GIFTING someone with a piece of personalised jewellery that has been engraved is a significant and beautiful gesture. If you look hard enough, you can find a piece of jewellery that completely resonates with its recipient. Often, the hard part is diving in and making sure you get the right thing. So, this guide hopes to look at some of the basic things to consider when buying a piece of engraved jewellery. Remember, though, that jewellery is inherently subjective, so go with your instincts and you will find the right piece for you or your loved one.
There are three main schools of jewellery engraving, all of which are outlined below. All of these methods can be used to engrave all sorts of jewellery, from rings to necklaces and everything in between.
Computerised Rotary Engraving uses a rotary machine to make deep, refined cuts into the material. This allows you to actually feel the engraved pattern, and works well in all sorts of materials. From acrylic to gold, computerised rotary engraving always looks well done.
Computerised Laser Engraving is a very intricate, non-contact marking way to engrave jewellery. It leaves a clean, crisp permanent mark on a huge range of materials.
Hand-Stamped Engraving is the traditional method of engraving, and utilises a stamping letter kit to stamp letter into metals. Using special hammers and the kits, jewellery can be engraved in such a way that it looks natural and beautiful.
Engraving Formats
Engraving formats fall into one of three main categories: monogrammes, initials and inscriptions. This part of the engraving process really depends on what message you want to convey, as well as how you want it to look.
Monogrammes are a type of motif created by overlapping initials – usually three – to form one symbolic image. Usually, monogrammes are formed from the initials of the first, middle and surname of the intended wearer. Last name initials tend to be central and slightly larger than other initials. Depending on the style, letters may overlap or even be interwoven.
Initials are similar to monogrammes, with the exception of letter size. Initials will almost always keep the same size initials and separate them using periods.
Inscriptions are the most versatile type of format available. Here, words of text are engraved onto the jewellery. They can be engraved vertically or horizontally to accommodate for multiple lines of text.
There are many things to consider before getting a tailored piece of jewellery with engraving. This post has only scratched the surface, but it is a great starting point before you make any final decisions.