Engraved Lockets

Engraved locket or engravable locket: what is the difference?

People use both phrases for slightly different things. An engraved locket often has a pattern already worked into the metal, like the vintage flower lockets or the carved floral hearts, and it looks finished before anything personal is added. An engravable locket is the blank canvas: a smooth front or back, or a separate name plate, that waits for your own words. Many designs here combine both, with an engraved pattern on the front and a back that we engrave for you. The table shows what each style offers:

Lockets come in silver-tone and gold-tone, some also in rose gold tone or black. The metal and the exact engraving options differ from locket to locket, so the product page is the place to check what can be engraved, where and in which fonts.

What to engrave on a locket

Small surfaces reward short words. Initials, a first name, a date written in numbers or a two- or three-word phrase usually sit more clearly on a locket than a long sentence. Popular choices include a wedding date with both sets of initials, a baby's name and birth date, a nickname only the family uses, or a short line such as "always with you" for a memorial locket. Before you place the order, read the engraving text through once more, letter by letter, because engraving is permanent and is made exactly as typed.

A locket that holds words instead of photos

The engraved book locket is a little different from the rest of the collection. Shaped like a miniature notebook, it carries your own engraved messages rather than photographs. It suits anyone who treasures words: a letter-writing grandparent, a teacher, a friend who loves books, or a partner whose favourite line you want to keep close. If you prefer a book that holds pictures, the mother of pearl book photo locket opens to show two photos.

Engraved lockets for men

Lockets are not only for her. Our men's designs take the form of dog tags and a dark oval pendant with an engraved mountain, each opening to hold two pictures. The outside carries a name, initials or one of a range of engraved designs, so the locket reads like a classic tag while the photos stay private. They are often chosen as a gift for dad with pictures of his children, or for a partner who wants to carry family photos without showing them. More gifts for him are in our Men's Jewellery.

Engraved photo locket rings

A locket ring keeps a photo on your hand. The heart and oval photo locket rings each pair a picture with a birthstone and are engraved with a name, and both are adjustable in a gold-tone finish. They are a discreet way to wear a loved one's face every day. For rings that carry names, dates or messages without a photo, see our Engraved Rings for Her.

How your photos and engraving are added

When you order, you upload your photos and type the words you want engraved. Our workshop prints the pictures to fit the locket, places them inside and engraves your text before the piece is packed. Because the photos are fitted during making, they are not designed to be replaced at home later, so pick images you will want to look at for years. The inside of a locket is small, which favours a single face or two heads close together over a landscape or a crowded scene.

Choosing a locket shape

The shape sets the mood before anyone sees the photos. Ovals and rounds feel classic and suit vintage floral engraving. A camera locket makes a fitting gift for a photographer, the envelope locket carries the idea of a love letter, and the enamel starburst square adds colour. If the heart is your shape, our Heart Lockets gather every heart design in one place, and for lockets without engraving as well as with it, browse the full range of Personalised Photo Locket Necklaces. Pendants engraved with names or messages that do not open are in our Engraved Necklaces.

Frequently asked questions

Can I engrave both the front and the back?

It depends on the locket. Many designs have a decorative engraved front and a back for your own text, while others take your engraving on a name plate, and the locket rings are engraved with a name. The options for each locket are listed on its product page.

Can I change the photos later?

No. The photos are printed and fitted by our workshop when the locket is made, and they are not designed to be swapped at home.

How long do making and delivery take?

Every engraved locket is personalised after you order. Current making and delivery times are shown on our Delivery & Shipping page.

Can I return an engraved locket?

Engraved lockets are made specifically for you. Because of that, the usual return rules work differently for personalised pieces; the details, including what we do if a locket arrives damaged or faulty, are on our Return & Exchange page.