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Commemorative work is an important aspect of hand engraving, where objects are transformed into unique pieces through inscriptions, portraits or scenes that celebrate or remember a particular occasion. The engraver makes that memory permanent, giving the object deep personal significance. This could be something simple such as a wedding ring, or something grand like a trophy or quaich. Many engravers and engraving firms rely on this type of work as a core part of their income, engraving gifts for anniversaries, birthdays and other special occasions.

It is sometimes assumed that commemorative work is the least demanding for an engraver, but the opposite is true. It requires great experience, knowledge and talent. Decorative letter cutting must be beautiful, legible and appropriate to the style of the piece. This is often done with a square graver, creating a V-shaped cut that reflects light from one side or the other, making the reflections dance across the engraving. Special tools are sometimes made to allow for engraving inside rings or decorating three-dimensional forms.

Certain times of the year, such as religious holidays and major sporting events, can bring a surge of commissions. Craftspeople must be able to work under pressure to complete work within strict timeframes. One of the most famous examples is the FA Cup, where the engraver must add the winning team’s name to the trophy within minutes of the final whistle.

Click here to read Emmet Smith of RH Wilkins describing the nerve-wracking experience of engraving the FA Cup.

Jewellery and silverware encompass a wide range of specialist skills, and the subject deserves particular attention. Many craftspeople focus entirely on creating one-off pieces of their own design, whether for private commission, exhibitions or galleries.

Alongside commemorative engraving, the graver can be used to texture surfaces with intricate patterns that bring light and vitality to a piece. An elaborately engraved bangle or necklace moves with the wearer, catching and reflecting light in a dynamic way. For larger objects such as bowls, boxes or vases, engraved decoration is carefully planned to enhance the form or express particular themes that are integral to the piece. Texture and pattern work may be applied across surfaces where countless small bright cuts build into striking, sparkling areas. A graver can also be used to add fine detail to relief patterns such as repoussé or chasing, enriching the overall effect.

In all of these examples, the object itself and its engraved embellishment are conceived together from the very beginning. The design and decoration are intrinsically connected and hold equal importance in the finished work.

The engraving of steel is a centuries-old practice which has essentially been used to embellish weapons. An engraved line in steel differs from that of silver or gold engraving because the engraver generally isn’t trying to achieve bright reflective cuts. The medium of steel is much harder than precious metals like gold and silver and the engraving is used to depict scenes, lettering and scrollwork.

Engraving in steel in the main absorbs light. This makes fine engraved lines look dark, in the spectrum of grey to black. This enables an engraver to create pencil-like lines or dots that can produce almost photographic images in this medium.

Today there are a handful of engravers worldwide that are regarded as masters of this art. Their embellishments, whether it be on guns, knives, watches and so forth, are astonishing as they incorporate techniques such as multi-coloured gold inlay, three dimensional carving, enamelling and precious stone setting.

Although many advances have taken place in the tools and techniques used, steel engraving still remains fundamentally a traditional art and craft. Britain has a long history of talent in this regard and many engravers are still practising here and advancing the art. British sporting guns remain the best and most bespoke anywhere in the world and British engravers are respected as part of that success.

Words by Vince Crowley, gun engraver

Until the introduction of japanned dials on some English country clocks in the later 18th century, hand engraving constituted an integral part of every English clock and watch made. Not only were all hour, minute and seconds numerals deeply cut into their dials or ‘chapter rings’ (and usually filled with wax for the sake of contrast), but many dial centres were enlivened with a riot of glorious engraved decoration. Similarly most spring clock back-plates, gold and silver watchcases, and even the finely pierced ‘cocks’ that protected the watch balances, were also exquisitely engraved.

It is no wonder that when the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers of London was founded under a Royal Charter of 1631, it was granted power not only to control the trades of clock, watch, sundial and mathematical instrument making in the City, but also that of engraving. Many specialist engravers joined its ranks, or were trained under its auspices, their skills being constantly enriched by a continuing influx of Huguenot engravers from Europe, such as the great Simon Gribelin.

As the 18th century progressed and the 19th century dawned, London clock and watchmakers gained a reputation for the quality and precision of their work, seldom matched elsewhere. By the mid 19th century, marine chronometer-making alone employed tens of thousands of specialist part makers and highly skilled artisans such as engravers, clustered just north of the City, in Clerkenwell.

Ultimately, the London makers’ dogged refusal to adopt industrial methods led to the decline of their trade. But gradually in the 20th and 21st centuries, artist-craftsmen throughout Britain have revived and honed the lost skills, and once again the very best engravers are called upon to embellish their work.

Words by Sir George White Bt, Consultant Keeper of the Clockmakers’ Museum, London

Heraldry is an integral part of engraving, and in many UK workshops the reproduction of shields, coats of arms and crests forms a significant part of commissioned work. This may involve line engraving on important silverware such as salvers and quaichs, or seal carving for signet rings and desk seals.

Seals have been used since the Middle Ages to validate important documents and communications. Each seal was carved in reverse in metal or stone, then pressed into melted wax to create a unique impression. This wax seal confirmed that a document had not been opened before reaching its intended recipient. Royal charters and laws often carried the King’s great seal, symbolising the authority of the Crown and the legitimacy of Parliament. Seals served as powerful visual signatures, whether for state documents, property entitlements, or agreements between individuals and nations.

Today, seal engraving extends far beyond historical insignia. Signet rings have grown increasingly popular, with many people commissioning personal seals that incorporate symbols representing their family, interests or even pets. These pieces are both beautiful and meaningful, often becoming treasured heirlooms passed down through generations.

The use of relief engraving on wood and intaglio engraving on metal to create patterns for printing dates back many centuries. The process involves engraving images or text in reverse onto a wooden block or a metal plate. Although the basic principles of engraving a plate and taking a print are simple, the technique demands significant experience and precision. Historically, engraving and printing were often carried out by separate specialists.

In intaglio printing, the engraved cuts have depth. Ink is worked into these lines, and the surface of the plate (often copper) is carefully wiped so that the ink remains only in the engraved areas. Damp paper is then laid over the plate, covered with felt, and rolled through a press under pressure. The paper is pushed into the ink-filled lines, transferring the engraved image in reverse onto the paper.

A key skill in this process is accurate reverse cutting. Engravers often kept a mirror in their tool kits to check lettering for balance and spacing, allowing them to view the reverse image the right way round before cutting.

Multiple prints can be taken from a single plate, and for centuries this method was widely used for producing musical scores, illustrations, banknotes, visiting cards, bookplates, maps and more. To extend the life of a copper plate for large print runs, it was later steel plated for added durability.

Artists such as Dürer, Hogarth and William Blake were renowned for their mastery of this technique. The engraved line produced through intaglio printing is distinctive and exceptionally beautiful. Once the ink was dry, colour could also be hand-painted onto the prints.

There are two main methods of embossing. The first mirrors printing but uses no ink. Paper is pressed into the engraved lines as it passes through the press, raising letters or decorative elements into relief on the surface. This creates a subtle interplay of light and shadow and was often used for letterheads featuring coats of arms or family crests.

The second method involves using matching male and female dies between which the paper is pressed to create a raised design. This was particularly effective for coats of arms on notepaper, serving as a form of authentication that immediately identified the sender. The same embossing technique has also been applied to metal to great effect by craftspeople such as Malcolm Appleby and Karen Wallace.

Engraving for enamel is a highly skilled and specialised area of hand engraving. It allows artists to fuse coloured enamels, which are essentially powdered glass, onto precious metal objects. Two principal techniques, champlevé and basse-taille, require the surface of the metal to be hand engraved before enamel is applied. The powdered glass is applied wet using a goose feather quill and can be either transparent or opaque, each creating a distinct visual effect.

In champlevé, troughs or cells are engraved into the metal, leaving thin borders to contain individual enamel colours. When the piece is fired, these metal borders remain visible and form the framework of the design. Firing is a demanding process, as different enamels melt at different temperatures. The intricate engraving and carving visible beneath the coloured enamel can be a remarkable showcase of the engraver’s skill.

Basse-taille is similar, but instead of deep cells, the artist engraves a low-relief pattern across the surface. Enamel is then applied over this engraving. By varying the depth of the cuts in different areas, the engraver creates subtle patterns that add depth, texture and shimmering complexity to the finished piece.

The UK is fortunate to have an exceptional community of practising artist enamellers who continue to push the boundaries of these traditional techniques. Click the images below to explore the work of some of our members who also practise enamelling.