Since the invention of laser engraving systems, many companies falsely advertise their seal engraving as hand engraving. Though lasers do produce an acceptable seal, when placed side by side with a seal that has been hand engraved, the difference between the two is quite obvious.

Mr Archibald McIntyre( Piper to the High Council of Clan Donald Chiefs), was aware of this and required a gold 16mm x 13mm oval head seal ring, hand engraved using the old traditional tools and methods, something which we at Thomas Flack hand engravers specialise in.

Together with the artwork of Mrs Patricia Bertram (Heraldic Artist to the Lyon Court), with added references by accomplished artist Dilys McIntyre , we were to seal engrave the 'McIntyre' achievement onto his ring. Scottish heraldic law defined that we were to keep to the exact blazoning.

An initial sketch of how the Coat of Arms will 'sit' on the ring is produced from the painting by Mrs Bertram. The design is then drawn onto the ring table and then scribed in order that the hand can move freely without erasing the drawn design. When seal engraving a ring , the design is engraved in the negative in order that the sealing wax impression taken of the design is in the positive. Various carving tools called 'gravers' are used to achieve the varying depths required to 'sculpt' the design onto the ring. At various stages of the engraving we use childs plasticine to take an impression of the seal in order to see how the seal is progressing.

Once happy that the seal is complete a wax impression is taken of the seal and the ring is highly polished ready for delivery to our customer.

The slideshow above shows the various stages of engraving Mr McIntyres seal ring.

''This is just to repeat how absolutely delighted both Dilys and I are by the superb seal-engraving on my ring. We cannot believe it could be executed any better than it is. I repeat that you may use any photos of it and the impression in any way you like if you feel it will help show the excellence of your work.

One of the things that completely amazed everyone when they were looking at the detail, was that scarcely visible to the naked eye they are so small, but clearly visible under a magnifying glass are the rivets down the centre of the helmet, and the cross shaped breathing slit with round-holed ends on the helmet.

March 2006