Inside or outside engraving: which should you choose?

What is the difference between inside and outside engraving?

Inside engraving is cut on the inner surface of the band, against your skin. Nobody reads it unless you take the ring off and show them, which is why it is where people put the private things: a date, initials or a phrase that only the two of you understand.

Outside engraving is cut on the face of the band and becomes part of how the ring looks. It is meant to be seen. On our rings it is a design in its own right, made for the words it carries.

Which lasts longer?

Inside. The inner surface barely touches anything except your finger, so an inside engraving stays crisp for decades. The outside of a ring takes every knock, so outside engraving is cut to suit it: our raised Roman numeral rings engrave away the ground around each numeral, so everyday wear touches the bright metal of the numerals first.

What can go on the outside?

On our rings, outside engraving comes as designs made for it. Your date in Roman numerals, raised in bright metal on titanium or black zirconium, repeated beside a coloured groove, or with your own words on a second row. Your two names around the band, joined by one line. A Latin phrase outside with its English meaning inside. A fingerprint cut around the band.

Each of these is chosen on its ring's page, where you give us the date, names or phrase when you order.

Roman numeral rings: Your date around the outside of the band.

Linked names: Your two names around the band, joined by one line.

Latin phrase: A Latin phrase outside, its English meaning inside.

Roman numeral date converter: Your date in Roman numerals, the way it goes on a ring.

Latin phrases for a wedding ring: Meanings, sources and how many characters each one takes.

Roman numeral wedding rings: What they mean, which date to choose and the styles to pick from.

What the patterns on wedding rings mean: Tree of life, Greek key, koi, Morse code and more.

Does engraving cost extra?

Inside engraving is free on every ring that offers it: type up to 30 characters in the engraving box on the ring's page. The outside designs are priced as rings, with the personalisation included.

Can an engraved ring be returned?

Not for a change of mind, inside or outside, because the ring is personalised and cannot be sold to anyone else. A fault is always covered. If you are unsure, order the ring plain: the full returns window applies. A plain ring can often be engraved later.

Returns: What can come back and what cannot.

Can you have both?

Yes, on most of the outside designs. The Roman numeral, linked names and fingerprint rings all still take our free inside engraving, so the date can go outside and a few words inside. The Latin phrase ring is the exception: its inside carries the English meaning.

Before you order, see the inside words on the ring itself with our free engraving picture.

See your engraving: A picture of the ring with your words inside, free.

Personalised wedding ring ideas: Names, dates, phrases and fingerprints, inside and out.