Engraving (guide)
The engraving of pieces of jewellery transforms them into unique and personal highlights. Whether for a special occasion or simply as an expression of your individuality, engraved jewellery tells stories and creates memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you are looking for a gift for a wedding, birthday, christening or anniversary, engraved jewellery is always a wonderful choice. It shows that you have put some thought into the gift and that the recipient holds a special place in your heart. Below you will find plenty of inspiration and ideas for the endless possibilities of jewellery engraving.
Types of engraving
Personalised jewellery is our passion. With a huge selection of engravable items, we offer numerous possibilities for turning jewellery into unique pieces with individual engravings. Our in-house engraving department uses the latest technologies to achieve precise and high-quality results. This enables us to fulfil even complex engraving requests while ensuring short delivery times. We use two types of engraving: laser and diamond engraving. But what is the difference between these techniques?
Diamond engraving
Diamond engraving is an exceptional method for giving jewellery a unique character. Using a CNC machine, a diamond is used to transfer a variety of motifs, patterns, images, inscriptions or specific data onto the piece of jewellery. Unlike traditional engraving techniques, which remove material through a machining process, the hard tip of the diamond penetrates the jewellery material, leaving the desired motif. This means that the material of the jewellery – usually high-quality precious metals – is not removed, but compressed. A major advantage of diamond engraving is the use of modern CNC technology, which enables precise and uncomplicated implementation. Every engraving gives the jewellery a unique character and creates a distinctive and irreplaceable heirloom for the owner. Particularly in wedding rings, personal engraving symbolises the deep bond between partners. On other pieces of jewellery, customisation through inscriptions, patterns and dates adds a special charm and increases the value of the piece.
Laser engraving
Laser engraving, also known as laser marking, is frequently used in jewellery production. In this process, jewellery is marked with individual inscriptions using a precisely focused laser beam. A characteristic feature of any engraving is that material is removed in order to clearly emphasize the lettering through the resulting contrast. However, laser engraving does this in a special way: the material is removed, but the laser's vaporisation process does not create any chips or residue. Laser engraving is characterised by its practicality and speed and can be used on a variety of surfaces, including jewellery with glass components. The engraving process is carried out using vector-controlled and raster-oriented pulsed lasers, which are precisely directed by mirror scanners. The engraving gives each piece of jewellery a unique character. It not only combines the high material value with a personal touch, but also records important messages or information. Popular motifs for laser engraving often include initials, important dates or names. The result is an individual piece of jewellery that tells a personal story and is of particular value to its owner.
Engraving names
The most traditional and personal form of engraving is the name engraving. Often the name of an important person is engraved to express a deep connection. If there is not enough space on your favourite piece of jewellery for the full name, you can alternatively have the initials engraved. Another creative option is to create the name as an anagram. This is a word or phrase that is created by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase. The number of letters remains the same, and no letters are added or removed. Example: For the name Alina, possible anagrams would be: Liana or Ailan. If the jewellery is for your partner, you could also use the nickname you have given that special person.
Tip: You can also add symbols next to the name to personalise your engraving. Why not add a heart next to the name of your loved one? On a smartphone, you can add a symbol from the emoji keyboard. If you're using a computer, search for the emoji you want using a search engine such as Google and copy and paste it into the engraving box on the product page in our online store.
Engraving dates
Dates are another classic engraving idea. A date can be engraved in a wide variety of formats. The two most common are:
- Numeric: 23.07.2024 (American: 07-23-2024 or 07/23/2024)
- Textual: 23 July 2024
The most common date to engrave on jewellery is a wedding or anniversary. But the date you met, the date of your first kiss or any other symbolic date can also be immortalised on your jewellery by means of an engraving. And for parents, the birth of their child/children should not be forgotten in this list.
Tip: The date looks particularly beautiful in Roman numerals.
Here is a table for converting Arabic numerals to Roman numerals:
| Arabic numeral | Roman numeral |
|---|---|
| 1 | I |
| 2 | II |
| 3 | III |
| 4 | IV |
| 5 | V |
| 6 | VI |
| 7 | VII |
| 8 | VIII |
| 9 | IX |
| 10 | X |
| 11 | XI |
| 12 | XII |
| 13 | XIII |
| 14 | XIV |
| 15 | XV |
| 16 | XVI |
| 17 | XVII |
| 18 | XVIII |
| 19 | XIX |
| 20 | XX |
| 50 | L |
| 100 | C |
| 500 | D |
| 1000 | M |
For example: 04.01.2025 = IV.I.MMXXV
Angel numbers
Angel numbers are recurring sequences of numbers that usually appear in different situations. In spiritual circles, they are considered a means of communication from angels and are said to help people make important decisions or support them on their life's journey.
There are various methods for calculating your personal angel number. One common method is to calculate it based on your date of birth. To do this, the cross total is determined:
- Date of birth: Add up all the digits of your date of birth. For example, if you were born on 15 March 1990, you calculate 1+5+0+3+1+9+9+0=28. Then add the digits of 28: 2+8=10 and finally 1+0=1. Your personal angel number would therefore be 1.
- Name number: Another method is to calculate the number of your name by assigning a number to each letter of your name (A=1, B=2, C=3, etc.). These numbers are then added up and also reduced to a single-digit number.
Common angel numbers:
| Angel number | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 111 | Manifestation |
| 222 | Trust |
| 333 | Assistance |
| 444 | Protection |
| 555 | Change |
| 666 | Reflection |
| 777 | Luck |
| 888 | Balance |
| 999 | Letting go |
Engraving a time
Significant moments can be a time of day instead of a date. Here are some ideas and approaches for you. How about a combination of the date and time of a special moment, such as the birth of a child? Other life events can also be associated with a time, the moment of the first kiss or the beginning of the first date.
Coordinates
Coordinates are numbers used to determine the position of a point in space. They have become a real trend in the world of jewellery engraving. With coordinates, you have the opportunity to capture special places on a piece of jewellery, thus immortalising unforgettable memories.
Popular coordinates:
- The place you first met
- Location of the marriage proposal
- Birthplaces
- Travel destinations
- Wedding venue
- Hometown
Morse code
A Morse code makes it possible to engrave a message in encrypted form that is not immediately understandable to outsiders. The Morse alphabet consists of dots and dashes that represent letters and words through their combination and order. Since the number of possible characters on many pieces of jewellery is limited, it is advisable to choose very short messages.
Examples in Morse code:
- Love: .-.. --- ...- . (15 characters)
- You+Me: -.-- --- ..- .-.-. -- . (23 characters)
- Heart: .... . .- .-. - (15 characters)
- We: .-- . (5 characters)
- Mum: -- ..- -- (9 characters)
- Dad: -.. .- -.. (10 characters)
Sayings and quotes
There are countless phrases and quotes that are perfect for an engraving or message.
Romantic quotes:
- Eternal love
- Forever
- Two hearts, one beat
- You + Me
- Always
- #truelove
- Bonnie & Clyde
- One heart, one soul
Inspirational quotes:
- Dream Big
- Be yourself
- Love ∙ Faith ∙ Hope
- Believe in unicorns
- Forever starts now
- Wild at heart
Personal messages:
- Favourite person
- My heart belongs to you
- Dream team
- Ohana means family
- Inseparable
Latin phrases:
- "Amor vincit omnia" - Love always wins
- "In perpetuum" - Forever loving
- "Carpe diem" - Seize the day
- "In vino veritas" - The truth is in the wine
Hidden engravings
Discover the magic of hidden engravings – an intimate secret between you and your jewellery. This special form of personalisation allows you to immortalise a deeply personal message that is only for your eyes. By discreetly placing the engraving on the back of the piece of jewellery, your private message remains hidden from prying eyes. This way, you always carry your very own secret with you – a silent reminder of a special moment or an important person in your life.
Engraving symbols
Symbols are ubiquitous in today's world and are used by almost everyone every day in messages to others. Symbols can also be used to personalise jewellery engraving. You can choose between a single symbol or a sequence of different symbols.
Please note: When engraving symbols, the engraving will differ slightly from the display on your device. But the emotions remain the same.
Popular symbols:
- Hearts: stand for love and affection or the celebration of friendships
- Infinity symbol: as a sign of eternity
- Zodiac signs: reflect the wearer’s personality
- Animals: symbolise certain characteristics or simply because they are cute
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