3Design CAD vs Pencil

3Design CAD is desktop CAD/CAM software for professional jewelry design, available on macOS and Windows. Its parametric construction tree lets users revise designs after creating them. Jewelry-specific tools include custom stone building, advanced pavé, and microsetting; the software also has sculpting and animation tools, parametric modeling, a built-in render engine, and 3D print export. The maker describes Version 13 as adding over 400 fixes and 50 new features across stone setting, curves, interface, and performance. Version 13's rendering engine includes reflections, ambient occlusion, bloom effects, and refined materials. Installers are available for both operating systems, with separate downloads for the software, model libraries, and Swarovski stone libraries. Files can be shared between Mac and Windows, and the maker lists compatibility with 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse. A 30-day Version 13 trial includes access to experts for questions and guidance. Recommended specifications are 16 GB RAM and a dedicated graphics card for Windows, or Apple Silicon with 16 GB RAM for Mac. Pricing and license details are available from a sales representative.

Pencil is a browser-based AI design and commerce platform for jewelry, connecting product design, manufacturing files, and online shopping experiences. Design tools include editable templates, stone settings, custom 2D and 3D uploads, AI-generated 3D elements, and advanced parameters. Designs can be downloaded as production-ready 3D STL files. The Professional plan includes an e-commerce and product photo generator, and the Design page says users can create studio-quality product photos. Pencil Shop adds ring and pendant website builders, lead capture, quoting, live pricing, and add-to-cart tools; configurators can be deployed on platforms such as Shopify and Wix through an app integration. Enterprise includes headless API access for making existing products configurable, along with custom tools, parametric templates, wholesale markup tools, and a custom-trained AI design agent. The free plan has 0 AI credits and a three-design limit. Professional costs $39 a month, Pencil Shop costs $199 a month, and Pencil Shop Pro costs $499 a month. Enterprise pricing is custom.