Purchasing engraving or an engraved gift can be a daunting task.
An inexperienced buyer is presented with more questions than answers. An
unprepared consumer may be forced to make hurried decisions they later regret.
A little preparation is definitely in order.
You may find a store where you can purchase an item that also
has limited engraving capabilities. This type of store usually relies on
pre-programmed systems to perform their engraving rather than skill or expertise.
This is a good option if the results meets your expectations.
A more common scenario is to purchase your item at one store andthen look for someone to engrave it.
Unless you are knowledgeable on the subject, it is a good idea
to select an engraver before you purchase your item. The engraver can advise
you before you purchase as to what to look for and whether or not they would be
willing to do the job. They may be able to refer you to a reputable dealer that
you can trust, or talk to the dealer you are considering to ensure that the
resulting product is as you expect it to be.
...a. First and foremost, they may not be able to replace the
item if the customer is not satisfied or something goes wrong.
...c. The engraver may lack the confidence or expertise in the
particular area of engraving required. There are many forms of engraving. Most
engravers do not specialize in all areas. You may need to be referred to
another engraver better equipped to perform the task.
Professional engraving is expensive. It takes many years
experience to develop the skill and to collect the tooling necessary to do the
work. It is not unusual for the cost of the engraving to exceed the cost of the
item by many times. Only the consumer can decide if the finished article will
be worth it to them or not.
Items that lack certain qualities can be ruined by attempts to
engrave them. Many items today are not solid metal but are cast in an
inexpensive alloy and plated finish. In most cases quality plating can survive
some engraving processes but more often than not the plating will peal or allow
corrosion under the engraving causing severe problems down the road.
It can be difficult even for an experienced engraver to detect
the quality of an item before the cutting begins. An item made of a poor metal
alloy covered with a gold plating will look and feel real nice but when the
engraving starts the plating separates from the base metal and the item is
ruined.
Quality may be reflected in the cost of the item. If you are
considering engraving an inexpensive item you will probably not be satisfied
with the results. Do not be fooled because the item is expensive. Many marginal
quality items have been sold to unsuspecting customers at to high a price.
Purchase your item from a reputable dealer who will guarantee
your purchase is engraveable. One that will refund your money as well as your
engraving costs if a quality problem occurs.
Be realistic. The more engraving you put on a small area the
harder it is going to be to read. We have equipment in our studio that has the
ability to engrave letters so small they look like dots. This is interesting
but what is the value? Engraving usually involves a sentiment the purchaser
would like to be readable. Try to keep the message as short as possible. Font
choice will play an important part as well.
It is not fair to expect the engraver to create your message.
Most are more than happy to help you craft your words to fit the item but the
you must have a good idea of what you want to say.
Have your ideas written down. You will be making many choices
during your conversation with the engraver concerning fonts, layout or design,
you do not want to forget what you want to engrave or be incorrect in your
information.
With a little preparation, the purchase of engraving can be a
very enjoyable and satisfying experience.
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