Engraving a watch is a fantastic way to personalize your timepiece and give it a highly unique quality. It can also be a great way to enhance a watch you plan to give to someone, as these great watch engraving ideas prove.
Choosing whether to have your watch engraved is an entirely personal decision. In this article, we will discuss every facet of watch engraving to help you determine if this is something you should consider.
Can Any Watch Be Engraved?
Unfortunately, not all watches can be engraved. Engraving is done on the watch’s case back, and if you are familiar with timepiece designs, you will know why some timepieces are not engravable. For example, some clocks feature the brand name and serial numbers at the back case, which pretty much rules out the option of engraving it.
Other watches feature a transparent back case which also eliminates the option of engraving said model. If you plan on purchasing a particular timepiece and have it personalized with an engraving, we advise you to check the case back first and foremost.
Hand Engraving vs Machine Engraving
You should be aware of other factors besides the vital difference between the two engraving techniques. The most obvious being that one is done manually while the other is machine-made. There is also the fact that hand engraving can yield some highly unique results. On the other hand, machine engraving is all about precision and efficiency.
Let us go into further detail on the critical differences between hand engraving and machine engraving.
Hand Engraving Method
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Watch Link Removal Kit, BYNIIUR Watch Repair Kit, Watch Case Opener Spring Bar Tools, Watch Battery Replacement Tool Kit, Watch Band Link Pin Tool Set with Carrying Case and Instruction Manual
- UPGRADE COMPLETE 155 PCS WATCH REPAIR KIT suit for professional and general use, which can solution for most watch repair requirements
- MULTIFUNCTION DELUXE WATCH TOOLS SET has every tool you need, 3 point watch wrench case opener (extra large), watch band link remover tool, pin punch, hammer, pliers, spring bar removal tool, band holder, 5x screwdriver, tweezers, case pry
- INCLUDED XL WATCH WRENCH CASE OPENER up to 55MM, easy to open groove type oversize watches. This kit is perfect for common watch trouble, like opening watch back cover, watchband adjustment, changing watch batteries, watch band remover, watch resize, watch pins remover. You will never pay pricey watchmaker fees again
- THE METAL WATCHMAKING TOOLS are made of high quality solid 304 stainless steel, they are sturdy, portable, practical and very easy to use
- EXCELLENT WEARABILITY NYLON STORAGE BAG holds the whole watch repair set neatly, and this portable zipper case is easy to carry, you can transport it to fix your watch anywhere you want
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Watch Band Strap Link Pins Remover Repair Tool,24 in 1 Kit with 6 Extra Tips Replacement,20PCS Cotter Pin,Spring Bar Tool Set,1PCS Head Hammer
- What is in the package?EFIXTK watch band tool kit comes with a watch band link pin remover with 6 extra tips, a plastic watch holder, a dual head hammer, 4 pin punches,20pcs cotter pins and a glasses cloth. A perfect kit for watch band link remove and watch repair
- Easy to use: Size your watch band yourself with this small, simple tool effectively without wiggling
- Fit for different sizes,Fit bands up to 30mm wide ,6 replacement pins and an adjustable base allow for use with different band thicknesses
- VALUE KIT FOR MONEY SAVING - This watch band link remover is great for removing and inserting spring bars straps, and widely used in up to 30mm wide watch band replace, watch repair and jewelry making
- Package contents: 1PCS All-Metal Watch Band Link Remover，1PCS Holder,1PCS Head Hammer,1PCS Glasses Cloth,20pcs Cotter pins
Hand engraving watches like this impressive example above is accomplished with sculpting tools or a rotary tool. In regards to obtaining unique finishes, hand engraving is your best bet. This method also allows you to determine the depth of the design.
Pros:
- Each engraving done by hand will have a unique charm.
- You will most likely contend with significantly fewer dust particles and debris.
- Hand engraving is a good option for applying designs on heat-sensitive materials like plastic.
- With this method, the engravings can have varying degrees of depth.
- Cheaper to do as all you need are specific hand tools.
Cons:
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- 【Watch repair tool kit】- JOREST watch repair tool kit contains common tools required for repairing watches, suitable for adjusting and replacing watch straps, opening watch covers, replacing watch batteries, gaskets, etc., and has detailed operations Manual to help you solve watch problems at home and save expensive repair costs.
- 【Adjust the strap】- Metal watch band link remover, watch band holder, pin punches, double-headed hammer and spring bar tool with scale are used to replace various watch straps, adjust the length of the strap to fit your wrist.We are equipped with 15PCS spare needle to improve the service life of the tool, suitable for pin punch and metal watch band link remover.
- 【Suitable for different watch covers】- Watch back case opener is used for watch cases with grooves；watch case opening pry is used for the watch case with a pry opening；Screwdriver is used for watch case fixed by screws；tweezer is used to remove the battery.The use range of the watch back case opener is 15-60mm, and the drill bit spacing is set by rolling the adjusting wheel to fit the groove of your watch back.
- 【Five-in-one watch screwdriver】- Five types of screwdriver bits are suitable for many situations: watch battery fixing screws, watch case screws, watchband screws, and can also be used for glasses screws. The cover at the end of the screwdriver can be opened, and the inside is hollow for storing other screwdriver bits.
- 【The purpose of the watch case holder】 - The watch case holder can be used with other tools in the kit to help fix the watch and reduce the risk of sliding and scratching the watch. It is suitable for watches of various sizes, and can be used for watches with a diameter of up to 50mm.
- Hand engraving takes a certain level of skill and time. More complex designs can eat up your days.
- There is no room for error here, as one mistake will leave you with an aesthetically ruined timepiece as well.
- Hand engraving watches can result in some rough cuts and edges that will require some smoothing over.
Machine Engraving Method
Machine engraving uses specialized laser machines, and this method has considerably grown in popularity during the past couple of years. Not only is it easy and convenient, machine engraving a timepiece ensures an excellent level of detail that will mirror the desired pattern or design. Thus, laser engraving timepieces pretty much guarantee a top-notch level of detail.
The method itself is pretty impressive as well as the machine will generate a highly focused laser to vaporize the surface of the case back. The device gets the design via a computer or smartphone to which it connects to. The laser engraving machine will scan the image and replicate the data to whichever ‘canvas’ it will be applying the design on.
Pros:
- The extreme level of accuracy and precision.
- Machine engraving results in a clean and crisp design finish.
- Completely automatic and lightning-fast process.
- 100% consistent result and is excellent for mass-producing (i.e. businesses).
Cons:
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- 【Liftable platform】The liftable platform is designed for better alignment of the punch pin and the watch link pin hole, helping you to complete the adjustment of the strap more efficiently.
- 【Multifunction】We have combined the watch link remover and strap holder into one tool, you only need this one tool to remove and install the watch link pin.Screw-on watch straps are not applicable.
- 【9PCS replacement punch needles】There are two different lengths of replacement needles in the kit. For most of the straps, you can remove the watch link pin by just using the short punch needle pin. For some very wide straps, you can use the long needle to push the watch link pin out a little further for easy removal.
- 【3PCS punch pins of different diameter】Three different diameter punches for different strap pin diameters, compatible with a wider range of watch straps.
- 【Instruction manual】The instruction manual（in English） combines pictures and text to explain to you in detail the right way to use the tool, avoiding wrong operation to damage your watch, and helping you to solve watch problems at home.
- The grooves/engraving tend to be relatively shallow.
- For engraving on more rigid materials like metal, a more powerful machine is needed.
- The lack of depth on the engraving might result in the design losing a level of detail over time.
Does Engraving a Watch Devalue It?
Engraving a watch can significantly affect the value of the watch. Sometimes it can up the resale value if for example the watch was owned by a celebrity or historical figure like the example above.
However, more often if it is a personal engraving to an unknown person it simply devalues the timepiece. As a result, most collectors do not want to purchase an engraved timepiece. However, this is not always the case, as some collectors prefer the uniqueness and sentimentality of an engraved watch.
Now, if you are planning on selling one of your timepieces but found that you had it engraved, you can use a couple of solutions. The first is to buffer away from the engraving or have it removed by a professional. The downside to this is that it will severely impact the integrity of the case back and leave it thinner and flimsier.
Another alternative for those who plan to sell their watches and personalize them with engraving is to repurchase a replacement case. Then, have the replacement case back engraved and switch back to the original once you have decided to sell the watch. This method should help retain the resale value of the timepiece in the future while also allowing you to personalize the watch.
Can You Engrave an Apple Watch?
Apple provides several customization options for the products, the Apple Watch included. You can have yours personalized by ordering from the Apple Store and looking for custom engraving options.
Also, note that engraving an Apple Watch is not recommended if the model features aluminum cases. Engraving on these models can adversely impact the anodized surface and leave it susceptible to corrosion. You should also be aware that engraving an Apple Watch can also decrease its resale value in the market.
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Pros and Cons to Watch Engraving
Watch engraving is an excellent idea for those who wish to personalize their favorite timepieces further or add something special to a watch you plan to gift to someone. If you want to commemorate something, engraving your timepiece is an excellent way of doing so. It is a perfect canvas for honoring a specific date or event, considering it is a tool that keeps time.
Why You Should Engrave Your Watch:
- A great way to commemorate a special occasion.
- Engraving a watch will give it a personal touch and add considerable sentimental value to the item.
- It is an excellent and thoughtful gift idea.
Why You Shouldn’t Engrave Your Watch:
- Engraving a timepiece will affect and decrease its resale value.
- Having a transparent case back engraved will ruin its aesthetic appeal.
Final Thoughts
Deciding on whether to have your favorite watch engraved is entirely up to you. As long as you understand that this will affect the watch’s resale value, we say go for it if you genuinely want to add a personal touch to your timepiece. Fortunately, there are ways to circumvent the decreased resale value, as we have pointed out in the article.