A Guide to Jewelry With Custom Engraving
Want to give a loved one a personalized piece of jewelry? Jewelry is one of the most timeless gifts you can give and receive. For some, it’s the sparkle, the prestigious materials, or the craftsmanship. With engraving, you can take it to a new level of class and soul. Engraving began as early as 3000 BC when Sumerians carved on gemstones. We’ve come a long way from scratching and carving. Want to learn more about jewelry with custom engraving?
Learn about the intricacies of engraving, how it works, and why you should give it a shot.
Types of Engraving
Depending on the material or design you’re looking for, you may need a specific type of engraving. Here are some of the different types of jewelry engravings.
1. Etching
Etching is the odd one out of these personalization processes. The primary difference is that laser and rotary engraving are physical processes. Etching, on the other hand, uses chemical treatments to create designs.
Etching produces crevices and lines through selective corrosion. Some areas receive protection from the corrosive, allowing them to preserve their form. Acid is usually the solvent of choice, so selected areas get cloaked in acid-proof paint.
The jewelry piece then goes into an acid bath to begin the corrosion process. It’s like painting with negative space. The parts that stay protected stay raised while the parts that corrode form the deeper lines.
2. Rotary Engraving
Rotary engraving is the idea of traditional engraving. From its namesake, rotary engraving involves a rotating cutting tool. The cutting tool sits in a motorized spindle that spins through the material to make grooves.
The cutting tip mars the surface, creating lines and bumps we can see as an image. Rotary engraving uses physical force to create designs. Thus, this method isn’t ideal for brittle materials like glass.
Plastic also tends to melt from the heat of the spindle bit. It works well for watches, brass, steel, and aluminum.
3. Laser Engraving
Laser engraving is the latest technology. This method uses a coherent beam of light and amplifies it until it has enough power to cut, mark, or burn.
When the light beam emitted by the laser hits a material, it generates immense amounts of heat. This heat is enough to disintegrate the material in seconds, leaving cavities.
Software controls the sizes and depth of these cavities. To the naked eye, these cavities form a cohesive image.
Laser engraving works on a wider array of materials than rotary. This is because only light comes into contact with the material, so you don’t have to worry about pressure damaging the material. This type of engraving is excellent for:
- Metal
- Diamonds
- Gemstones
- Semi-precious stones
- Glass
- Plastic
- Beads
Laser is superior to other methods because of its ability to penetrate heavy-duty materials. It can also handle delicate and brittle materials like plastic or glass without breakage and melting.
Jewelry with custom engraving is best achieved with laser engraving. Laser engraving is versatile and goes beyond engraving on metal and jewelry. It is applicable for wood, acrylic, stone, and also leather.
Benefits of Jewelry With Custom Engraving
Jewelry might all be the same to you, but when you gift jewelry, it’s usually not for yourself. Here’s why custom engraving is worth it.
1. More Sentimental
Are you proposing to the woman of your dreams? You should take the time and care to choose the best style and stone. Up the ante with custom engraving to seal the deal.
Personalized jewelry has the added thoughtful touch you can make unique. That ring will sit on the finger of the love of your life. That ring represents not only your love for each other but also the journey you took to reach the point of marriage.
Choosing the right stones that best fit your beloved is one part. Having the ring engraved is a sure-fire way to capture the uniqueness of your story.
Timepieces are excellent family heirlooms and grow with meaning as generations pass.
Engraving meaningful words, names, or dates on a timepiece can add to its sentimental value. Whoever wears it on their wrist feels the thought and value of it beyond the extravagant price tag.
You may have a particular date you want to commemorate, an inside joke, or a nickname known only to you. Use engraving to:
- Express thoughtfulness
- Tell a story
- Mark a date or occasion
- Cement a memory
- Be unique
By adding an engraving onto the piece of jewelry, you inject a bit of soul. You strip a little bit off of its corporate charm and replace it with your own irreplaceable one.
2. More Notable
Custom jewelry isn’t only for aesthetics. Engravings leave a mark both in a figurative and literal sense. This means that if it were ever lost, you have something tying it to you.
As much as you strive for uniqueness and singularity, there will always be similar-looking pieces. Whether it’s a watch or a ring, it can be tricky to distinguish it from other pieces.
Engraving isn’t a solution to missing or stolen jewelry, but it adds an extra layer of protection. With prized possession,s protection is very welcome.
3. Creative
One of the most famous ring engravings includes the One Ring from Lord of the Rings. While you don’t have to seek power to engrave a ring, you can borrow ideas for your custom jewelry. Use engravings to express love and appreciation for your mom or dad.
If you have multiple pieces that fit together, distribute words that make sense when you’re together.
If you’re not a wordsmith, you can always engrave initials in classy fonts. There’s nothing like the mystery and intrigue like initials on a ring. It sounds like the premise of a historical romance movie.
Soundwave wedding rings are popular commemoration pieces for couples. With the advent of scanners, you can hear your lover say “I do,” or your mom saying, “I love you.” For those missing their loved ones, soundwave jewelry is a very meaningful keepsake.
For images, your limit is the space and how detailed the engraving will be. Who knew you could capture photos of your favorite memories in metals and gems?
4. Affordable
Jewelry is an investment. However, sometimes you want a piece to embody yourself more closely. There are several ways you can have your jewelry personalized. Some methods include:
- Changing the metal band of rings
- Changing the main gem
- Adding accent stones
- Getting the stone cut in a unique shape
However, these options are often costly and have limits on the jewelry structure. Engraving is simple and accessible, making it more affordable without compromising elegance.
5. Safe
Customizing jewelry can get risky. Chances are you paid a hefty price for your custom jewelry piece.
Engraving, particularly laser engraving, is a no-contact process. It doesn’t need materials or chemical treatments that risk corroding the jewelry.
Rotary engraving has contact and limits on materials but still achieves the tailored design on solid material. Laser engraving allows your jewelry and timepieces to retain their form.
Additionally, since laser engraving is a contactless procedure, the laser stays “sharp.” You have the assurance that the equipment doesn’t wear out over time. You get the same sharp details on the first engraving as you do in the hundredth!
Laser engraving preserves the quality of the print, as well as the quality of your jewelry piece. Engraving is one of the best ways to customize your jewelry to your tastes without damaging it.
6. Elegant
Changing some aspects of your jewelry piece is a commitment. Trends come and go, so if you’re customizing a prized possession, go with something that withstands the test of time.
Engraving allows you to personalize your jewelry. Head to any of our four locations to avail of elegant custom jewelry.
7. Precise
Since rotary and laser engraving use software, they can produce an identical copy of your desired image. Granted, the bit of the rotary determines the thinnest lines of your piece. Laser engraving doesn’t have that restriction and reproduces the image.
Note that engraving can sometimes be like a line art tattoo. If you have intricate images, it is best to consult your engraver about how they can convert them into lines. You want to preserve the essence of the image when you translate it to engraving.
8. Quick and Convenient
Where Sumerians etching on lapis lazuli might have taken hours, modern engraving now takes seconds to minutes.
Rotary engraving spins at extreme speeds to cut the material into shape. Meanwhile, laser beams take seconds to vaporize the image into place.
9. Environmentally Responsible
Engraving with lasers generates minimum waste during the operation. Compared to other forms of embellishment and engraving, lasers don’t have to use chips or lubrication.
Rotary engraving needs lubrication and eventual bit replacement. Meanwhile, etching involves chemical waste. Laser engraving adorns your jewelry without ink, debris, or contact material.
Commemorate and Personalize Your Jewelry with Elegance
Tailoring your jewelry for you or your loved one is one of the delights of life. Engraving works by creating crevices and lines on the surface of the material to create an image. Use this tasteful method to add character and soul to your pieces for you to enjoy.
Thank you for reading our article! Contact us today to have your very own jewelry with custom engraving.
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