Every piece we sell is engraved to order in our workshop in London. People often ask how it works, and why laser engraving looks so crisp compared with the old hand-cut or machine-scratched lettering. Here is a plain-English explanation, without the jargon.
What a laser actually does
A laser engraver focuses a beam of light into a very small point. At that point the energy is concentrated enough to change the surface it touches. The machine moves the beam, or a mirror steers it, along the lines and fills of your design, many times per second.
Depending on the material and the settings, the laser does one of three things:
- Marks the surface, changing its colour without removing much material. On stainless steel this produces a dark, permanent mark.
- Removes a coating, revealing the material underneath. On a black finish, this is why the lettering appears light.
- Engraves into the surface, removing a fine layer to leave a recess you can feel.
Because nothing is printed or painted on, there is no ink to fade or rub off.
How different materials respond
Stainless steel
Most of our keyrings, cufflinks, tie clips, necklaces and wallet cards are stainless steel. On polished silver-colour steel, the engraving shows as a crisp dark mark that contrasts with the shine.
Gold, rose gold and black finishes
Coloured finishes sit on top of steel. On gold and rose gold the engraving reads dark against the colour; on black, the laser reveals the lighter steel beneath, so lettering appears light. Our previews show the same tone, so what you see is what you get.
Leather
On leather the laser darkens and slightly recesses the surface, giving a warm, debossed look. Each hide takes the mark a little differently, which is part of the charm of leather keyrings and wallets.
Wood
On wood the laser darkens the grain. Our wooden guitar pick boxes and gift box lids show a rich brown engraving that follows the natural grain.
From your preview to the post
- You design it. On the product page you type your text, choose a font and symbols, and see a live preview on the item.
- Your design is saved with the order. We engrave exactly what you enter, character for character, following the layout in your preview.
- We prepare the artwork. Text is set in your chosen font. Handwriting, fingerprints and photos are prepared from the image you uploaded; if anything is unclear, we contact you before engraving.
- The piece is positioned. Each item is held steady so the engraving lands in the right place, away from holes, clasps and edges.
- The laser engraves it. Small items typically take moments; detailed photos and multi-sided pieces take longer.
- A person checks it. Every engraving is checked before it goes out.
- It is packed and posted. Orders placed before 3pm, Monday to Friday, are dispatched the same working day.
Why shorter text often looks better
The laser can produce extremely fine lines, but the eye still needs letters of a certain size to read comfortably, especially on a 15mm cufflink or a narrow bar. That is why each product has a character limit, and why we suggest keeping messages short. Splitting a long message across two sides gives each word more room. Read what to engrave for ideas that fit.
Placement: where the engraving goes
Every item has its own engravable area. A keyring has a hole for its ring, a cufflink has a curved edge, a love lock has a keyhole, and a whistle has four faces of different shapes. Our previews are drawn to show where the text sits on each piece, so you can check that it clears holes and edges before you order. When a piece has more than one engravable side, each side has its own text box on the product page, and the price updates if extra sides are charged.
Handwriting and photos
Handwriting and portraits are engraved from your photo. A clear, flat, well-lit image gives the best result. Fine pencil lines and very faint writing are the hardest to reproduce, so if the original is faint, choose the clearest section. Our guide to memorial keepsakes has tips for photographing handwriting and fingerprints.
Scannable codes
Spotify codes and QR codes are engraved from the link you provide. They need clean edges and good contrast to scan reliably, which laser engraving does well. See Spotify code gifts explained.
Looking after your engraving
The engraving itself is permanent, but the surface around it benefits from gentle care, especially coloured finishes. Read how to care for stainless steel and plated jewellery.
Our story
Lush Keepsake began in December 2017 with a pair of wooden cufflinks made on a kitchen table. Today we engrave keychains, jewellery, cufflinks, pens and small accessories for birthdays, weddings, new babies, anniversaries and remembrance. Read more about us, or browse every personalised gift.
Frequently asked questions
Will laser engraving fade?
No. The laser changes the surface of the item itself, so there is no ink or paint to fade or rub off.
Why does engraving on black items look light?
On black items the laser removes the black coating where it engraves, revealing the lighter steel underneath.
Do you check every engraving?
Yes. Every engraving is checked by a person before it is packed and posted.
