After Sara married Rick she loved to show
off her left hand. Her platinum wedding band and diamond engagement
ring sparkled magnificently and she waved her hand around proudly.
Her rings were a very public symbol of her marriage and commitment
to Rick. They boldly told everyone that Sara was a married woman.
But inside her wedding band was a very private message, one
that only Sara and Rick knew about. Her wedding band was beautifully
engraved in tiny but attractive block letters: "Dodi Li" the
message read, in Hebrew, "My beloved is mine."
The inside of Rick's gold wedding band completed the age-old
Hebrew quotation: "V' Ani La"; "And I am hers." Sara explains
that the quotation serves as a secret reminder of their love.
The engraving makes their rings feel more personal. Because
of the message, she and Rick cherish their rings even more.
Engraving a wedding ring can make an already special piece of
jewelry all the more special. Engraving provides a unique, and
oftentimes beautiful, way to commemorate your wedding day and
celebrate your marriage by having carefully chosen words, letters
or symbols carved indelibly into your ring. The special engraved
message from you to your spouse will be with him or her whenever
the ring is on his or her finger -- which hopefully is most
of the time.
So, let's get to the point -- of the process of engraving your
wedding ring.
I Do: The first step in engraving is deciding to do it. Most
jewelers agree that couples have to be reminded about the engraving
option. "Many couples say, 'Wow, we never thought of doing it,'
" says Ned Kamichek, head designer at Bridal Rings, a jewelry
store in Los Angeles. But once they hear about engraving, many
think it's a great idea. At the famed jewelers Tiffany & Co.,
brides and grooms are routinely given the option to engrave,
says a spokesman. Most accept, he says. Many jewelry chains,
such as Zales, also offer engraving. Some jewelers handle engraving
on the premises, others send the rings out to be engraved. If
you want to have your rings engraved and you aren't given the
option, find out if your jeweler can handle the job. If not,
you will have to find an engraver on your own.
One if by Hand, Two if By Machine: There are two ways to get
your special message carved forever into your ring: by hand
or by machine. Hand engraving is an art that has been done for
centuries; the results can be highly personal and aesthetically
pleasing. Hand engravers use a tool called a graver. "It's an
ancient tool," says Alex Pugachevsky of Alex Engraving in New
York City. "It's a steel knife with a wooden handle." Pugachevsky
says that engraving rings is challenging because rings are small
and the engraved work, too, is minute: "The biggest problem
in doing rings is that it's difficult to see." But with his
38 years of experience, he says he's up to the challenge. Before
choosing an engraver, Pugachevsky advises couples to inquire
about the engraver's level of experience.
Pugachevsky prefers the hand engraving process to the machine
process for rings in particular. "Hand engraving will last longer.
I can go a lot deeper," he explains. If the engraving is deeper,
especially in a wedding ring that is exposed to heat and friction
from the finger, the message will last longer. Over time, a
machine engraving will most likely fade. Another plug for hand
engraving: "It makes each piece individual and unique -- it's
artistry," he says. Hand engraving is costlier than the machine
variety. It begins at about three dollars per letter. Machine
engraving is about a dollar a letter.
But machine engravers say that a special engraving machine can
do a wonderful job on wedding rings. In fact, the head engraver
at the Engraving Center in Los Angeles, who does both hand and
machine work, says that he thinks machine engraving works best
for wedding rings: "There is more precision with the machine."
The machine used at Ferdman Engraving in Los Angeles is a typical
one: a pantograph with an industrial diamond tip which actually
spreads the metal with pressure instead of carving it. Engraver
Steve Ferdman's tip to couples seeking ring engraving: "Make
sure a machine engraver goes deep enough so the engraving doesn't
wear off. Have your engraver go over the letters a few times."
What Type of Type? Ferdman says that the best type style to
select for ring engraving to be done by machine is block-type
lettering. "Rings are small and script is harder to read," he
says.
Hand-engraver Pugachevsky says that both script and block lettering
can work well on a hand-engraved ring. He is able to copy letters
in Hebrew, Chinese, Greek or whatever the couple wants. Some
machine engravers also have access to different lettering. At
Tiffany & Co., couples are given a sheet of several type styles
to choose from. All engraving work is done by hand by a staff
of engravers at the flagship store in New York City, according
to a spokesman.
Metal with Mettle: What type of metal is best? The engravers
all have varied opinions. Ferdman says that ring engraving looks
best in platinum -- the letters turn out sharp and crisp. For
hand engraver Pugachevsky, 18k gold is the best medium. "Harder
metals like platinum can break my tool," he says. The Engraving
Company says that a good engraver can handle any metal.
Forever Yours: So now it's time to decide what to say on your
rings. Don't feel any pressure, the message will only be with
you for a lifetime. Engraving your wedding date is a nice way
to mark your special day. A favorite line of poetry, a single
word or a phrase can convey the sentiments you wish to express.
Some couples get very creative in what they choose to engrave.
"I've seen messages in code that only the couple understood.
I've seen all kinds of pet names. These days couples are showing
a lot of individuality in what they engrave. It's more than
just the name and the date of the wedding," says Nancy Barbarino,
manager of a Zales jewelry store in New York. "But many do put
the wife's name on the husband's ring and the husband's name
on the wife's ring with the date."
Most of the engravers agree that keeping the engraving short
and simple is a good idea because rings are such a small surface
on which to engrave. Larger bands can handle longer messages.
Some couples engrave both the engagement and the wedding ring
to accommodate a longer message.
Messages We've Seen: One couple, Cameron and Gerald,
use each other's initials as pet names, so on their rings they
engraved simply "C" and "G." Some couples are inspired by quotations
from the Bible, which lend a spiritual note to their rings.
Most religions, including Christianity and Judaism, have no
rules about using religious quotations or phrases for ring engravings.
One couple was inspired by Colossians 3 and had the quote "together
in perfect harmony" engraved on their rings. Another couple
used, "whom God has joined together let no man put asunder,"
which was said at their ceremony. A couple who loves poetry
used a line from an e.e. cummings poem: "We are so both and
oneful."
Some Other Ideas: Consider "May this circle be unbroken;"
"I doe receive in thee my choyce" (from the 17th century), and
for a humorous twist -- "Put it back on." Or try a simple "I
love you." The best inscription for your wedding ring is something
with deep personal meaning to you and your spouse.
Sharp Tips: Before you engrave your ring make sure it's
sized properly. If not, you may sacrifice some of the engraving
if the ring needs to be sized. Make sure that the message you
choose to have engraved is spelled correctly. Ask the engraver
to see a sample or sketch of the lettering before the engraving
takes place and proofread for errors. Also, engraving can take
anywhere from a week to 30 days, so plan ahead to get the ring
back by the time you need it.
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