01
Editable CAD or a mesh?
NURBS and parametric CAD (Rhino, MatrixGold, RhinoArtisan, 3Design) keeps exact sizes you can change later. Sculpting tools (ZBrush, Blender) make meshes. They are great for organic shapes but harder to resize exactly.
2026 buyer’s guide
The best jewellery CAD software in 2026.
Jewellery CAD software turns a design into an exact 3D model that can be printed in wax or resin and cast. There is no single best program. The right one depends on who does the modelling, what you make and your budget.
This guide compares the main options, including our own product, Aurevia. For each one we say who it suits, what it costs and what file you get. Prices come from each maker’s own website.
Get startedFacts checked on each maker’s own website on .
How to choose jewellery CAD software
02
Who will do the modelling?
Classic CAD needs a trained CAD designer and months of practice. AI tools try to build the first model for you. Either way, a CAD specialist should check every file before casting.
03
Licence and computer
Most jewellery CAD is a one-time licence costing thousands of dollars or euros. Several programs run on Windows only. Check the price, the support period and your operating system before you buy.
Jewellery CAD built on Rhino
These add jewellery tools (gems, settings, shanks, pavé) to Rhino, the general NURBS modeller from McNeel. Files are Rhino .3dm, and STL comes out of Rhino for printing.
MatrixGold
Gemvision, part of Stuller (USA)
Gemvision’s jewellery CAD runs inside Rhino. Its parametric history lets you change an early step without starting again. It comes with a content library of pre-built parts, a Render Studio and Clayoo for organic shapes. Version 4.0 came out in May 2026.
- Best for:
- Custom-design stores and bench jewellers who want a large library of ready-made parts
- You get:
- Editable Rhino .3dm models with parametric history
- Price:
- US$5,995 with a Rhino 8 licence, six months of membership and support
RhinoArtisan
2Shapes Technologies
A jewellery plugin for Rhino 7 and 8, on Windows only. Version 7 adds AI: an assistant that runs RhinoArtisan commands from plain text, a link that lets Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini drive it, and a studio for AI images, video and organic meshes. AI usage is paid to the AI providers, on top of the licence.
- Best for:
- Rhino users on Windows who want jewellery tools with AI help built in
- You get:
- Editable Rhino .3dm models; STL for printing
- Price:
- €4,000 one-time with Rhino 8, or €3,000 if you already own Rhino; 15-day free trial
Rhino 8
Robert McNeel & Associates (USA)
A general NURBS modeller used across product design and jewellery, on Windows and Mac. On its own it has no jewellery tools, which is why many studios add MatrixGold or RhinoArtisan. Licences are permanent, with no maintenance fees.
- Best for:
- Designers who want full control and are ready to learn CAD
- You get:
- NURBS, SubD and mesh models (.3dm); exports STL
- Price:
- US$995 one-time (commercial), US$195 for education; 90-day free evaluation
Stand-alone jewellery CAD
Jewellery CAD programs with their own modelling engine, so you don’t need a Rhino licence.
3Design
Type3 Software, Gravotech group
Jewellery CAD from Type3, developed since 1999 on its own 3D engine rather than on Rhino. It keeps a parametric history and adds 3Shaper for organic modelling in the same file. 3Design says it runs on Windows and macOS.
- Best for:
- Studios that want parametric jewellery CAD on Windows or Mac without Rhino
- You get:
- Parametric jewellery models, with 3Shaper for organic shapes
- Price:
- No public price; sold through resellers
JewelCAD Pro
Jewellery CAD/CAM Limited
A long-running jewellery-only CAD program. Its website lists version 2.2.3, released in 2019, as the newest release, with an evaluation download. Ask a reseller about current pricing and support before you buy.
- Best for:
- Workshops whose CAD staff already know JewelCAD
- You get:
- Jewellery CAD models, on Windows
- Price:
- Not listed on its website
Sculpting and free 3D software
Strong for organic, sculpted pieces and for rendering. They make meshes, not parametric CAD, so stone seats and exact sizes take more manual work.
ZBrush
Maxon
Digital sculpting software that works like virtual clay, on Windows, macOS and iPad. Maxon lists jewellery design as one of its uses. Many studios sculpt the organic part here and finish settings and gem seats in a CAD program.
- Best for:
- Organic pieces: figures, animals, florals and textures
- You get:
- Sculpted meshes; not parametric CAD
- Price:
- Subscription; 14-day free trial
Blender
Blender Foundation (open source)
Free, open-source 3D software for modelling, sculpting and rendering, on Windows, macOS and Linux. It has no built-in jewellery tools, so precise settings and gem seats need more manual work or add-ons.
- Best for:
- Learners, tight budgets, rendering and organic shapes
- You get:
- Polygon and subdivision meshes; not parametric CAD
- Price:
- Free and open source
AI from a photo or brief
A newer route: describe the piece or upload a reference photo, and the software builds the first model. Treat any AI-built file as a first draft for your CAD specialist to check.
Aurevia
Aurevia, Mumbai, India
A jewellery design studio in the browser and as a desktop app. It takes a brief or a reference photo through sketches, renders, a measured design sheet and a 3D model. Its own engine builds parametric CAD from the design. Access to Aurevia’s own CAD engine is limited while it is tested; studios get it by demo.
- Best for:
- Jewellery studios that want one place for design, client images and a path to CAD, priced in rupees
- You get:
- Sketches, renders, measured design sheets, 3D and AR views; parametric CAD (STL, STEP and Rhino .3dm) by demo
- Price:
- ₹1,999 to ₹39,999 a month + 18% GST, by team size
Jewellery CAD software compared
MatrixGold
- What you get
- Editable .3dm with parametric history
- Needs Rhino?
- Yes (included in the bundle)
- Price (public)
- US$5,995 one-time bundle
- Best for
- Custom-design stores
RhinoArtisan
- What you get
- Editable .3dm, AI assistant; Windows only
- Needs Rhino?
- Yes (included in Full Edition)
- Price (public)
- €3,000–€4,000 one-time
- Best for
- Rhino users on Windows
Rhino 8
- What you get
- NURBS, SubD and mesh (.3dm), STL
- Needs Rhino?
- It is Rhino
- Price (public)
- US$995 one-time
- Best for
- Full control, any product
3Design
- What you get
- Parametric jewellery models
- Needs Rhino?
- No
- Price (public)
- Not public
- Best for
- CAD on Windows or Mac without Rhino
JewelCAD Pro
- What you get
- Jewellery CAD models; Windows
- Needs Rhino?
- No
- Price (public)
- Not listed
- Best for
- JewelCAD-trained workshops
ZBrush
- What you get
- Sculpted mesh
- Needs Rhino?
- No
- Price (public)
- Subscription
- Best for
- Organic sculpture
Blender
- What you get
- Polygon and subdivision mesh
- Needs Rhino?
- No
- Price (public)
- Free
- Best for
- Learning, rendering
Aurevia
- What you get
- Parametric CAD from a photo or brief (STL, STEP, .3dm), by demo
- Needs Rhino?
- No (optional Rhino 8 plugin)
- Price (public)
- From ₹1,999 a month + GST
- Best for
- Studios that want design and CAD in one place
Prices are the makers’ public prices on the check date above, before tax. They change, so check the maker’s website before you buy.
Questions about jewellery CAD software
What is the best jewellery CAD software?
There is no single best. MatrixGold suits stores doing custom work that want a large parts library. RhinoArtisan suits Rhino users on Windows who want AI help inside their CAD. Rhino on its own gives full control at the lowest licence cost. ZBrush is for organic sculpture, and Blender is free. If you want to start from a client’s photo and get a first CAD model without modelling it yourself, ask for an Aurevia CAD demo.
Is there free jewellery CAD software?
Blender is free and open source, but it has no jewellery tools and makes meshes rather than parametric CAD. Rhino offers a 90-day evaluation, RhinoArtisan a 15-day trial and ZBrush a 14-day trial.
What is the difference between CAD and a 3D mesh?
CAD (NURBS or parametric) stores exact shapes and measurements that you can edit later, such as a ring size or a stone diameter. A mesh is a surface made of many small triangles, which is good for organic shapes but hard to resize exactly. STL files for 3D printing are meshes, so every CAD program exports one at the end.
Can AI make jewellery CAD that is ready for casting?
AI can now build a first parametric model, but every file should still be checked by a CAD specialist for stone seats, prong and wall thickness and ring size before printing and casting. Aurevia’s engine runs its own manufacturing checks, such as minimum metal thickness, and still expects a human review.
Do I need Rhino?
Only for Rhino-based tools such as MatrixGold and RhinoArtisan. 3Design, JewelCAD, ZBrush, Blender and Aurevia run without it. Aurevia also exports Rhino .3dm files and has an optional Rhino 8 plugin for studios that already use Rhino.
Can I pay for jewellery CAD software in rupees?
Most CAD makers list prices in US dollars or euros, and Indian resellers quote locally. Rhino, for example, lists authorised resellers in India. Aurevia is priced in rupees, with GST invoices.
Is jewellery CAD the same as jewelry CAD?
Yes. Jewellery is the spelling used in India and the UK; jewelry is the US spelling. Both mean computer-aided design for rings, earrings, pendants, necklaces and bracelets.
See a CAD model from your own photo.
Bring a reference photo from a real order. We’ll show you what Aurevia’s engine builds from it, and what your CAD specialist would still check. Access to Aurevia’s own CAD engine is limited while it is tested; studios get it by demo.