Engraving is an enduring love note, a way to mark keepsakes with stories of people, places and moments of connection. At AuTerra we offer two distinct engraving options, the traditional craftsmanship of hand engraving and the modern precision of laser engraving. Each one suited to creating a specific style and feeling.
Tinsley James Jewellery
HAND ENGRAVING
Hand engraving’s allure lies in the intricacies of the artisan's hand movements. The lines, curves, and textures are fluid and unique, resulting in a design that feels organic and timeless.
Hand engraving exhibits subtle variations in depth and pressure, akin to brushstrokes on a canvas, they add character and warmth to the piece.
The highly skilled hand engraver uses a wickedly sharp tool to remove slivers off the metal’s surface. The resultant marks have a high shine and curved sides creating a striking design.
LASER ENGRAVING
Prism Laser
Laser engraving boasts crisp lines, clean edges, and precise detailing. The laser beam's accuracy results in flawless execution of intricate designs and complex patterns.
A carefully calibrated laser and a keen eye for detail are needed to create jewellery-quality laser engraving. The laser “blasts” away metal in the selected design. This engraving can be left blackened by the laser soot or cleaned to reveal the metal colour underneath, either way the lasered areas will have a matte texture that stands in contrast to the rest of the piece.
SOME FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Font Choice: Hand engraving is often better suited to more ornate fonts. Laser engraving can be done in either sans serif or curlier fonts. Our font choices below may help guide you in your choice.
Image/symbol style: Whilst laser engraving can engrave incredibly thin lines, these often get visually lost at jewellery scale. Both laser and hand engraving yield the best results when the design has been somewhat simplified to create a striking form. That being said laser is better suited to more complex designs as the hand engraver’s line thickness is much bolder than what the laser can achieve. Similarly, if your design has large flat areas of removed metal, laser engraving is likely to give these areas a better surface finish.
Budget: both types of engraving require a unique set of skills honed over many years but in general, laser engraving is less time consuming than hand engraving and therefore is often the more budget friendly of the two options.
Position of engraving: Except in very specific instances, we would always recommend selecting laser engraving for the inside of a ring. Hand engraving is better suited to a heavily curved surface and to going around edges of pieces.
Depth of engraving: Both techniques can achieve a visually striking and long-lasting depth. Consider whether your design has more background or detail removed and where depth is the most important in the overall design. If it is the former, laser engraving may be the best fit whereas the latter could be better suited to hand engraving.
There really is no “incorrect choice”, each design has its own considerations and we will happily guide you through the decision making process. Whether you choose to embrace the intimate touch of a master engraver's hand or the sleek precision of lasers, both methods personalise your piece to tell a unique and visually captivating story.
