As the CEO of an engraving business, I often get asked, "What's the most expensive thing you've ever engraved?" And sure, we’ve engraved our fair share of Pappy Van Winkle bottles and seen Rolexes come through like a revolving door. But the truth is, the pieces that stick with me aren’t the ones with high price tags. They’re the ones that hold immeasurable value to the people who bring them in. They’re the ones that tell a story, capture a moment, and mean the world to one person—even if no one else would see it the same way.
The Origami Swan
A gentleman once came in to have a simple wine glass engraved. He requested a delicate outline of an origami swan, nothing more. We later found out why. Years ago, he and his wife were surrounded by a gathering of swans, inspired by the moment he scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to her. It read "Will You Marry Me?" By combining these two elements, he turned an everyday wine glass into a symbol of how their love story began. It was simple, elegant, and deeply personal—a moment, frozen in time.
Memories Never Burn
A customer once brought in a piece of charred wood siding, salvaged from the remains of a barn that had burned down in a northern Arizona wildfire. Instead of discarding it, they asked us to engrave a simple yet powerful phrase in the center: "Memories never burn." It was a reminder that while physical things can be lost, the moments and experiences tied to them will always endure. Turning destruction into something meaningful—that’s the kind of creativity that makes engraving so special.
Dad’s Mandatory Blue Cheese
One of the most unexpectedly touching engravings we’ve done was on a charcuterie board. In the upper corner, within a small engraved circle, were the words, "Dad’s Mandatory Blue Cheese." At first, it seemed like an inside joke. But after reading the customer’s notes, we learned that their father had passed away earlier that year. He had always insisted that every family charcuterie board include a dedicated spot for blue cheese—his absolute favorite. This engraving was their way of keeping his tradition alive, ensuring that every family gathering would still hold a little piece of him.
The Antique Periscope
An older gentleman walked into our shop one day carrying an antique periscope, its worn leather exterior full of character. He requested a name to be engraved on the leather lining. We completed the order as usual, but curiosity got the best of us. When he returned to pick it up, we asked if he wouldn’t mind sharing the story behind it expecting to hear something about his past. He smiled and told us that his five-year-old grandson had recently declared that he wanted to be an explorer. Instead of heading to a toy store for a plastic spyglass, this grandfather went to an antique shop and found something real—something with history, something with weight. The engraving made it even more special, turning it into a keepsake that could inspire his grandson for years to come.
A Personal Tradition
Some of the engravings that mean the most to me come from my own life experiences. Each year, I buy a wine bottle and engrave it with a memory that defined that year for my family. It all started the year I became pregnant, when I gave my husband a bottle that read, "The year you found out you were going to be a dad." Since then, we’ve continued the tradition, creating a growing collection of time capsules. Our plan is to open them in retirement, drinking them as we reflect on the memories we’ve made over a lifetime together.
The Power of Personalization
These stories prove that engraving is about so much more than decoration. It’s about storytelling. It’s about preserving emotions, traditions, and inside jokes in a way that keeps them alive for generations to come. Whether it’s a sentimental keepsake, a running joke among friends, or a deeply personal tradition, custom engraving has the power to turn ordinary objects into extraordinary memories.
So, if you’ve ever had a thought like, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?” when it comes to a gift, we’d love to hear it. The best ideas are always the ones that mean something to you—and we’re here to help bring them to life.
Written by Liz Ann Cadwell