Strengths and unique selling points?
Chemgold is a family-owned and operated business with a proven track record for supplying the Australian jewellery industry with quality casting for more than 30 years. Chemgold’s strengths lie in its exceptional quality and service in casting of all alloys and CAD/CAM. Our team of precious metal specialists and engineers use the most advanced casting and 3D printing technology to achieve the best result for customers. We offer the smoothest CAD surface in the industry using DigitalWax technology, saving jewellers time when cleaning the casting as there’s no stepping or lines to remove. Our website offers a range of functions, including the ability for customers to upload, view and track 3D prints, while obtaining instant quotes. What is the typical turnaround time?
Customer supplied waxes will be cast the next day. CAD files submitted for printing and casting have an overnight turnaround for the print and an additional overnight turnaround for the cast. Chemgold guarantees that customers receive images for approval in 2–4 working days (depending on the design) and castings approximately 2 working days after the design is approved or the file has been sent. By sending files or utilising our JewelMount collection, clients have a significantly higher chance of increasing turnaround times. What can affect this timing and how can customers help?
Timing can be affected if the customer modifies the design before it has been approved for printing and casting. Issues with files can create delays as it might have to be repaired by our in-house technicians or sent back to the customer. What formats does your software accept?
Chemgold accepts and works with files such as 3DM, STL and SLC, as well as other popular formats. We also accept and work with Countersketch International files and are more than happy to guide customers through their first experience with 3D printing and casting. What assistance is there for designers to take their ideas from concept to creation?
Our CAD designers are highly qualified and can draw custom-made designs from a sketch, photo or idea. A critical aspect of CAD is communication, and we assist customers with this by using our Custom Design Form – a checklist for key information needed for designs. We also provide a design collection/library called JewelMounts, which makes the process simple, quick and affordable. The collection was recently extended so we can proudly say it’s the most comprehensive custom design/mount catalogue in the industry supported by web and mobile applications. Will you accept and work with client supplied resin/wax models?
We have been casting from wax models for more than 30 years and perfected the burn-out process, casting from resin models in silver, gold, palladium and platinum. Larry Sher is internationally renowned for his experience in casting and was one of Australia’s first to successfully cast from resin models. There are certain resins that are not suitable for the casting process and we would advise clients accordingly. With the advent of new printers can you work with a client to establish the correct casting procedures for their particular model?
We recommend clients follow the procedures set out by the manufacturer of the printer. Is the customer’s model secure or can it be resold to, or be reused by, other clients?
The customer’s model is 100 per cent secure for their exclusive use – a unique serial number is created for every design produced and stored for a client. Protecting the intellectual property of our client’s designs is extremely important, which is supported by a considerable investment in the security measures followed in the company. Do you have a return policy for porous or incomplete products?
Our customers’ success is ours and if the product is faulty we will make it a priority to re-produce it immediately. Our new technology, along with a consistent investment in systems and R&D, has made the quality of our products more reliable than ever before. Do you have print-only services so clients can cast themselves?
Customers can print and receive a wax, although most prefer that we cast their designs. Do you offer in-house completion of a product for non-bench jeweller CAD designers?
We offer a complete one-stop shop for CAD/CAM – from designing, printing, casting, moulds to finishing and setting the final piece. In what ways has CAD/CAM changed the wider jewellery industry in the past two years?
CAD continues to expand and become more mainstream as retailers and manufacturers realise its potential. An increasing number of jewellers have invested in CAD software, and it has proven to be a useful tool to show their customers how the new technology can help produce their desired piece. Clients who have their own software can receive castings back super fast and super smooth. How is CAD/CAM likely to further evolve in your business?
A major opportunity and trend is combining technology and custom design. Bench jewellers and jewellery retailers are now able to produce custom design pieces faster and more competitively than ever before. Chemgold’s goal is to assist the industry by providing a variety of solutions from our leading CAD service, JewelMount designs and ensuring the best surface finish from CAD files. Our aim is to remain the industry leader in jewellery technology that relates to casting. In addition, we will also soon launch a number of additional products and initiatives to ensure customers have a richer experience, providing them with solutions to increase sales and reduce costs. |