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Custom Engraving: How We Make Laser Engraved Gifts

Custom engraving is how every piece here is made. The name, monogram or date is cut into the glass or the wood with a laser rather than printed on top of it, so it does not peel, fade or wash off.

Cut, not printedThe mark is in the material, not a layer sitting on top of it
One at a timeEvery piece is engraved individually, so each name can differ
Made to orderNothing is pulled off a shelf — it is produced after you order
Any quantityA single gift or a company order of two hundred and fifty

How custom engraving works

Custom engraving sounds complicated and is not. A focused laser removes a thin layer of the surface along the exact path of your artwork. On glass it leaves a frosted white mark; on wood it burns a fine dark line. Because nothing is added to the surface, there is no ink to scratch off and no coating to wear through. If you want the physics of it, laser engraving has a good technical overview.

Custom engraving on a wooden medallion and on the glass surface of a decanter set
Custom engraving on two surfaces at once — a burned mark on the wooden medallion and a frosted mark cut into the glass.
Your artworkWe take a name, a date, a monogram or a company logo and lay it out on the item at real size.
Proof and placementWe check how the design sits on a curved glass or a flat panel before anything is cut.
The laser passThe machine follows the outline and removes a thin layer of the surface. Depth and speed change per material.
Check and packEach piece is inspected for spelling and placement, then packed for shipping.

Custom engraving on glass and on wood

The two materials behave differently, and that changes what looks good. This is the part worth knowing before you choose a piece.

Glass

Laser engraving on glass

The laser micro-fractures the surface and leaves a frosted white finish that reads clearly against dark whiskey or clear water.

  • Best for names, monograms, dates and simple logos
  • Very fine hairlines can disappear at small sizes
  • Our rocks glasses are 11 oz premium clear glass, made in the USA and dishwasher safe
  • The 750ml decanter is engraved on a flat face so the design is not distorted
Wood

Engraving on wood

Wood burns rather than fractures, which gives a warm dark line with more contrast and more detail than glass allows.

  • Holds finer detail, so denser logos work better here
  • Grain varies, so no two pieces are identical
  • Cigar humidors are cedar with a glass top and a front hygrometer
  • The tie and belt hanger is natural oak with chrome hooks

Engraved, not printed

PrintedA layer of ink sits on the surface. It looks right on day one, then scratches in a dishwasher, fades in sunlight and eventually lifts at the edges.
VS
EngravedCustom engraving changes the surface itself. There is no layer to lift, so the mark lasts as long as the item does — which is the whole point of a keepsake.

6 custom engraving gifts we make

Engraved whiskey glasses11 oz rocks glasses in premium clear glass, made in the USA and dishwasher safe. A name, a monogram or a company logo.See the glasses → Engraved whiskey decanterA 750ml decanter with an airtight stopper, engraved on a flat face so the design stays crisp and undistorted.See the decanter → Decanter set with glassesThe decanter with two matching engraved glasses. The set most often ordered as a single standout gift.See the set → Cedar cigar humidorCedar wood with a glass top and a front hygrometer, holding twenty to twenty-five cigars. Custom engraving on the lid.See the humidor → Groomsmen giftsMatching pieces for a wedding party, each engraved with a different name and the same design.Browse groomsmen → Everyday piecesBamboo wine gift boxes, ceramic mugs and engraved wooden signs for birthdays and housewarmings.Browse gifts →

Who we make them for

Most of our orders are gifts with a reason behind them: groomsmen and best man gifts, birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, housewarmings, and corporate gifts carrying a company logo. If a gift is going to sit on a shelf, it was the wrong gift. We make things that get used.

Because custom engraving is done one piece at a time, a set of twelve can carry twelve different names on the same design at no extra cost per name. That is why teams and wedding parties order the way they do.

What we do not do

We do not print. If you want full colour photographic artwork, custom engraving is the wrong process and we will tell you so rather than sell you the wrong thing.

We do not promise detail that will not survive. Very fine lines and small text behave differently on glass than on paper. We check the artwork at real size first and say if it needs simplifying.

We do not ship before it is right. Every piece is engraved after the order is placed, which is why we ask for your date up front instead of promising stock we do not hold.

Questions about custom engraving

What can be engraved on a glass?

A first name, initials, a monogram, a date, a short message or a company logo. Keep it short on small items — a first name or a set of initials reads far better at that size than a full sentence.

Will the engraving wash off in the dishwasher?

No. Custom engraving cuts into the surface rather than printing onto it, so there is no layer to lift. Our rocks glasses are dishwasher safe.

Can you engrave a company logo?

Yes, on glass and on wood. Send the file as PNG, JPG or PDF at the highest resolution you have. We confirm how it looks at the item’s real size before anything is cut.

Can every piece in a set have a different name?

Yes. Each item is engraved individually, so the design stays identical across the set while the name changes on each piece.

How long does a custom engraving order take?

It depends on the quantity and how quickly the artwork is approved. Tell us the date you need it by when you order and we will confirm whether it is achievable before you commit.

Is there a minimum order?

No. One piece or two hundred and fifty — the process is the same.

Start with a piece, or ask first

If you know what you want, browse the shop. If you are ordering for a group or a company and want advice on what custom engraving suits the piece, write to us before you order.

Browse the shop Ask about an order