How to write a jewellery design brief for a CAD designer (with template)

By Ronak Rawal · 1 October 2026 · 2 min read

The quality of a CAD model starts with the brief. A short, clear brief means fewer questions, fewer revisions and a lower price. A vague one can mean several rounds of changes before the designer understands what you want.

What to include

1. Pictures. A sketch, a photo of a similar piece or a few references. Mark what you like and what you want different.
2. Type of piece. Ring, earrings, pendant, bracelet or necklace, and whether it is one piece or a set.
3. Metal and colour. Gold in white, rose or yellow, platinum or silver, with the purity such as 14k or 18k.
4. Stones. Shape, size in mm or carat weight, number of stones, and the setting type, such as prong, bezel or pavé.
5. Size. Ring size or length, and the width of the band or chain.
6. Special details. Hidden halo, milgrain, engraving, a particular finish or anything unusual.
7. What you need delivered. A casting-ready file (.3dm or .stl), renders, a 360° view, a video or on-body images.
8. Quantity and timing. One sample or a production run, and the date you need it.

Copy-and-paste template

Piece: (ring / earrings / pendant / bracelet / necklace)
Reference: (attach sketch or photos, and say what to keep or change)
Metal: (e.g. 18k white gold)
Main stone: (shape, mm or carat, number)
Side stones: (shape, mm, count, setting style)
Size: (ring size, length or width)
Special details: (e.g. hidden halo, milgrain)
Need: (CAD file / renders / 360 view / video)
Quantity and deadline: (e.g. 1 sample by 15 November)

Common mistakes

• Changing the design late. Switching the stone shape after the model is built means rebuilding it.
• Leaving out stone sizes. The seats and prongs depend on them.
• Sending only a screenshot. Add measurements, because a picture does not show true size.
• Forgetting the end use. A model for casting needs different checks from one made only for a catalogue image. See the casting-ready checklist.

No brief yet?

That is fine. Send the idea as it is, and we will ask the right questions. You can also see what the job will cost on our pricing section, or read how jewellery CAD pricing works.