Engraving
Also called hand engraving, laser engraving
Engraving is the cutting of text or a pattern into the surface of metal, by hand with a graver, by machine, or with a laser. In jewelry it carries names, dates, monograms, and brand marks, most often on the inside of a band.
In other words, letters or decoration are cut into the metal itself, so they are part of the piece rather than printed on top of it.
How it is done
Hand engraving uses a sharpened graver pushed through the metal, which leaves bright cut walls that catch light. It is the most expensive route and the one collectors look for.
Machine and laser engraving are faster and repeatable, which suits personalisation at volume. Laser marks are shallower and read flatter, so they photograph differently from a hand cut.
- Hand engraving with a graver
- Rotary or CNC machine engraving
- Laser engraving and marking
Why engraving is hard to photograph
Engraving is a very small change in surface height. A camera needs raking light to make the cuts visible, and that same light usually blows out the polish on the rest of the piece.
Inside-band engraving is worse, because the lens cannot get a clean angle into the ring. Sellers often end up with a listing photo where the personalisation, the thing the customer is paying extra for, barely shows.
How we render it
In a render the lighting is set per shot, so we can light the engraved surface to show the cuts and still keep the rest of the piece clean. There is no lens angle problem, because the camera can be placed anywhere.
Send the CAD file with the engraving as real geometry if you have it, or send the text and font and tell us where it sits. Output is 9 HD images and 3 videos per file on a white background, ready for a listing.
Questions about Engraving
Can you show engraving inside a ring band?
Yes. A render is not limited by lens angle, so we can place the camera inside the band and light the cut so the text reads clearly.
Do I need the engraving in the CAD file?
It helps, because real geometry gives the truest result. If it is not modelled, send the exact text and the font and we will place it.
Is a render good enough for a personalisation listing?
Yes. Many sellers use one clean render of the engraved detail as a listing image, since it shows the customer exactly what they are ordering.