Things Remembered has this curious heart-shaped remote control. At the bottom it says “Property of”, so you can engrave your name below that. It is not very clear from the picture, but this remote is actually huge, almost 10″ wide. The bigger the remote, the more difficult it is to loose it, so that’s at least one good thing about it.The color on the picture is not very true to the real thing, it’s a bit more pale pink, if I remember correctly. It is not such a bad universal remote, because it features 6 device buttons. Usually there are only five.

There is something counter intuitive about personalizing keychains. Everything, of course, depends on what exactly you choose to engrave on them. To engrave your home address, your phone number or even just your name would mean that a potential thief can sudden access to your valuable possessions or your car. Wouldn’t it be better to engrave the address of your local police department? Then they would either apprehend the thief who would show up in hope of easy looting or some honest person would return the key chain that you would be able to easily identify.

Seriously, though, because this particular key chain is also a pocket watch you might consider using one of the suggestions regarding engravings on clocks, watches and sundials :

AGE QUOD AGIS – Do what you are doing

ALIIS INSERVIENDO CONSUMOR – By serving others, I am worn away Note that although originally a sundial inscription, this phrase actually makes a lot more sense for a clock mechanism, it also indicates a particular philosophy of life.

ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS – Art lasts, life is short

ASPICE ET ABI – Look (at me) and pass on

DEO FAVENTE – With God’s favor

DEUS ADEST LABORANTIBUS – God favors the diligent

DIES DIEM TRUDIT – Each day forces out another day

DISCE DIES NUMERARE TUOS – Learn to value your days

DUM SPECTAS FUGIO – I flee even as you observe me

EX HOC MOMENTO PENDET AETERNITAS – Eternity is hinged upon this moment

FESTINA LENTE – Make haste slowly There is actually a company called Festina that makes clocks and watches. In my opinion, only the complete quote makes sense. Who would want a clock that is too fast? The phrase indicates a perfect balance that must be achieved in a clock and in life.

HINC VIVERE DISCE – Learn to live by this example

HORA PARS VITAE – Every hour is a part of life

ITA VITA – Thus (passes) life

LABOR IPSE VOLUPTAS – Labor contains pleasure

NE QUID PEREAT – Let nothing be lost

NON NOBIS NATI SUMUS – We are not born for ourselves

NON REDIBO – I shall not return

NOSCE TEIPSUM – Know thyself

OMNIA FALCE METIT TEMPUS – Time reaps everything with its sickle

OMNIA FERT AETAS – Time brings all things

POST TENEBRAS SPERO LUCEM – I hope for light after darkness

QUID CELERIUS TEMPORE? – What is swifter than time?

SAPIENTIS EST NUMERARE – It is the wise who count

SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI – Thus passes the glory of this world

ULTIMA DECIDET – The last one decides

UMBRA DEI – The shadow of God

VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA – Truth is the daughter of time

VIGILATE & ORATE, TEMPUS FUGIT – Be vigilant and pray, for the time hastes away

It is helpful to know that Amazon’s third party resellers sometimes offer free engraving when it is appropriate. For instance, this beautiful silver money clip which can be monogrammed for free. What you need to know is that because the store’s setup does not allow for easy customization of the products, it is important to read the product’s description. In this case it says:

This silver plated round money clip is slim enough to fit inside any pocket and is designed for easy money access. Have a monogram or name engraved on the money clip for a special touch. Please contact us via email after placing your order to give us the engraving details.

Sometimes the text you want engraved is available through Amazon’s gift options at the time when you place an order.

Engraved clocks are perhaps not as popular as they used to be, but this actually puts them in the unique gift category. Clocks are intrinsically useful, you can find one in almost every room, so there is never any need to fear that the recipient of the gift “already has one.” Of course, they do! But you can give them something better! To make and engraved clock even more special and definitely a great conversation piece consider staying away from the usual “To Bob from Mary” style of engraving. The options you have for a very classy engraving actually come from the world of sundials – perhaps the most ancient of all time-keeping devices. As you will see these suggestions will also work flawlessly for a watch, but the task of choosing the right watch for someone is a lot more complicated than finding a clock that person might like. Keep that in mind, especially if it seems to you that some of these suggestions sound too morbid.

So, for centuries, sundials were engraved with various quotes of wisdom. The connection between time and eternity, mundane and heavenly was thus recognized. In fact, many such engravings display influences of specific schools of philosophy! Many of these inscriptions refer to the sun, as the source of the sundial’s ability to keep time, but there are many that are more general and applicable:

AGE QUOD AGIS – Do what you are doing

ALIIS INSERVIENDO CONSUMOR – By serving others, I am worn away Note that although originally a sundial inscription, this phrase actually makes a lot more sense for a clock mechanism, it also indicates a particular philosophy of life.

ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS – Art lasts, life is short

ASPICE ET ABI – Look (at me) and pass on

DEO FAVENTE – With God’s favor

DEUS ADEST LABORANTIBUS – God favors the diligent

DIES DIEM TRUDIT – Each day forces out another day

DISCE DIES NUMERARE TUOS – Learn to value your days

DUM SPECTAS FUGIO – I flee even as you observe me

EX HOC MOMENTO PENDET AETERNITAS – Eternity is hinged upon this moment

FESTINA LENTE – Make haste slowly There is actually a company called Festina that makes clocks and watches. In my opinion, only the complete quote makes sense. Who would want a clock that is too fast? The phrase indicates a perfect balance that must be achieved in a clock and in life.

HINC VIVERE DISCE – Learn to live by this example

HORA PARS VITAE – Every hour is a part of life

ITA VITA – Thus (passes) life

LABOR IPSE VOLUPTAS – Labor contains pleasure

NE QUID PEREAT – Let nothing be lost

NON NOBIS NATI SUMUS – We are not born for ourselves

NON REDIBO – I shall not return

NOSCE TEIPSUM – Know thyself

OMNIA FALCE METIT TEMPUS – Time reaps everything with its sickle

OMNIA FERT AETAS – Time brings all things

POST TENEBRAS SPERO LUCEM – I hope for light after darkness

QUID CELERIUS TEMPORE? – What is swifter than time?

SAPIENTIS EST NUMERARE – It is the wise who count

SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI – Thus passes the glory of this world

ULTIMA DECIDET – The last one decides

UMBRA DEI – The shadow of God

VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA – Truth is the daughter of time

VIGILATE & ORATE, TEMPUS FUGIT – Be vigilant and pray, for the time hastes away

Sometimes the only message that people wish to convey when presenting someone with a gift is that it was meant to be special and personal. It is common to see engravings that have nothing else in them other than relationship terms: mother, father, sister, brother etc. If this is what you want, but would still want the engraving to be a little bit more classy use the language best suited for the job, Latin. Here is a quick rundown of the words you can use. All the terms are in the correct cases. All it takes is just to have them engraved!

Uxori meae – To my wife

Uxori meae carissimae – To my dearest wife

Marito meo – To my husband

Marito meo carissimo – To my dearest husband

Amico meo – To my friend (masc.)

Amicae meae – To my friend (fem.)

Amicis meis – To my friends

Matri meae – To my mother

Patri meo – To my father

Fratri meo – To my brother

Sorori meae – To my sister

Filiis meis – To my sons (to my daughters)

Uxori et filiis meis – To my wife and my children

Marito et filiis meis – To my husband and my children

Filio meo – To my son

Filiae meae – To my daughter

Avo meo – To my grandfather

Aviae meae – To my grandmother

Transcribing modern names into Latin is a whole different story, but the good news is that you don’t really need to have that for your engraved message.