Engraved Wedding Bands

Jewelers and engravers will ask you what is more romantic than looking down at your wedding band and seeing a personal engraving inside of it. I, on the other hand, say what better way to get your husband-to-be to remember (a) that he is married and (b) the name of the person that he chose to marry? But most importantly, an engraved wedding band will not only serve as a constant reminder of the marriage, it will also clearly spell out the date you actually got hitched, so he'll have no excuse for not getting you an absolutely fabulous anniversary gift.

What Is Engraving?

For those who may not know, engraving is the process of carving a person's name, initials, wedding date or any other details or designs into any hard, flat surface. In the past, engravers had to use a handheld tool called a burin to etch their designs into the surfaces they were engraving. Today, the engraving process is largely performed by microscopic instruments that are controlled by computers--this ensures accuracy in even the minutest of details.

The History of Engraving

The practice of wearing engraved rings dates way back to the days of the ancient Egyptians. The majority of these rings were signet rings, used to stamp or seal documents. Of course, they were also quite often used to denote authority and family affiliations, as well as social status. Furthermore, during the 16th century it became a popular tradition to exchange what were called "Posey" rings with one's significant other. These rings were typically inscribed with poetic phrases and dates that would be important to the person that they would be presented too.

Many jewelers are now seeing a comeback in the desire for engraved wedding bands. However, keep in mind that when selecting a band that you plan to have engraved, you need to get one that will be wide enough for the inscription. Any band that is at least six millimeters wide should be sufficient.