Engraving Your Ring

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.