Engraving turns jewellery and gifts into something clearly meant for one person. Instead of guessing what works, this guide uses real engraving data from hundreds of Sayers London orders across lockets, gold charms, cufflinks, St Christophers, pendants, tankards, quaichs, glassware, tie slides, money clips and hip flasks.
Short, personal engravings dominate the data: initials, names, dates and simple “love you” style messages.
Below you’ll see what people actually engrave, how long typical engravings are, and examples you can copy directly onto any engravable Sayers London piece.
How We Looked at the Data
The analysis below is based on recent engraving orders. Each engraving was given a category such as “Initials (single person)”, “Love/Romantic Message”, “Date (numeric)” and so on. We then calculated lengths, common words, popular phrases and sentiment (romantic, family, memorial, etc.).
- Total engravings analysed: c. 900
- Average length: 8 characters
- Median length: 5 characters
- Most common category: initials for a single person
Distribution of engraving types across Sayers London orders.
What People Engrave Most Often
First, a look at the big picture. If we group all engravings into four broad types, this is what you get:
- Initials & monograms (single or couple): the largest category by some distance
- Names: full names or first names, sometimes several together
- Dates: numeric, written out, or in Roman numerals
- Messages: love notes, birthday lines, memorial phrases, short quotes
If someone is unsure what to engrave, initials, a first name or a key date are the most common choices by far.
These four types appear across nearly every product: initials on cufflinks, dates on money clips, short messages on tankards and quaichs, and combinations of all three on hip flasks, pendants and lockets.
How Long Engravings Really Are
There’s a limit to what fits cleanly on a cufflink or a St Christopher pendant. The data backs that up:
- Average engraving: 8 characters
- Initials (single person): typically 2–3 characters
- Love / romantic messages: around 18 characters on average
- Birthday and memorial messages: often 20+ characters, usually on larger items like tankards or glassware
Average number of characters by engraving category.
Most engravings are under 20 characters. Shorter text reads better on curved flasks, small charms, lockets and cufflinks.
The Words That Appear Most Often
The language people use is surprisingly consistent. Across all messages, the most common words were:
- love (103 times)
- always
- happy
- mum and dad
- forever
- grandad, nanny, nan
- safe
Most frequent words in engraved messages.
Looking at phrases rather than single words, these come up again and again:
- “love you”
- “i love you”
- “love you always”
- “love you forever”
- “love mum” / “mum dad”
- “we love you”
- “happy birthday”
- “stay safe”
Most common two-word phrases in engravings.
From hip flasks and tankards to lockets and St Christophers, most longer engravings boil down to a short “love you” message and a sign-off.
Romantic, Family and Memorial Messages
We also grouped engravings by sentiment:
- Romantic / love: 188 engravings (about one in five)
- Family focused: 76 engravings (Mum, Dad, Nan, Grandad, etc.)
- Memorial / remembrance: 6 engravings
Sentiment breakdown across engraved messages.
Typical Romantic and Family Engravings
Examples drawn directly from the data:
- “I love you”
- “Love you always”
- “Love you forever”
- “We love you”
- “To the moon and back”
- “Lots of love”
- “Stay safe”
- “Love Mum & Dad xx”
- “Love Nan & Grandad”
These phrases appear across nearly every product category: hip flasks for partners, lockets for children or grandchildren, tankards and glassware for milestone birthdays, money clips and tie slides for big career moments.
Dates: The Second Most Reliable Choice
Dates are another strong theme, especially on pendants, St Christophers, money clips and the reverse of cufflinks:
- Total date engravings: 136
- Numeric dates: 123
- Written dates: 7
- Roman numeral dates: 6
Numeric Date Examples
- “15/08/2022”
- “28.04.2024”
- “15.03.24”
Written Date Examples
- “8th June 1974”
- “6th September 2023”
- “9th Sept 2023”
Roman Numeral Date Examples
- “XXIX.VI.XXIV”
- “XVI·VIII·XXIII”
- “XXV.X.MMXXIV”
Numeric dates are the default. Written dates feel more traditional on silverware; Roman numerals work well when you want something more discreet.
Latin Mottos and Short Phrases
A smaller group of customers choose Latin or motto-style engravings. These suit pendants, St Christophers, tankards, quaichs and the rear of money clips or tie slides.
- AMOR FATI — “love of fate”. Often chosen by customers who like stoic philosophy; works well on pendants and tankards.
- MEMENTO MORI — “remember you will die”. A reminder to live fully; suits more personal pieces like lockets and pendants.
- SEMPER FI — short for “Semper Fidelis”, “always faithful”. Common in military contexts; often engraved on tankards, glassware or money clips.
- OMNIA VINCIT AMOR — “love conquers all”. A good choice for wedding or anniversary gifts on hip flasks, charms or pendants.
Latin phrases are rare compared to simple “love you” messages, but they stand out and work best on slightly larger surfaces like tankards, quaichs and pendants.
What Works Best on Each Type of Sayers London Product
Because we have so many different engravable pieces, it helps to match engraving styles to the space and shape available.
| Product Type | Best Suited Engravings | Typical Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Cufflinks & Tie Slides | Initials, monograms, very short names | “JH”, “AJS”, single initial or a two-letter monogram. |
| Lockets & Gold Charms | Names, initials, tiny messages, dates | “Ella”, “M & J”, “Love Mum x”, a child’s birth date. |
| St Christophers & Pendants | “Stay safe”, Latin mottos, names + dates | “Stay safe – Mum & Dad”, “AMOR FATI”, “George 28.04.24”. |
| Hip Flasks | Names, initials, dates, short love or wedding messages | “Tom – Best Man – 01.06.2024”, “I love you”, “To the moon and back”. |
| Tankards & Quaichs | Longer messages, toasts, Latin phrases | “Happy 60th Birthday Dave – All my love, Julie xx”, “Semper Fi”, “Omnia vincit amor”. |
| Glassware | Names, short quotes, important dates | “James – 21st”, “Seize the day”, “50 Golden Years”. |
| Money Clips | Initials, monograms, discrete dates | “RJB”, wedding date in numerals, or a short motto. |
Simple Templates You Can Copy
For Partners
- “I love you”
- “Love you always”
- “To the moon and back”
- “Love you forever – [Initials]”
For Family
- “Love Mum & Dad xx”
- “Lots of love, Mum”
- “Stay safe – Love Dad”
- “Love Nan & Grandad”
For Birthdays & Milestones
- “Happy 18th”
- “Happy 21st – Love Mum & Dad”
- “50 Golden Years”
- “[Name] – [Date]”
For Something More Unusual
- “AMOR FATI” – love of fate
- “MEMENTO MORI” – remember you will die
- “SEMPER FI” – always faithful
- “OMNIA VINCIT AMOR” – love conquers all
Between initials, names, dates and a handful of proven phrases, you can cover almost every engraving request without overcomplicating it.
Under-represented Engravings We Liked
Most engravings fall into the usual groups of initials, names, dates and “love you” messages, but a small number stood out because they were completely different in tone. They’re rare in the data, yet they work extremely well in the right context.
Athletic and Running Mementos
Engraving isn’t only for weddings and birthdays. One example we liked was a simple record of a race, engraved as:
NAME:PETER SMITH RACE No:263
This kind of engraving turns a hip flask, tankard or money clip into a permanent race memento. It would work just as well for marathons, triathlons, open-water swims or cycling events.
More… Alternative Styles
A handful of engravings take a very direct approach. Our favourite example had a mix of blunt encouragement and obvious family support:
F***ING SEND IT. LOVE FAMILY
This style won’t suit every recipient (or every product), but on the right piece — for example a stainless steel hip flask or a tankard given before a big event — it’s hard to imagine the message being misunderstood.
Engraving Designs, Not Just Text
Not all engraving has to be words. Many Sayers London pieces have enough space for simple line-based designs that carry just as much meaning as a phrase.
Family Crests & Coats of Arms
On larger flat surfaces — such as tankards, quaichs, some pendants and money clips — a family crest or coat of arms can be engraved as a central feature, with initials or a date added underneath. This works particularly well on sterling silver and pewter where fine detail shows clearly.
Fingerprints
Fingerprints are a discreet way to create a highly personal keepsake. They are best suited to:
- Lockets and pendants
- Flat charms
- Reverse sides of St Christophers
The print becomes the design itself, with perhaps a name or date added on the reverse if space allows.
Logos & Symbols
For corporate gifts, clubs or teams, a simple logo or emblem can replace or sit alongside text. Good candidates include:
- Company logo on money clips, tie slides or cufflinks
- Club or team emblem on tankards, quaichs or glassware
- Small symbols (hearts, anchors, crosses, stars) paired with initials on charms and pendants
Logos and symbols work best when they are kept bold and uncomplicated, so the engraving stays sharp and legible over time.
Where to Go Next
Once you’ve chosen the engraving, the next step is picking the right piece:
- Hip Flasks
- Cufflinks & Tie Slides
- Lockets
- St Christopher Pendants
- Tankards & Quaichs
- Engraved Glassware
- Money Clips & Tie Slides
Use the data above as a shortcut. If you are stuck, initials plus a meaningful date is almost always the right answer.