Custom Engraving
Engraving... what is that?
When we engrave we are physically carving your design into the surface of the glass. This means that your design is part of the glass itself, and will never wear off or fade away. Our standard method of engraving is sandblasting, which creates a fine grain mark that is unrivalled in quality and elegance. For certain designs such as spiral engravings and wine glass bases where a little extra maneuverability is needed, we will laser engrave instead.
How do you engrave designs on the glass by sandblasting?
First, we will create a stencil-like mask of your design, which is then hand placed on the glass. Our artisans then make multiple passes over the face of the glass with a pressurized stream of sand. The areas of glass under the mask are protected, while the areas of glass not covered by the mask are engraved away. When the mask is removed, your design appears in the natural, frosted white color/texture of the engraved glass surface.
How durable is the engraving?
The engraved design is carved into the actual surface of the glass, which means that it will never wear off or fade away. It is completely permanent. (And, this means that your engraved glass is dishwasher safe!)
What about your wood, marble, and terra cotta products? Are those sandblasted too?
For our other products such as wood, marble, and terra cotta, we use laser engraving. With the laser engraving method, the mark is made by the heat of the laser which is focused on the surface of the item. Laser engravings are also permanent, and the laser is computer-controlled. This allows for great detail in the engravings.
How detailed can the design be?
Each of our engraving methods can produce very detailed designs. Your design is set up via graphics editing software, so typically anything that can be mocked up in the program can reproduced on the glass or other item. Typically, because engraving cannot reproduce color or shading, the best artwork to use is single color (pure black and white). If we have any concerns about the level of detail we will typically contact you to let you know.
Can you engrave in color?
We cannot engrave in color. Engraved glass is naturally very elegant, and engraving makes for a completely permanent mark on the glass. However, we are limited to that natural frosted white color of the engraved glass surface. If you are interested in having glasses customized with a color design, consider our screen printing or digital printing customization options. Please contact us if you have any questions!
