Playing with words as design elements as an engraver can be both fun and challenging. This bracelet by Tira Mitchell plays with words in a unique way — by using an ambigram as the focus of the layout.

This ambigram spells out "GRS" one way. When flipped around 180°, the name "Kim" can easily be seen. Mitchell presented this bracelet, still in flat form, to GRS during the 2008 Grand Masters Program for general manager Kim Pember.

To create this original design, Mitchell spent over sixty hours figuring, drawing, testing, and then engraving line after line. What looks like traditional cutting techniques to form wriggle-like cuts and parallel lines using a liner tool are actually much more complicated. Tira used varying depth v-shaped cuts to create a dimensional line, and then cut each line individually to form a parallel, multi-line element. She also used an assortment of angles for cuts to create a surface for the ambigram that would play with light when turned in the hand.

Along the sides as seen in the second photo is micro-lettering that states "Because good is the enemy of great." This whole piece is wonderfully created — quite an impressive amount of time and effort went into this piece.

Learn more about Tira Mitchell at the GRS Training Center website. Watch for the release of the 2009 Course Schedule on December 1, 2008 to find out when you can enroll in an engraving course with Tira and learn some of her creative engraving methods.