Short answer: laser engraving marks silver with a focused beam of light. There is no ink and no stamp: the beam changes a very thin layer of the surface, so the name, date or photo becomes part of the metal. At Loretana every piece is engraved in Lithuania and leaves us within 48 hours.
Most people only see the result: a name on a pendant, a date inside a bracelet bar. Here is what happens before that, and why engraving silver well takes more care than engraving steel.
What a fibre laser does to silver
A fibre laser sends short pulses of light through a lens that focuses them to a spot a few hundredths of a millimetre wide. Where the spot lands, the surface heats for a fraction of a second and changes its texture and colour. The machine moves that spot line by line, like a very fine pen, until the letters or the picture are filled in. Nothing is printed on top, so there is nothing to peel or wash off.
Why silver is harder to engrave than steel
Silver conducts heat better than any other metal, about 429 W/m·K. Stainless steel conducts roughly 16. On steel the heat stays where the beam hits, so marking is easy. On silver the heat spreads into the cold metal around it almost instantly. That is why engraving settings that work on steel leave faint, patchy marks on silver, and why we tested our settings on real 925 silver pieces before engraving a single order.
Why we engrave in two crossed passes
Letters and images are filled with parallel lines. If all the lines run in one direction, they reflect light in one direction too, and the engraving looks lighter or darker as you tilt the piece. We fill every mark twice, once at 0° and once at 90°. The crossed lines scatter light evenly, so the engraving keeps the same soft grey from every angle.
Why hairline symbols disappear, and what we do about it
A single thin line, like the outline of a small heart, is only as wide as the laser spot. On silver, the metal around it absorbs the heat before a visible mark can form, so the line simply does not appear. We learned this on a real order. Now every symbol is drawn as a narrow band with real width before it is engraved. The shape stays the same, an outline heart stays an outline heart, but it becomes visible on silver.
Text, symbols or a photo: what fits where
- Photos can be engraved on the round, square and heart pendants, for example the photo engraved heart necklace.
- Rings and bracelets take text and symbols, such as a name on the curved bar bracelet.
- Length: up to 15 characters, depending on the piece, in one of 25 fonts.
- Gold-plated pieces: on 14K gold-plated silver the engraving shows as a dark mark against the gold.
Before you order, the live preview on the product page shows your text or photo on the piece. If you are still choosing the words, our guide on what to engrave on silver jewellery can help.
From your preview to your door
You type your text or upload your photo and check the preview. We engrave the piece in Lithuania and send it with Omniva within 48 hours. Delivery takes 1–3 business days in Lithuania, 2–3 in Latvia and 2–4 in Estonia, and it is free over 50 EUR. Every piece is 925 sterling silver, hallmarked by Lietuvos prabavimo rūmai.
See all pieces you can personalise in our engravable jewellery collection, or start with our best seller, the engraved coin necklace.
Frequently asked questions
Is laser engraving on silver permanent?
Yes. The mark is a change in the surface of the metal itself, not ink or paint, so it does not wash off or fade the way print does.
Can you engrave a photo on a ring or bracelet?
No. Photos need a wider flat surface, so we engrave them only on the round, square and heart pendants. Rings and bracelets take text and symbols.
How long does engraving take?
Engraved pieces leave us within 48 hours of your order, then Omniva delivers in 1–4 business days depending on the country.
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