Jewelry is a common choice for engraving messages. Wedding rings and lockets are hugely popular, though just about any metal item of sufficient size can be engraved with a message. Rings usually have larger font and short messages like "John & Jane Forever," while lockets and pendants are perfect for longer messages in a smaller font. Excerpts from poetry are always a favorite subject for jewelry engraving. Have a few messages of differing lengths ready before you visit the engraver so that you can make a final choice based on a computer-generated preview. Laser etching is also used to give diamonds a microscopic serial number to help combat theft and track individual diamonds.
Nothing says accomplishment like winning an award plaque or a trophy with your name permanently engraved on metal. The more elaborate the designs and font the better. Few people would prefer a dull plaque with Times New Roman text over an elaborate design. High-end laser-etching machines can translate images directly from a computer to the item, making a complex design almost as easy to produce as a simpler one, but taking more time. Some examples of borders well suited to laser engraving are Art Nouveau and Celtic knot patterns.
Laser engraving has become an integral aspect of part labeling in numerous industries. Computer electronics manufacturers frequently engrave silicone chips with information such as names, brands and serial numbers. Auto part makers also etch parts with serial numbers to make ordering replacements easier. One rather bizarre application even has some food producers etching "best before" dates directly on foods like eggs and hard-skinned fruit.