Author Jeri K. Augustus / Category Signature Jewelry. Last Updated: September 3, 2024
Reviewed by John Conor. Reading time 11 mins.
Table Of Contents
Key Insights
- Signature jewelry is a unique way to remember your loved one.
- Available in various forms like pendants, rings, bracelets, it allows you to choose what you love AND what works for your lifestyle.
- Signature jewelry can also be personalized in a variety of other ways to reflect memories you have of the deceased such as with a birthstone, text and fingerprints.
Introduction
There are many ways in which we connect with our loved ones. Photographs that bring a smile to our face, a unique laugh, a crooked smile or goofy grin. And a signature.
Signatures are defining parts of whom we are as individuals. A signature is a sign of trust1 - think about any legal document and how your signature is required in order to make that document binding.
Our signatures are a form of our identity2. You can look back to 3000 BC when early cultures used pictures and symbols as a representation of the identity of the creator.
Signatures also add value and/or authenticity3. Think about how an artist will sign their work or the autographs of celebrities and sports figures.
How many of us have saved greeting cards or letters from loved ones and seeing that signature brings back a flood of memories? As identifying as our fingerprints, signatures help us establish a timeline of our lives.
So why choose Jewelry Keepsakes with such a precious memory?
Our Experience & Expertise
Jewelery Keepsakes has been a part of the jewelry industry since 2005. Our team of professionals has a combined experience of over 85 years in the business.
We have handcrafted over 3000 pendants, rings and bracelets. And we wear what we make! We test what works and what needs to be improved with our jewelry by wearing our creations.
We have continually invested in new and modern equipment. Our process involves the use of powerful lasers that allow us to precision cut. Jewelry Keepsakes pioneered this process and the accuracy of the signature engraving is second to none.
We also created our own system to edit signatures. We use advanced software and editing and this allows for an exact replica of signatures, sentiments, and handwritten words.
Authority
Jewelry Keepsakes was one of the first companies to offer memorial jewelry for sale online. We have served over 80,000 families since 2005 and sold over 100,000 pieces of memorial jewelry. And we offer jewelry ONLY - no urns or other memorial products.
Quality & Trust
And we are as passionate about the families we help as we are our customers. Customer satisfaction is our number one goal at Jewelry Keepsakes. We have maintained an excellent standing and are BBB accredited. We have hundreds of customer reviews on our site as well as Facebook, Etsy, and Google. This reviews communicate our passion for our products and the level of customer service we provide.
What Is Signature Jewelry?
Signature jewelry is a handcrafted piece of jewelry that is marked with your loved one’s specific handwriting and personal signature. The handwriting is edited and traced by hand when necessary to bring out the individuality of your loved one's penmanship.
Signed jewelry is a touching way to remember a loved one that has passed on. It can be combined with a photo or a fingerprint and provides you with a visual reminder of their life.
My Experience
We lost my dad in 2018. He was a finish carpenter and was very proud of his initials - RKVH. His initials were a vital part of my dad, a part of his business and absolutely an indentifying factor. As a birthday gift for my youngest son when he turned 18, my mom gifted him a dog tag with his Papa's fingerprint on the front and his initials engraved on the back. Rarely do you see him without it almost 6 years later.
Signature jewelry is also a great gift to share with a spouse or significant other. The jewelry can be gifted to celebrate a life event, an anniversary, etc. and provides a way to have a reminder of the person you cherish most.
My Experience
One of my favorite customer stories of all time is a couple that was getting married in late winter of 2024. They ordered two solid white gold dog tags. The front of each dog tag had the other's fingerprint engraved. Both the bride and groom had written "I love you" on a piece of paper. The bride's version went on the back of the groom's dog tag and vice versa.
Jewelry that hosts someone's penmanship can also be used to pay tribute to a special day or celebration. Think Mother's Day with a child's handwritten name or brief message to mom. It's personal and special and completely unique to the relationship of mom and child.
My Experience
One of my best friends passed away from brain cancer back in February of 2022. On the back of his memorial card handed out at the service, on the very bottom, were the words NEVER QUIT in Mark's handwriting. His son, Hunter, wears a solid gold circle shaped pendant, and you guessed it, on the back is engraved those same words in his dad's handwriting.
Types Of Signature Jewelry?
There are a variety of styles and types of signature and handwriting jewelry. Let's take a look at what we have to offer!
PENDANTS
Many of our pendants that we offer can be engraved with a signature. You'll find every theme imaginable as well as styles for men, women and even children.
And if you see a pendant you love that doesn't offer a signature, give us a call! In most instances, we can accommodate what our customer's are wanting.
RINGS
We have a number of cremation rings, ash rings and fingerprint rings that can be engraved with a signature. Depending on the style, the engraved handwriting would be on the interior or exterior of the band.
BRACELETS
Cremation bracelets are a great way to showcase your loved one's penmanship. Certain styles such as the Resolute Bracelet can be engraved on the top of the plate. The benefit to that is that it provides an instant visual reminder.
CHALLENGE COINS
Challenge coins provide a blank canvas for your loved one's handwriting. The beauty of the coins is that it gives you a fair amount of room to do a handwritten note or phrase and two sides to do it on.
KNIVES
Kershaw knives are a super idea when it comes to adding a signature. The knives are great gifts for friends, young men or any guy that pretty much has everything.
The knives with personal penmanship make a great special occasion gift too. Groomsmen, Father's Day, commemorate a Godson, deployment, etc.
FINGERPRINT PENDANTS
Fingerprint jewelry continues to be one of the most popular options for adding handwriting. I think the highly personal nature of a fingerprint combined with the individuality of a signature makes it a go to for many families.
CREMATION JEWELRY
Cremation jewelry can typically be personalized with the signature of a loved one. Adding handwriting to cremation jewelry creates another way to remember those that have passed and serves as a visual reminder of the person.
PHOTO ENGRAVED JEWELRY
Photo engraved jewelry is a terrific gift for anyone in your life. Whether serving as a way to commemorate a special moment or to pay tribute to a loved one or pet they've lost, photo engraved pendants and keepsakes continue to be a customer favorite.
All of our photo engraved jewelry can be personalized with a signature or handwriting on the back. Certain pendants, such as the photo engraved dog tag, are ideal for a handwritten note or message due to the larger size of the pendant.
How Do I Get The Signature?
Tracking down your loved one's signature can be challenging in today's digital age. However, we have some ideas and strategies to help.
BIRTHDAY CARD
Birthday cards are a wonderful place to look for samples of handwriting from a lost loved one. Many people have collected birthday cards over the years, and these can serve as great samples of handwriting. You will most likely be able to find a copy of a signature and you may even find a heartfelt note or message penned in the handwriting of your lost loved one.
DRIVER'S LICENSE
An older driver's license may contain your loved one's signature. Although no longer a requirement in many states, drivers licenses from years past that were kept may have the signature at the bottom.
MILITARY I.D. CARD
If your loved one served in the military, you may also be able to use a military ID in order to obtain a copy of their signature. Similar to the driver’s license example listed above, modern militry ID's may not have a handwritten signature so you may have to do some searching for an older ID.
MARRIAGE LICENSE/CERTIFICATE
Marriage licenses or certificate's may inlcude a copy of your loved one's handwriting or signature. Most court houses and town clerks can help you with obtaining a copy of the license and, for a small fee, you can get a notarized copy of the license.
CANCELLED CHECKS
Despite many taking advantage of paying bills online, there are still instances where checks are written. Often times, you can see images of the check online and take a screenshot of the signature.
How Does The Process Work?
We have streamlined the process of creating signature jewelry to make it as easy as possible for our families. The steps below will lead you through the process- hassle free!
STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR JEWELRY
The first step in the process is choosing the jewelry for the signature. If you see a piece of jewelry that does not appear to offer the option of a signature, please call us at 1-877-723-7229 or send an email to sales@jewelrykeepsakes.com. We can typically add a signature on the majority of our items.
STEP 2: SEND IN A PHOTO OF THE SIGNATURE OR HANDWRITTEN MESSAGE
The next step is to send in a photo of the signature or handwritten message you would like engraved. This can be done as a photo taken with your phone, a screenshot, or even downloaded as a pdf.
STEP 3: THE PHOTO IS HAND-TRACED AND PREPARED FOR ENGRAVING
The penmanship is then traced by hand and edited to remove any paper lines or additional wording not wanted by the customer. We then format the handwriting in AI and get it prepared to be engraved on your selected jewelry.
STEP 4: THE FILE IS BUILT ON CAD2
A CAD file is a computeraided design file that contains 2D and 3D designs4. The file is sent to the laser which will then engrave the signature.
STEP 4: THE HANDWRITING IS LASER ENGRAVED ONTO THE JEWELRY
For the fourth step, the signature is actually cut onto the selected piece of jewelry.
STEP 5: THE JEWELRY IS POLISHED AND PREPARED FOR SHIPPING
The fifth and final step is to polish the jewelry and prepare for shipping.
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
This is a blank style pendant.The handwritten sigature has been engraved onto the back and is an exact replica of the image submitted.
Signature Jewelry Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have my dad’s signature engraved on a piece of jewelry?
You can have your dad’s signature engraved on a piece of jewelry! Signature jewelry items can be wonderful keepsakes to commemorate your relationship with those that are still in your life or even those that have passed away. As long as you have a sample of your dad’s handwriting, you can order a piece of signature jewelry that features his specific handwriting. These jewelry pieces can be wonderful keepsakes to take with you if you move away or have lost your dad. If you are struggling to find a sample of handwriting check out the above section explaining how to find a sample of handwriting from a loved one!
What is a unique type of jewelry?
One type of unique jewelry is a signature jewelry item. These pieces are engraved with the signature or handwriting of a loved one to commemorate your relationship with them. These pieces can be ordered in a variety of styles such as necklaces or rings, however, they showcase an extremely sentimental design.
How can I have my jewelry personalized with a signature?
As long as you have a copy of a signature or a handwritten note from a loved one, you can order a piece of personalized jewelry. All you have to do is send in a sample of this handwriting when you order a specific type of jewelry and Jewelry Keepsakes will engrave this particular handwriting onto the piece of jewelry you selected.
Does signature jewelry make a good gift?
Signature jewelry makes a wonderful gift! These jewelry pieces are personalized with the specific handwriting of someone you love, and this can help to create one of the most unique and heartfelt gifts someone can receive. These times are unforgettable and allow the wearer to feel a close connection to a loved one.
Where can I purchase a piece of personalized jewelry?
You can purchase a piece of personalized jewelry at a local jewelry store or online! Jewelry Keepsakes has an enormous online store that offers a large variety of styles that can be personalized with the signature or hand-penned message of a loved one. Try checking out one of these options if you are looking for a piece of personalized jewelry.
Conclusion
Signature jewelry items can be the perfect gift for yourself or others in your life. These personalized keepsakes can help to honor the loss of a loved one or simply commemorate some of the big milestones in your life. These items can feature the signature or heartfelt note of a loved one, and this can help create a connection between the recipient and the giver of the item.
Works cited:
- "The eContract Bulletin #1: What is a signature", Aditya Patel, Leegality, 06 Jun 23, https://www.leegality.com/blog/whats-a-signature
- "The history of the signature", MyDocSafe, https://mydocsafe.com/the-history-of-the-signature/
- "How to make an artist signature", Ty Livingston, Blue Notary, 20 Apr 24, https://bluenotary.us/how-to-make-an-artist-signature/
- "CAD File Format", Spatial.com, https://www.spatial.com/resources/glossary/cad-file-format
Jeri K. Augustus
Meet Jeri K. Augustus, an experienced customer service professional from Great Falls, Montana, with a heart full of compassion for helping others. Jeri has spent more than four decades in the industry and has gained a wealth of personal experience with loss and grief. She has dedicated herself to assisting families in finding meaningful ways to honor their loved ones who have passed on and celebrate those who are still with us.
Jeri's contribution to the cremation jewelry industry is remarkable. She played a key role in developing new lines of modern pendants, cremation rings, and bracelets. She launched a line of photo-engraved jewelry that now includes several hundred styles for families to choose from. She is actively involved in leadership and customer care at Jewelry Keepsakes Inc., where she helps people every day with their inquiries and concerns regarding these products.
Despite her many years in the industry, Jeri remains passionately committed to helping those who are grieving and supporting families as they find personal ways to cherish their loved ones. She still resides in Montana and enjoys spending her free time with her dogs, children, and grandchildren. If you're looking for someone who can guide you with compassion and expertise in selecting a beautiful keepsake to remember your loved ones, Jeri is the perfect person to help.