The CAD round is the part of a bespoke commission people misunderstand most. They picture a single model, a quick approval, done. In practice the CAD phase is a short conversation in 3D, and the couples who use it well get the ring they pictured; the couples who rush it get a near-miss they live with. Understanding how revision rounds work—what they cost, how long they take, and what belongs in them—is the difference between a smooth design and a stressful one.
What a revision round actually is
When you receive the first CAD, it is not a final object. It is a starting geometry rendered on screen. A revision round is the studio adjusting that geometry—thinning the band, raising the head, changing the prong shape—and sending back a new render. Most studios include two rounds inside the design fee and charge $75–$150 for further ones. Each round takes three to seven days. The point of the round is to make changes while the ring is still a digital file, because a change after casting costs ten times as much.
What to change in each round
Batch your feedback. Sending one tweak today and another tomorrow means two rounds instead of one. When the render arrives, live with it for a day and note everything on one list.
- Proportion: is the head the right size for the band?
- Profile: how high does the stone sit, and will it catch?
- Details: prong shape, band width, underside comfort fit.
- Wedding band: if a band must sit flush, check the underside now.
Do not request changes to the render's lighting or the stone's brightness—those are rendering effects, not geometry. Judge structure, not sparkle.
| Stage | Turnaround | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| First CAD render | 7–14 days | In design fee |
| Revision 1–2 | 3–7 days each | In design fee |
| Additional revisions | 3–7 days each | $75–$150 |
| Resin try-on | 3–5 days | Often $50–$100 |
When a change is worth paying for
Not every tweak is worth a paid round. If the issue is sizing, the resin try-on handles it. If the issue is a color preference, that is not a CAD change at all. Save the paid revisions for geometry you genuinely dislike—a head that feels too tall, a gallery that looks busy. And if you are the kind of person who changes their mind repeatedly, say so up front; some studios offer an unlimited-revision package at a flat fee that pays for itself.
Remote review versus in-person
If the studio is local, come in for the CAD review rather than judging it from an email. A rotating video on a phone flattens proportions, and a ring that looks balanced on screen can look heavy in your hand. If you are working remotely, ask for the render at true scale alongside a ruler, and for a photo of the model on a hand of similar size. The resin try-on matters even more in a remote commission, because you lose the in-person feel. Budget an extra week for the prototype to ship to you and back. The revision rounds themselves work fine at a distance; it is the physical feel that needs the try-on to replace.
When to say good enough
There is a point where more revisions stop improving the ring and start delaying it. A model that is 95% right on the screen will feel right on the finger, and the resin try-on is where the last 5% gets settled. Clients who over-iterate the CAD—moving a prong a fraction, then back again—often spend three paid rounds chasing a difference nobody can see. Trust your first instinct on the geometry: if the first or second render felt close, approve it and let the resin prototype show you the rest. The bench is good at finishing what the CAD started. The screen is not where perfection lives.
If you want a checklist for your first CAD review, our custom process guides walk through it. The revision rounds are the cheapest negotiating table you will ever have for a ring. Sit at it long enough to be sure, then let the metal be poured once. A little extra time on the screen saves a lot of regret on the finger. The CAD phase is short, cheap, and fully reversible; casting is the point of no return. Spend the round while the file still moves easily, and you will not wish you had. Most paid revisions are spent fixing things a ten-minute look at the first render would have caught, so slow down on round one. A patient first review is the cheapest revision strategy there is, and it costs nothing but an extra evening with the render. The bench does its best work when the design is already settled on the screen.
