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A pen makes the ideal gift for occasions such as Christmas, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduation or retirement. But by adding a simple engraving to the pen, the present becomes so much more meaningful, special and unique. Sending personalised gifts to your friends or family is a fantastic way to show them how much you care.

Engraving is the process of incising a design or pattern into a surface, in this case the barrel or cap of the pen. As pens are made out of different materials, the finish of the engraving can vary from pen to pen. It is important to know which style of engraving fits the material of the pen and your personal taste.

For example, stainless steel, chrome plated and solid silver pens produce a very subtle engraving style. Pens with a lacquer finish would give more contrast when engraved, as the top coat is cut away to reveal the metallic surface underneath. Depending on the type of metal underneath, the message appears in either brass or chrome.

Due to the size of the space that can be engraved, you will be limited to how much you can say with the engraving. With most pens you will be allowed up to about 24 characters, which for most is enough for a short heart felt message, such as ‘I love you’, ‘Congratulations’ or even just the person’s name. They will always have your special message to hand, every time they use their pen, and with the wide range of pens available these days you are sure to find a pen that is suited to the person you are buying for.

So if you are stuck at what to buy for that special someone, be it at Christmas, birthdays or any other special occasion, why not consider a heart felt message on a pen.

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Humans have been writing and making marks as far back as the caveman. It was the ancient Egyptians who were the first people to write on paper. In around 3000 BC the scribes from ancient Egypt used reed brushes to write on papyrus scrolls. The reed pen was used up until the Middle Ages, although the quill pen had begun to replace it as early as the 7th century.

The quill pen is made from a trimmed goose feather whose shaft has been cut into a good writing point. Trimming the quill was a real skill, and a talented scribe could create some very nice calligraphic effects.

The quill pen was first used in Qumran, Judea to write some of the dead see scrolls, and was introduced into Europe in 700AD. It was also used to write and sign the constitution of the United Stated of America in 1787.

The quill pen was replaced by the metal dip pen in the early 19th century. The metal dip pen had a steel nib with various holes to hold the ink. The nib was attached to a wooden handle, and could be manufactured quite cheaply. John Mitchell of Birmingham started to mass produce the metal dip pen in 1822, and by 1850 they came into generalised use.

The dip pen had to be constantly dipped in ink, and it wasnt long before the people demanded a pen which contained a reservoir of ink (a fountain pen). Inventors came up with various forms of the reservoir pen, dating back to the first half of the 19th century. The first few attempts at a reservoir pen were pretty unsuccessful because the ink flow was very inconsistent.

The problem with the early fountain pens was the feed system, which regulated the flow of ink to the nib.