At Elegant
Medical Alert, we offer two types of engraving for medical ID jewelry:
Traditional Etched-In Engraving and Premium Laser Engraving. So what is the
difference between these two types of engraving styles? We will explain this in
our blog article.
Traditional Engraving vs. Laser
Engraving
Traditional
Etched-In Engraving is engraving that has been done for centuries with simple
tools. With modern technology we now can etch text into your bracelet or
necklace with a diamond rotary tool. With this method the text is usually the
same color as the metal that is engraved. However, if an item is plated with a
different color metal, the engraved text may expose a second color and the text
will stand out more. For instance, a black plated dog tag may expose the silver
color of the stainless steel base metal. In this case, the text will show up as
silver on a black tag.
For greater
visibility, we offer Premium Laser Engraving. This process uses lasers to burn
the text into or onto the metal. For silver or light tone items, the text will
be a dark gray color or black. For black or darker tone items, the text will be
a light gray color or white. Many people prefer the classic look of etched-in
engraving for high end silver and gold items.
Which Engraving is better?
So which is
the best type of engraving for your medical ID jewelry? While there are pros
and cons for both, in general, Premium Laser Engraving is the better choice for
Medical IDs. This is because it is easier to read. Most important, time is always
a necessity during an emergency.
Because it is
more expensive to run the laser machines, Traditional Engraving is less costly.
So if you are on a tight budget you can choose Traditional Engraving. While the
text may not stand out as much as a laser engraved item, paramedics are trained
to look for the text once they see the medical ID symbol.
Which Engraving lasts longer?
There is no
straight answer as to which type of engraving lasts longer. The durability of
engraving depends more on the type of metal the text is engraved on and the
environment in which it is worn. While there are soft metals and hard metals,
the environment that the bracelet or necklace is worn in can determine how many
years before the engraving may begin to fade or become difficult to read. If
you play a lot of sports, it’s likely your medical ID may get scratched. Also, if
you live on a coast near the beach, the saltwater can react with your jewelry
differently than if you lived inland.
