys and see your designs reflect your choices in real-time.

Once I upload my 3D file, how does Gildform determine the price?
After you’ve uploaded the 3D file, we use a proprietary pricing algorithm to determine the most transparent pricing based on the 3D files uniquely encoded information instantly. Once our software knows this information, we’re able to give you the price of your selected material (to the metals market) and the price for polishing and assembly.

I feel like my price is higher/lower than normal. Why is that?
We strive to provide you the most reasonable pricing and the highest quality possible. If for some reason, your pricing looks way higher than normal, this may be from an issue with your CAD file. You can send us an email with your CAD file to hello@gildform.com or live chat us for a file inspection. If your CAD file was created with Gildform, then your inspection is free.

We charge a flat rate for each CAD file inspection of $35 per file not created by Gildform. We will inform you if your design requires a remodel to be better optimized for production.  Upon your approval, we will add the cost of inspection toward the total cost of the new CAD file.

Can I place an order with a 3D file that I created myself or had a third-party create?
Yes, of course. Please keep in mind that we are only responsible for producing your 3D file(s) ‘as is’, according to your specifications made using our platform.

However, for the best quality jewelry products we ask for a 1 mm minimum wall thickness for all areas in the 3D models that you upload onto Gildform. If in the event your 3D Model presents issues in the manufacturing process or is Not Optimized for Production or overall not producible, we will reject the order and refund the cost of the item that is not optimized for production, minus the Restocking Fee.

Please Note: There is a Restocking Fee for each item that has been rejected due to being deemed  Not Optimized for Production. The Restocking Fee is 15% of the total cost of each item that is Not Optimized for Production.

We can not guarantee that your 3D file(s) will be optimized for production and have all the necessary allowances for shrinkage, polishing, etc.

Your model may shrink  ~0.25 mm plus ~2.5-5% after casting and finishing. For rings the inner diameter is accurate within +/- 0.1 to 0.15mm. The model typically shrinks about ~2.5-5% after casting and finishing. We do our best to polish your pieces to match your model file(s). However, we cannot guarantee that your model accounts for this shrinkage and polishing. By working with a Gildform designer, you will be certain that your  CAD file is ready for production with the necessary tolerances for 3D printing and polishing. If you’d like us to inspect your CAD file before placing your order, email us your  3D file to hello@gildform.com. The cost for inspection is $35 per 3D file.

We will inform you if your design requires a remodel to be better optimized for production.  Upon your approval, we will add the cost of inspection toward the total cost of the new CAD file.

Do you have minimums?
Gildform doesn’t do “minimum orders.”  Whether your order is one piece or 1,000, we’ll print it, cast it, finish it and ship it to your door.

 

Do you offer bulk pricing?
Yes! Just enter your desired quantity in the quantity field under the 3D model are, and like magic, your price per unit will change due to our ability to disburse set up costs amongst each unit. (hint: the more units you order, the lower the cost will be per unit) 

 

Am I able to make updates to my CAD files once submitting my inquiry?
You can make updates after your inquiry has been submitted, but know that the turnaround time may be affected if your updates are significant changes to your initial submission and your updates will require an additional charge. If you need to request changes, please submit them to hello@gildform.com. 

 

Am I able to make changes to my order after it has already been placed?Once you’ve submitted an order for on-demand manufacturing, we begin producing the order to your specifications. We are not able to make modifications to your order once it’s been placed.   

 

Once my 3D model is finalized what is the next step?
Once we have a workable 3D model that meets your standards and ours, It’s time to make your purchase and get your order started.  Once we’ve received your payment, your new manufacturing team will start 3D printing your order. 

 

Will I be updated along the way?
With our production tracking feature, you’ll be able to follow your order from start to finish.  Once you log into your account you’ll be able to view the latest progress for your order.  If there are any delays we won’t hesitate to reach out using the contact info you’ve provided.

 

Can I easily order products that I need to restock?
Yes!  Once you’ve created your Gildform account, your order history will be saved and you’ll be able to repeat any order in just a few clicks. 

 

What is your return policy?
If in the unlikely event you need to request a return, please go to Your Orders and click Return of the Order (ie. JO-XXXXXX) that you’d like to return. If you have multiple styles in the same Order be sure to specify which styles and the quantities that you’d like to return. If it is urgent, send an email to hello@gildform.com – We will follow up with you within 48 hours with the next steps. 

You’ll have 7 days from the receipt of your order to ensure the quality and its contents. If the order is not made to the specification of your 3D files for any reason then we’ll replace it with no questions asked if notice is given within 7 days. 

We do not offer refunds or exchanges for consultations. We do not offer refunds on 3D models once the quote has been accepted and paid.

If I partner with Gildform to make my jewelry are my designs protected?   Gildform was created for designers, by a designer.  There’s no jewelry manufacturing partner that cares more about protecting jewelry designers than us.  While U.S Copyright laws don’t protect jewelry ideas or concepts, specific jewelry designs are protected as works of ‘visual art.’  This means that your jewelry is protected the moment it’s made, even if its never formally registered. Our full intellectual property policy can be found in our Terms of Service.

Where can I find the terms of service?
Gildform’s Terms of service can be found here.

 How can I contact you if I have questions that aren’t answered here?
You can email us at hello@gildform.com , or you can call us at 313-782-4293.

What are your business hours?
Our business hours are Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Where are you located?
Our manufacturing facility is located at 4892 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48208.

Are your ship dates guaranteed?

The Novel Coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented complexities, which have required us to constantly reassess our operations. Our highest priority is to help ensure the health and safety of our employees, customers, and suppliers.

As the effects of the Coronavirus impact our infrastructure, we will continue to seek guidance from local, state, and national government entities to ensure that we fully align with their regulations.

We are committed to continue operating except where constrained by government restrictions.

We do not guarantee lead times, and as such, will not be offering any refunds for delays in production or delivery of orders. This is effective immediately and will stay in effect until the Gildform Team has made the assessment that there is enough stability to change this policy.