Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing is a process of creating three-dimensional objects from a digital file. There are various ways this can be done. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most widely used 3D printing technologies. Another way is through stereolithography (SLA). In this article, we'll take a look at some of the most interesting jewelry and rings that can be made using these popular technologies.

1. Ring With Hexagons

hexaogonal ring

Created from gray resin, this ring has an attractive repeating hexagonal pattern on its outer surface. Its print resolution, i.e. the thickness of each layer, is a very low 0.05mm (50 microns), so it won’t be suitable for many lower-cost 3D printers. Its designer used a Formlabs Form 2 liquid resin desktop 3D printer to make it.

2. Flashlight

flashlight ring 3d printed

This isn't just any old ring: it's a ring with flashlight functionality built-in. Specifically, there is one ultra-bright LED embedded into it. The components and tools required to make the ring are: needle nose pliers, Sharpie marker, 1 watt ultra-bright LED, two watch batteries, and a fine gauge copper wire of 2 x 1" (24 gauge).

You will want to print the ring in the appropriate dimensions to fit the intended wearer’s finger. The next step is to print a cap of the user's choice.

Afterwards, the circuit must be wired up with copper wire, batteries, and LED. You should test the LED to confirm that the batteries are installed properly. Be careful not to stare directly at the LED, however, as it’s ultra-bright.

The last stage involves inserting the LED into the cap with your fingers, twisting it into place until it is positioned precisely in the right place. The maker recommends that you slowly twist the ring on and off a few times.

3. Triangular Earrings

triangular earrings vectary

These attractive earrings were created using VECTARY, a free 3D design interface and augmented reality tool. FDM printing was used to make them.

4. Witch Hat Earrings

witch hat earrings

These witch’s hat novelty earrings would be an ideal accessory for any Halloween party. They were designed using Fusion 360 CAD software and made with a MakerBot Replicator 2. The maker advises that they will print fine with a 0.2mm resolution, but look even better using a 0.1mm resolution.

5. Snowflake Earrings

snowflake earrings myminifactory

Print these for your next Christmas party or give them away to loved ones. The earrings were designed with Autodesk software, and printed with standard clear resin PR48 on an Autodesk Ember high-resolution printer at a 50-micron (0.05mm) layer height.

You can print the design using either digital light processing (DLP) or stereolithography (SLA).

6. Rose in a Heart

3d printed quilling heart

This romantic heart-shaped pendant with a rose in it makes for an excellent gift for Valentine’s Day or a special occasion such as a birthday or wedding anniversary.

The maker used an Anet A8 3D printer with Plexiwire ABS filament in white and red. The pendant is easy to assemble: the rose-in-a-heart and heart surround pieces simply fit into each other.

7. Egyptian Necklace

egyptian necklace 3d printed

This Egyptian pharaoh styled necklace is available in a wide range of colors. The maker recommends printing it at 0.2 mm layer height with 10% infill and 10 g of filament. It would take approximately one hour and 20 minutes to print this Egyptian necklace.

Selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing technology was used for the creation of this necklace. This uses a high-powered laser to sinter (soften without melting) the powder particles together to form a solid shape.

8. Necklace of Hearts

neck of heart necklace 3d printed

This symmetrical linked heart necklace was printed with a layer thickness of 0.12mm, wall thickness kept at 1.2, with a skirt but no brim or any additional support. The main STL file can be used to produce a standard-size necklace, or you can use the link STL file to print extra links to make it larger.

9. Hummingbird Necklace Pendant

hummingbid low poly necklace pendant 3d printed

This pendant design is of a low-polygon hummingbird. It was printed using a Formlabs Form 2 at 100-micron (0.1mm) layer height with transparent resin. Either digital light processing (DLP) or stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing technology can be used for the printing of this necklace.

10. Snakez Bracelet

snakez bracelet 3d printed

This funky Snakez bracelet makes for a wonderful gift. It is available in three sizes: small (18 links), medium (20 links), and large (22 links). The maker used a Minibot 120 with 0.2 mm resolution to print this bracelet. Neodymium magnets are superglued to either end of the necklace to fasten it together.

Which Jewelry Will You Print?

In this article, we’ve taken a look at jewelry that has been completely 3D printed! Some of these projects use FDM printing; others use SLA technology. Whether you prefer to print with PLA or resin, there's something for everyone in this list. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check out our guides on 3D printing and the best 3D printers.