The art of hand engraving

It’s June –  shorter days and quite cold, so I can think of nothing better than a hearty meal in warm surrounds with family and friends or maybe sitting in front of an open fire with good book and a nice glass of red. PIKES of course!

In my last blog, I talked about individuality and what makes our jewellery recognisable – after looking through some of our recent commissions, what seems very evident is the way in which we truly personalise our designs. Of course we follow the brief, but often I recommend a way in which the item can be made even more personal. This addition identifies the item as an individual design seen nowhere else, and reflects the design collaboration between the client and me.

I’m talking about hand engraving. In one of my previous blogs, I described the process in detail; basically, it is a technique of carving away the surface of the material using hand tools and gravers. This differs from machine engraving, which is engraving created by a commercial hand-held electric drill-piece. Hand engraving is so superior because it produces a sharp, precise, deep image or letter, and it’s an extension of our hand making process. It requires a lot of training and craft to master the techniques, and it is considered a profession all of its own. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of hand engravers, but we are very fortunate to have a supreme example of this craft here in Adelaide. Ray Hood is his name and many of the pieces we have engraved possess an extra special something added by his engraving.

This engraving skill often allows us to define a certain area, accentuate a curve or a shape and most often add personalised initials, wording or a design. I’ve included some designs of the more personalised design featuring letters and names:

Hand engraving featuring the letters MSJ.

Gents signet ring featuring the name George.

A classic letter ‘E”.

Pendant featuring initials on the front, with a favourite family saying on the back.

A family crest hand engraved into a signet ring.

Pendant featuring family initials and birthdates.

A single letter H engraved in reverse so it can be pressed into sealing wax.

Gents wedding ring featuring the initials of the bride and groom.

Modern signet ring featuring initials and the fish crest.

Modern ladies ring with diamond set ‘S”.

Ladies ring featuring an important family’s initials.

To see more designs, click here.

If you would like to have a piece of jewellery engraved, come and see us and let Nicholas draw something for you. Call us on 08 8338 3109, email us at hello@pike.com.au, or pop in to the studio. We’d love to see you.