Learn jewellery CAD one-to-one, in the Jewellery Quarter or online
One-to-one Rhino tuition for jewellery designers and bench jewellers, taught at Victoria Mansions in the Jewellery Quarter or by video call anywhere. Every 5- and 10-session pack includes a signed copy of The CAD/CAM Jeweller. Start with a free 30-minute discovery call.
Hamed Arab Academy, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
Listed on rhino3d.com
Rhino 8 recertified trainer, McNeel Europe, September 2024
Who it is for
Choose your outcome
Same price in person at Victoria Mansions or online by video call. Every pack starts with a free 30-minute discovery call, so the sessions are shaped around what you are trying to make.
Fix one problem
One focused session on the exact thing stopping you.
- ·A fixed file for the specific geometry or workflow problem you brought
- ·A working technique you can reuse on your own designs
- ·Clear notes on what to try next
Best for: Designers who already use Rhino and are stuck on one thing.
1 session, 1 or 2 hours
Your first ring, print-ready
Build a real ring in Rhino, from a curve on screen to a file ready to print.
- ·A print-ready Rhino file for your own ring design
- ·A working sketch-to-CAD method you can repeat
- ·A signed copy of The CAD/CAM Jeweller
- ·A working foundation in curves, surfacing and construction to build on
Best for: Designers who have stalled on Rhino, and bench jewellers adding CAD to their bench work.
5 sessions, 10 hours
Sketch to caster
The full route from a blank Rhino file to a caster-ready pack, across a real range of pieces.
- ·Print-ready and caster-ready files across a mix of pieces (rings, a pendant, earrings)
- ·A tested print-to-cast workflow, including your own 3D-printed proofs
- ·A signed copy of The CAD/CAM Jeweller
- ·A certificate of completion from an Official Rhino Training Centre
Best for: Complete beginners who want full working proficiency, start to finish.
10 sessions, 20 hours
All prices are per student. Sessions are 1:1 only. Packs are valid for 12 months from purchase.
Prefer to learn by making?
The Prompt to Piece membership opens in December: one piece per project, from concept to finished jewellery.
How a session runs
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. Tell us what you are trying to make.
Agree the piece you will build. Real jewellery, not an exercise.
Work through the session live, one to one, at Victoria Mansions or by video call.
Between sessions, a piece of homework: a variation on what you built, never a repeat.
Take your files away after every session. They are yours.
Should every claw be built in CAD?
Before you book, watch Hamed put a cast pavé piece under his own bench microscope and ask the question every CAD student eventually reaches: should every claw be built in Rhino, or is some of it better left to the setter's hands? The full answer is in a companion post, Claws in CAD, or left to the setter?.
“Should we really create all of the claws and holes in CAD, or should we leave it to the stone setter?”
“I wanted to set everything almost done in CAD, and then it has been cast. But under the microscope you can see that it doesn't look that clean.”
“As we know it takes a long time and costs more, which affects the price. But the big question is: does it really add value to the consumer?”
What we cover
Rhino interface and modelling fundamentals
Viewport, navigation, basic curves, reference images. The right setup so the rest of the work goes quickly.
Surfaces from curves
Sweep, revolve, loft, extrude. From a flat sketch to a band, a signet, an organic shank.
Boolean operations and settings
Union, difference, intersection. Bezels, claws, full bezels, half-bezels. The setting toolkit.
Gemstone libraries and pavé
Standard stone sizes, placing and arraying stones, pavé layouts, eternity bands.
Pendants, earrings, and complex objects
Multiple objects, layers and organisation. Hinged elements. Mirror and array workflows.
3D printer choice, resin, and file prep
Which printer, which resin, for which job. Wall thickness checks, STL export, orientation and supports.
Casting handoff
What casters need, in what format. Spruing decisions. Working with UK casters and pricing realistically.
Your own workflow
The final sessions are spent running your own pieces end to end. You leave with a tested workflow, plus product renders ready for your shop and your socials.
Before you book
Who is this course for?
Jewellery designers who sketch by hand and want to add CAD. Goldsmiths who want to prototype faster with resin printing. Jewellery students and graduates. Brand owners moving to made-to-order. Anyone who has stalled on Rhino and needs focused, one-to-one help.
Do I need Rhino before we start?
No. Install, licensing and the interface are taught live in your first session, before you draw a single curve. There is no pre-work to complete beforehand.
What computer or laptop do I need?
A Windows or Mac machine able to run Rhino 8. If you are not sure yours qualifies, mention it on your discovery call and we will check together.
In person or online, which is better?
Both cost the same and both work. In person, you are at Victoria Mansions in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham. Online, you join by video call from wherever you are. Choose whichever suits your week.
How many sessions do I need to reach a print-ready file?
As a rough guide: a complete beginner reaches a full print-ready and caster-ready workflow over a 10-session pack. Someone who already knows Rhino but is stuck on one area usually needs a 5-session pack. A single, specific problem fits into one 1-hour or 2-hour session.
Do I get a certificate?
Only the 10-session pack includes a certificate of completion from an Official Rhino Training Centre. Single sessions and the 5-session pack do not carry a certificate.
Is the book included?
Yes, on the 5-session and 10-session packs. You receive a signed copy of The CAD/CAM Jeweller. Single sessions do not include the book.
What happens after the discovery call?
You agree which pack fits your starting point, book your sessions, and choose in person or online. Then your first session begins with your first real piece.
Readers of The CAD/CAM Jeweller get the recorded beginners course free at /cadcamcourse.
Try a free resource first
The 31 dimensions, clearances and tolerances that decide whether a piece casts and sets, from The CAD/CAM Jeweller.
A one-checklist reference pulled from the published book: every clearance, wall thickness and tolerance a jeweller needs to check before a file goes to print or to a caster.
- ·Ring modelling minimums: sizing area, bridge, shoulders and outer walls
- ·Claw and bezel rules by metal, including the 1.20 mm platinum claw ceiling
- ·Culet clearance and flush-setting rules for secure stone setting
- ·Mould shrinkage and sprue diameter starting points for casting
- ·Print rules: support angle threshold and bridging span without support
Ask a question first
Send the question straight to Hamed. Usually within 24 hours.
Ready to build your first piece in Rhino?
Start with a free 30-minute discovery call, in Birmingham or online. Tell us what you are trying to make, and we will suggest the right pack.
Start with a free 30-min discovery call
We will talk through your goals and the work you want to do, then I will recommend the right course for you. No obligation.
Book a free 30-min discovery callPrefer email? hamed@hamedarab.academy