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Signet rings engravings
Signet rings, family crest rings, and coat of arm rings
Are you celebrating a memorable event or your family heritage? Seal the deal with one of our beautiful signet rings.
The signet ring is part of the ages old living tradition of western jewelry. Often the signet ring is passed on inside the family for many years from father to son, or daughter. Often the ring will display a family crest, coat of arms or the initials of its original wearer in the form of a monogram. Of course, when it comes to engraving signet rings, we offer many more options.
Types of signet rings
Generally, we distinguish two types of signet rings. On the one hand there are our solid gold rings which will be engraved by hand by our appropriate expert, the image is sculpted from the signet’s flat surface by removing lines of gold through engraving. The other type of ring consists of a gold ring containing a set stone. This stone will be manually engraved in the same way.
All the signet rings we make are solid. The signet ring should be strong enough to last at least a generation. Our master goldsmiths have years of experience in making the most beautiful signet rings. A good signet ring is solid gold, with the stone set in a nice tight setting.
Stone-engraved signet rings
Each signet ring with stone from DiamondsByMe is handmade in the Netherlands, after which it is sent to our master engraver in Germany. The master engraver engraves the finest details into the layer stone with their craftsmanship. Combining beautiful handwork with the 3D technique and craftsmanship of DiamondsByMe, a unique piece of your dream ring will be crafted. Whether you opt for an exclusive coat of arms engraving, which is hand-engraved into the stone by a master engraver, or for your own design; anything is possible.
A handmade bespoke ring with its own character!
On this page you will find all the possibilities, such as the different colours of sardonyx stones, the rings in which a stone can be placed, as well as examples of possible engravings for your self-composed signet ring. Of course, you can also send us your own design. Our designers assess whether your own design is suitable for engraving.
Type of signet ring stones
For signet rings, we offer several options for the stone. The most commonly chosen stone is the sardonyx. It is very suitable for signet rings with an engraving.
A sardonyx, as its name implies, consists of differently coloured layers or bands. In the engraving process the engraver will remove lines from the top layer, revealing the layer below. This results in a beautiful contrast that can help to create vivid images on the signet ring. When onyx is used for engraving the engraving will remain a solid black. It will, however, be visible through differences in height and shine of the material, but not as clearly as an engraving on a sardonyx.
For signet rings with stone, we offer the following options:
- Blue sardonyx: we offer these in three grades. Blue, light blue and dark blue sardonyx. All three feature a black underlay for a nice contrast.
- Red sardonyx: it has a milky upper layer with a red lower layer. When the stone is engraved, the red becomes visible.
- Green sardonyx: it too has a milky top layer, but with a greenish blue under layer.
- Lapis lazuli: Engraving also comes into its own nicely in lapis. Although there is no contrast effect here, the engraving is still clearly visible due to the bright colour of the stone.
- Carnelian: a fleshy red hue, in which an engraving will be visible due to depth differences. Beautifully subtle.
- Heliotrope: a very dark green stone. In terms of colour tone, this stone is close to black. Heliotrope is characterised by small red speckles. This is why this stone is more often referred to as bloodstone.
- Onyx: a black stone. The stone can certainly be engraved, only this will be very subtle. Small details will barely be visible.
Type of engravings
Engravings in signet rings can be divided into two groups. The monogram engraving and the coat of arms engraving. These different types of engravings can be incorporated into a signet ring in various ways. For signet rings with stone, the engraving is cut out by hand. For solid rings in which the engraving is set into the metal, there are several options, namely hand engraving, co-casting and laser engraving.
Monogram engravings
A monogram engraving is the engraving of initials. This type of engraving can be done in many styles. Usually a monogram engraving consists of two letters, but in many cases it is also possible to incorporate three letters.
Below you will find several examples of monogram engravings, of course the possibilities are endless once more. If you desire to incorporate a monogram you designed yourself, or perhaps a monogram written in your personal style of handwriting, do contact us. Our staff will be ready to provide you with the estimated price for the bespoke monogram ring of your dreams.
Coat of arms or family crest engraving
The signet rings from our collection mostly lend themselves to the engraving of a coat of arms or family crest by our master engraver. Below we will provide you with some examples of coat of arms and family crest engravings along with a price estimate for each type of engraving.
As of old, the family crest is still prevalent in the western world; some are very detailed, others not so much. The details of the engraving are decisive in establishing a price estimate. Varying coats of arms will result in varying production costs. If you want to know how much an engraving of your family crest into a signet ring would cost, do contact us. Our experts are ready to provide you with a precise price estimate as soon as possible.
It is also possible to have your family crest mirrored engraved, so you can use the ring to seal documents with wax.
Do you have your own logo of, say, your company? Even then, you can have it engraved on your signet ring.
Engravings in metal
If you prefer a solid gold bespoke ring without set stone but with a personalized engraving anyway, consider the hand engraving option available for most of our rings. A hand engraving is done by our master engraver with specialist engraving tools. The process requires skilled craftsmanship. The engraver creates wide and narrow ‘lanes’ in the material at different angles through creative application of his tools. These varying ‘lanes’ give a hand engraving its extra shine.
There are different types of hand engravings, however, they are categorised into two specific groups: line engraving and relief engraving.
Line engravings
The master engraver distinguishes between line engravings and relief engravings. Line engraving is somewhat simpler in nature. The lines are quite superficial and there is no depth difference between them. So you get a nice engraving but with no depth effect. It is one of the easier engravings to place and is therefore a bit more inexpensive than the more complicated relief engraving.
If you choose a line engraving for your solid (signet) ring, then you should consider some advantages and disadvantages:
- It is somewhat more favourably priced than an embossed engraving because less labour is involved
- There is room for many details
- The engraving is cut out a bit more superficially, making it unsuitable for sealing
- Line engraving gives a somewhat flat impression
The relief engraving is a more complicated engraving to place. Here, the master engraver shows the top of his skills. The name of the engraving also says it all, this engraving is incised at different depths with intricate details creating a beautiful depth effect. Since relief engraving is more labour-intensive, you are going to notice this in the price.
The pros and cons of relief engraving:
- The engraving is more costly because it is more labour-intensive
- Embossed engraving makes the ring suitable for sealing documents
- It gives a nice 3D effect
- Organic shapes come out very nicely
Would you like to know what an engraving in precious metal costs? Send us an e-mail with the image you would like to have engraved, specifying which model of our website you would like to have it engraved in. One of our consultants will check the price for you.
Production time for signet ring with engraving
Usually, you can assume that a signet ring made entirely of precious metal without engraving can be ready in about 16 days. For a signet ring with stone without engraving, you can assume about three weeks.
Are you having your ring engraved? Then, of course, you want to know how long it will take for you to receive your precious and personalized ring.
- Seal ring with hand engraving in precious metal: 4 to 6 weeks + shipping
- Signet ring with stone with engraving: about 6 to 8 weeks + shipping
Signet rings with laser engravings and cast family crests
At DiamondsByMe we apply state-of-the art 3D technology to create bespoke jewellery. Because our rings are designed in 3D drawing software first, our designer is able to incorporate your choice design into the final cast. This service is available from £50.-
An enamel coating can bring your bespoke ring to live, enriching its features. The precious metal around the engraved image is cut away to make room for an enamel layer surrounding the engraving. We offer different colours of enamel.
There is also the option of laser engraving a family crest or monogram into the signet. What results is a sharp image with clean lines. Laser engraving is a superficial engraving. Depth differences will hardly be noticeable, but because the engraving is burned into the metal, you get a nice contrast effect.
The price of laser engraving varies, but you can assume a starting rate from £70, depending on the amount of detail, and on the quality of the supplied image.
With regard to the expected delivery time, you can assume the following for these rings:
- Signet ring with laser engraving in precious metal: about 16 days + shipping
- Signet ring with cast-in engraving: about 16 days + shipping
Custom design
Of course you could create a custom design for your bespoke signet ring. The prices you find above are just an estimate. Would you like to find out more about incorporating custom designs into your bespoke signet ring? Do contact us. If you have an engraving placed in a signet ring, the ring cannot be returned.
Signet rings from DiamondsByMe
Now that you know a little more background on the possibilities of signet ring engraving, we invite you to put together your own signet ring. We offer both men's and women's signet rings, and look forward to hearing your choice!