Jewelry Designers Are Putting Their Sketches to Work

Eva Zuckerman, 40, co-founder and creative director of the jewelry line Eva Fehren, has been using an iPad and stylus in the last couple of years as “I was able to be much more productive, and I think the feeling of it is so similar at this point to using a pencil that I felt comfortable doing it,” she said.

Now, she says, “I design on airplanes, I design in my room, I design at work. It allows me to be more mobile and versatile.”

Ms. Zuckerman, who is planning to turn some of her geometric sketches into wallpaper, said the versatility of a digital tool has been important “as I’ve got busier and become a mom, sometimes I have to squeeze these precious design moments in.”

And while Mr. Moazen at Chaumet usually draws with a Bic ballpoint pen on paper because “you can make mistakes and you can see them,” he worked directly on a computer for the house’s recent additions to the Bee My Love collection released this past summer, which included a rose gold cuff with 60 brilliant-cut diamonds ($93,650).

“Doing a hexagonal by hand and drawing six surfaces equal and then at right angles and everything, I can do it,” he said, but “it’s just not the most efficient way.”

Even though technology is advancing, many jewelers agree that traditional drawing won’t be erased.

Artificial intelligence, Mr. Mouzannar said, could make the sketching process faster, as “you can see the flaws easier” and modify the results. But, “if you don’t intervene with your hand and your DNA,” the results will too perfect and “without soul,” he said.