A fingerprint ring carries the actual print of someone you love – a partner, a child, a parent who has passed – laser-engraved into the band. At Shelby it is an add-on you can tick on any of our men’s tungsten rings: the engraving costs R795 on top of the ring, there is nothing to upload at checkout, and we contact you afterwards to collect the print. This guide covers how it works, how to take a usable fingerprint at home, what it costs in South Africa and what to decide before you order.
How fingerprint engraving works
- Choose the ring. Any Shelby tungsten ring can take a fingerprint. Plain polished, brushed and black bands show the print most clearly; on wood-inlay and two-tone designs the print goes on the plain metal section or inside the band.
- Tick “Fingerprint engraving” on the product page. It adds R795 to the ring. You can combine it with text engraving (a name or date at R25 per character) in the same order.
- We contact you for the print. After checkout we get in touch with simple instructions. You send us either a photograph of an ink print on paper or a clear phone scan – both work.
- We prepare and engrave it. The print is cleaned up digitally – smudges removed, the ridges sharpened – and laser-engraved into the tungsten by our own team in Pretoria. Because tungsten carbide does not scratch, the engraving stays crisp for life.
- Delivery. Your ring is couriered anywhere in South Africa once the engraving is done; we confirm the timeline when we collect your print.
How to take a fingerprint at home
You do not need a scanner or special kit. Either of these gives us a print we can work with:
Method 1: ink or pencil print on paper
- Wash and dry the finger. Oily or damp skin smears.
- Use an ink pad or scribble a dense patch of soft pencil on paper and rub the fingertip over it until the whole pad is coated.
- Press the finger straight down onto plain white paper – firm, even pressure, no rolling or sliding – and lift straight up.
- Take four or five prints and keep them all; we will choose the clearest.
- Photograph the paper in daylight, from directly above, with the print filling most of the frame and the camera in focus. Send the original photo, not a screenshot.
Method 2: a phone photo or scan of the finger itself
- In bright, indirect daylight, photograph the fingertip close up so the ridges are visible. Side-light (a window to one side) shows the ridges far better than a flash.
- Free fingerprint-scanner apps work too; export the image at the highest quality the app allows.
If the print is from a baby or small child, the pencil method on paper is easiest – do it while they are asleep. If it is a memorial ring, many funeral homes will take a fingerprint on request; ask for a digital copy or a clear photograph of the card.
Inside or outside the band?
Most people choose the inside of the band: the print sits against the skin, private and protected, and the outside of the ring stays clean. An outside print is a visible statement and shows well on a wide brushed band. Tell us your preference when we contact you and we will confirm what works best on your chosen design – and if you are combining the print with text, we will suggest a layout that fits both.
Popular ways to use a fingerprint ring
- Wedding bands – each partner wears the other’s print inside their band, often with the wedding date in text.
- Memorial rings – a late parent’s or partner’s print, sometimes with a name or dates.
- New fathers – a newborn’s tiny print on dad’s ring, usually on the outside where it is easy to show.
- Anniversaries – an upgrade on a plain band that has been worn for years, with the print added to a new ring.
What fingerprint engraving costs in South Africa
Fingerprint engraving is priced as an add-on by most South African jewellers, and the add-on alone ranges from about R700 to R1 250 depending on the brand. Some sell dedicated “fingerprint rings” at R2 900 to R3 300 all-in, usually on a plain tungsten band. At Shelby the add-on is R795 on any tungsten ring, so a finished fingerprint ring starts at R2 145 (R1 350 ring plus R795) and tops out around R2 345 on a wood-inlay design – with the full choice of finishes rather than one plain band, a 24-month manufacturing warranty, and a 30-day size exchange on the ring if you confirm your size before we engrave it.
Before you order: three things to get right
- Size. A personalised ring cannot go back into stock, so measure carefully with the ring size guide or have a jeweller size you. Read why tungsten rings can’t be resized if you are unsure.
- Which finger’s print. The thumb and index finger give the largest, clearest prints. For a child, any finger works.
- Placement. Decide inside or outside, and whether you also want a name or date. Text engraving is R25 per character (minimum R150) in Classic or Script lettering.
Ready? Pick a ring from the men’s collection, tick Fingerprint engraving, and we will be in touch for the print as soon as your order comes through. Questions first? Contact us or WhatsApp 064 653 1986.
Frequently asked questions
How clear does the fingerprint have to be?
Clear enough to see individual ridges. We clean the image up before engraving, so a slightly smudged edge is fine; a blurred photo is not. Send several and we will pick the best.
Can you engrave a fingerprint from a photo of an old document?
Usually, yes – an ID or passport application print, a funeral-home card or a baby’s hospital record all work if the ridges are visible in the photograph.
Will the fingerprint wear off?
Not on tungsten carbide. The engraving is cut into a surface that does not scratch in normal wear, so it stays as crisp as the day it was made.
Can I add a fingerprint to a ring I already own?
Possibly – it depends on the metal, the coating and the space available. Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly whether it will work.
