Journal

Engravers Guild of London is delighted to launch its Personalised Hip Flasks Collection.

Intended to be a perfect memento for a special occasion, each hip flask has been designed to showcase the personalised element within a range of classic styles.

Opening the collection is the simple 6 ounce brushed stainless steel engraved hip flask. With a levered cap and chrome arm detail, it is the default choice for many when giving a gift. The large open face also allows for the greatest option in engraved message, offering up to four lines of text.

Having a large engraving area, the brushed stainless steel is also the most popular choice for engraving crests, logos and images. Should you have particular artwork that you would like engraving, do get in touch via our Contacts page, and one of our consultants will be in touch with you shortly.

The hip flasks with leather-effect wrap offer an alternative option for a timeless hip flask design. Made also of stainless steel, the silver engraving plate is nicely framed by a block of colour to put the personalised message centre stage. For shorter inscriptions – of a single name or just initials – the leather hip flasks make the perfect choice.

We are proud to partner with the English Pewter Company, offering beautifully made engraved pewter hip flasks. Manufactured in Sheffield, England, they are an example of fine British manufacturing, and are ideal for extra special occasions.

As with all gifts from Engravers Guild of London, they are exquisitely engraved using the latest technology and traditional techniques. Each hip flask is inscribed with a diamond tipped machine cutter, ensure a precise and deep impression which is guaranteed to last indefinitely.

To finish every personalised gift from Engravers Guild of London, they are presented in exquisite gift packaging. The hip flasks arrive in a luxury jet black gift box, with logo emblazoned on the lid, and the bespoke gift card set inside.

We hope you enjoy our personalised hip flask collection, another category from Engravers Guild to complement our personalised cufflinks, engraved bracelets and custom necklaces.

“Your music is engraved inside us forever”, were the words uttered by Mick Jagger this week when paying his respects to the passing of Chuck Berry, the legendary guitarist who recently died at the age of 90.

The funeral for the rock figure was held yesterday afternoon, where tributes poured forth from around the world and recognition was made of his incredible contribution to music.

A letter from Sir Paul McCartney noted, “Chuck was a huge influence on me and my companions”; Bill Clinton praised the musician as a uniter; and Gene Simmons of Kiss attributed the birth of rock n’ roll to a “guy who just wanted to make people feel better”.

But it was the tribute of the Rolling Stones frontman that got us thinking here at Engravers Guild the most, and why it was his sequence of words that counted the most headlines and social media credits.

Flicking through the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, it’s evident that the concept of ‘engraving’ is one which has been successfully used time and again to evoke a permanence of sentiment and emotion.

One of the oldest quotes dates to Pericles, describing ‘legacy’ as “not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others”.

Pope John Paul II spoke of how the “rule of law is engraved in the hearts of men and women”. And Theodore William Richards, the pioneering scientist, described how the origin of the universe is “engraved in the atomic weights”.

Indeed it’s clear that the imagery of engraving resonates with something much more than the simple act of marking an item. It is the indelibility, the endurability, and lasting nature of an engraving which people are drawn to.

Speaking to many of our customers, we know that the engraved cufflinks, personalised necklaces and other engraved gifts they buy are intended to last a lifetime – even for the next generation.

So we’re pleased that Mick Jagger was able to call upon the imagery of engraving, to do justice to the musical legacy that the late rocker has left us.

With the world’s most famous golf tournament fast approaching, the Masters, the highest ranked players are busy finalising their preparation for the biggest sporting stage of their careers.

For some, though, spending time on the driving range is not enough, and they’re looking for what can give them an added edge beyond their swing technique.

Renowned for being a sport for the mind as much for the body, one golfer has taken particular preparation… for which Engravers Guild entirely approves.

Bernd Wiesberger, the Austrian golfer, has had the initials of past Masters champions engraved onto the head of his wedge club to give him that extra inspiration.

As well as the familiar suspects of of Tiger Woods (TW) and Phil Mickelson (PM), we’re most pleased to see our best golfing export referenced on the club, Nick Faldo (NF).

In the hope that an engraving will lift his mental state of mind, we here at Engravers Guild thought we would also do our own bit for the players, noting our favourite golfing quotes:

1 “Success in golf depends less on strength of body than upon strength of mind.” (Arnold Palmer)

2 “The mind is your greatest weapon, it’s the greatest club in your bag.” (Steve Elkington)

3 “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five and a half inch course… the space between your ears.” (Bobby Jones)

Should any of the players want any of these famous captions inscribed upon their clubs, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

In the meantime, for those of us not lucky enough to be gracing the greens of Augusta any time soon, there is still always a place for more inspiration in life elsewhere.

Some of the best engravings we have made are the ones that cause the recipient to think and be mindful of. Whether that’s standing at the altar, about to take an exam, or retiring from a career.

Should these moments need to be marked in any way, then do remember there are personalised cufflinks, engraved necklaces and other personalised gifts which always do the job well.

St Patrick may be the patron saint of Ireland, but the Irish migration the world over has made it a truly global affair.

With the countrymen known for their kindness of spirit and love of a tipple, the ‘Day of the Irish’ is a byword for a great party – and an opportunity for all to proudly flaunt their Irish connections.

Such is the draw in the United States that almost every President in memory has been keen to embrace their Irish heritage.

From Kennedy and Nixon to Reagan and Clinton, leaders of the free world have been making a habit of enjoying a welcome on the green isle.

And no bigger welcome was there than for President Obama. Visiting in 2011, he paid a trip to his ancestral home in Moneygall, Co Offaly… and the good relations have been flowing ever since.

As is often the case, Irish representatives have been flying to America on St Patrick’s Day to pass on the good wishes of the people to the US President.

But the resident of the Oval Office got something a little more special in his final year in office.

To mark the tie between the two countries, one of the gifts acting Taosieach Enda Kenny gave to President Obama was a pair of personalised sterling silver cufflinks.

During the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Irish Government selected a pair of cufflinks from the National Museum of Ireland collection which was then presented to Barack Obama.

The cufflinks were made by a casting process which were then hand finished and hand polished using traditional methods of silver and gold-smithing, before being hallmarked in Dublin Castle.

The jeweller commissioned for the job, Declan Killen, said:

“The museum rang me saying that they were taking a pair over to the White House for St Patrick’s Day and I believe Enda Kenny brought them over to President Obama. It is just fantastic.”

On Oscars night, the whole world hankers to see the most famous faces on the planet.

Every paparazzi wants to see the Hollywood stars, every journalist wants to interview the leading ladies, and every fan wants to follow their favourite celebrity.

But, for every nominee on the night, there is only one person they all want to see… the engraver.

For if the producers, actors, directors and composers get to see the engraver, then it only means one thing… that they’ve won the prestigious gold award.

Straight after the ceremony in the Kodak Theatre, all of the biggest names in Hollywood who have received a prize make their way straight to the Governor’s Ball to have their names etched on the miniature statuettes.

Celebrities may be accustomed to going straight to the front of a queue, but there is no VIP priority to see the engraver in a room where every person is an A-lister.

So the only man for whom all other men (and women) must wait on Oscars night, is the engraver.

Indeed, he is at the epicentre of the world’s media attention – more than perhaps any other person.

Over a million photographs are taken at the Governor’s ball, all trying to capture the moment on a famous face as they are presented with the award all over again, but this time with the special addition of their name engraved permanently on their trophy.

But while each celebrity must wait for their turn in the limelight, the engraver never leaves it.

He’s been in thousands of photographs, graced the the cover of the LA Times on three occasions in full colour, and last year featured in a video that went viral with Leonardo DiCaprio.

For all that attention, though, he is never named – just captioned as “engraver”.

So we’re delighted therefore to finally give one of the most important people on Oscars night the recognition that he deserves. Here’s to Alex Yust, the man who brings to life the dreams of some of the most famous people that live.

And, just as we’re pleased to give Alex that namecheck, we’d also like to thank our engravers at Engravers Guild, who give no less attention to their craft when finishing our personalised sterling silver cufflinks, engraved necklaces and personalised perfumes.

In the latest of our series of blogs about world leaders and their cufflinks, we turn this week to the venerable ex Prime Minister, David Cameron.

Sartorially known for his reserved navy suits in London and his reserved navy swimming shorts in Tenerife, it seems he also had a soft spot for the favourite of men’s accessories – personalised silver cufflinks.

According to rules for members of the British government, all gifts received when in office must be publicly recorded and transfer to the property of the state if more than £140.

The caveat is that the individuals can reclaim the gifts if they pay for the estimated value of them.

So it was interesting to see which items Dave decided to cough up for when he unceremoniously left Number 10 Downing Street last year.

From the impressive array of swanky gifts proffered by Presidents, Sultans, Tzars, Sheiks, Kings and Queens, it seems there was only one which really took Mr Cameron’s fancy.

A pair of customised cufflinks believed to include the initials ‘DC’ is all that was kept from the swag bag of international gifts, requiring the former PM to stump up £150.

Downing Street confirmed the smart gift was given to Mr Cameron by a member of the public, but refused to give any other details as to whom the mystery donor might be.

Here at Engravers Guild, we can understand why it was this gift above all others that our former Prime Minister decided to keep.

A pair of personalised cufflinks is a special gift, being unique to the receiver, saying something of the giver, and holding lasting value.

We would like to say that it was indeed us who gifted these special cufflinks anonymously, but alas not.

Should Theresa May ever go needing for a pair, though, then we would be happy to oblige – as we are for all people who want to give something for that special occasion.

As Barack Obama stepped out in Manhattan yesterday, he was greeted by hundreds of well wishers with applause.

Putting your hands together is one way of showing your appreciation for the statesman, though the family of Muhammed Ali also found another way.

After the death of the boxing champion, members of his family gifted the fighter’s cufflinks to the former President at the first ever Eid celebration at the White House.

With both men taking leading roles in black (not to mention global) history, the cufflinks represented a bond between the two figures.

Ali’s wife, Lonnie, and six of their children proudly looked on as the exchange took place and Obama made the statement:

“Like everyone else on the planet, Michelle and I mourn his passing.

“But we’re also grateful to God for how fortunate we are to have known him, if just for a while; for how fortunate we all are that The Greatest chose to grace our time.

“As proud of his blackness as he was of his faith, the Champ taught us that the most important thing in life is to be ourselves.”

The President, who kept a pair of Ali’s gloves on display in his White House study, also paid homage to the boxer and outspoken civil rights advocate immediately after his death in June 2016.

Sterling silver cufflinks have a long history of connecting shirt cuffs, but they have an equally proud history of fastening much more than just men’s clothes.

On the Prime Minister’s recent trip to visit the new President, Melania Trump gifted Theresa May’s husband, Philip, a pair of personalised sterling silver cufflinks.

The present is the latest in an extensive line of exchanges with world leaders where cufflinks have been selected to grow stronger ties.

When Prince Charles and Camilla visited America last March, President Barack Obama gave the Prince a pair of cufflinks and a pen.

And the British government gave those who attended the 2014 NATO gathering in Wales a £600 package that the State Department described as including “cufflinks of the Celtic Manor Resort”.

But it is not just the US and UK governments that are predisposed to gifting cufflinks.

One of the most prestigious presents received by the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, is noted as being a set of gold and diamond studded cufflinks valued at almost £1,000.

More recently, the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau was also the proud recipient of a pair of personalised cufflinks from the Belize High Commissioner with his native of coat-of-arms.

While not all of us are forging new international cooperation, we do all care about the relationships with those who are close to us.

Whether it be an anniversary, a wedding, a birthday or a special achievement, there are few better ways to mark it than with a pair of engraved silver cufflinks.

Although anonymity is of real consequence when operating in the espionage line of work, even undercover agents need a little individuality for when the occasion requires.

The UK’s most notable secret operative has such confidence in his code name that he throws caution to the wind in his latest outing as 007, displaying his personal style on his sleeve.

As an enduring benchmark for men’s dress, James Bond’s wardrobe in ‘Spectre’ pays homage to the importance of the engraved sterling silver cufflink in fashion.

Complementing his trademark dinner suit on the Moroccan train ride, Daniel Craig this time wears his style on his sleeve with a pair of silver cufflinks monogrammed with his initials.

The oval, pale grey mother-of-pearl cufflinks let the personalisation take centre stage and feature the ‘JB’ letters as the showpiece of the fasteners.

Designed by Jany Temime and made by Tom Ford, four pairs of these cufflinks were made for Bond in the latest Hollywood film – three pairs being held in the EON archive now, and one pair put up for auction.

As part of a charity initiative for Médecins Sans Frontières, Christie’s Auction House hosted an online sale and featured the cufflinks with an asking price of £2,000 – £3,000.

Auctioned in 2016, the chance to own a piece of James Bond memorabilia has long gone. Who bought them – we do not know. Perhaps… the new owner values their anonymity more than the secret agent himself.

Amid today’s shifting sands of politics it can be difficult to know where international relations lie, where multi lateral diplomacy survives and new bilateral understandings emerge.

Useful it is then that an engraving always speaks true. Old legal documents are being torn up, cyber warfare is eradicating swathes of written communication… but a solid engraving does not diminish.

As engraved gifts go, some are more notable than others – and the engraved quaich (an ancient two-handled Scottish cup) given by British Prime Minister Theresa May to American President Donald Trump is perhaps the most notable personalised gift this year to date.

The engraved gift signifies trust and friendship and is intended to reflect the US President’s Scottish ancestry, as the son of Mary Anne MacLeod from the Isle of Lewis.

It’s good to know that the ‘Special Relationship’ is still front of mind, with nothing more appropriate to preserve the lasting connection than a personalised quaich.

“Originating in the Highlands, where clan chiefs prized them as a token of hospitality, they have been used across Scotland for centuries as a cup of friendship,” said Number 10.

“Today it is rarely used as a drinking vessel, but rather it is a symbol of welcome and kinship. Its two handles signify trust, both on the part of the giver and the receiver.

“Tracing its origins to the distant past of Highland chivalry, the quaich is today a timeless reminder of the enduring Scottish values of friendship and hospitality.”

At Engravers Guild, we unfortunately don’t offer any personalised quaiches in our collection.

However, if you do want to lay down bonds of friendship or love with presidents, prime ministers, chancellors or mothers-in-law, then look no further than our engraved cufflinks, personalised perfumes, bespoke jewellery or any other ranges on our site which will help you in your task.