vonheim Posted November 12, 2011 Share #1 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi all! Â I have just purchased a used Leica MP (A la Carte). I want to add engravings to it as it is a gift. Â Is it ok to engrave anywhere on the metal surfaces with available space? Will I void warranty? Reduce structural strength? Etc. Sorry if this is novice, I just haven't done anything like this before. Â I was thinking of taking it to a local jeweler to get it done. Â TYIA! Â Cheers, Â Knut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 Hi vonheim, Take a look here Engraving an MP. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
edmond_terakopian Posted November 12, 2011 Share #2 Â Posted November 12, 2011 I would suggest it best to get Leica to engrave it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted November 12, 2011 Share #3 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Agreed. Have it done by Leica and they can check it over at the same time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonheim Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share #4  Posted November 12, 2011 Agreed. Have it done by Leica and they can check it over at the same time.  Thanks! Certainly the safest. I had originally planned a new MP and have it engraved by Leica.  The issue is that I could not get a camera in time (for the wife's 40th) There was this missing piece they no longer could get from one of their suppliers.  This whole scheme is a bit of a workaround. The camera is as good as new and had the same a-la-carte features I would choose, so I went for it.  I could of course give it to her first and have it engraved later, but that makes me feel like I could give her a brand new one next year instead. And that would not fit with the trip to Paris etc. It's a bit complicated as I have booked and planned a few things already  Cheers,  Knut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted November 12, 2011 Share #5 Â Posted November 12, 2011 From what I've seen Leica will do an excellent job. Someone here had a very intricate design engraved by them. Â If you just want initials then a local jewellery shop might be ok as long as you're happy with their work. Â Bear in mind however that you will be taking something off the value of the camera by personalising it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spylaw4 Posted November 12, 2011 Share #6 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Indeed, James is correct in that the resale value, should of course you/your wife wish to resell in it in the future, will be harmed by the special engraving. You could of course always replace the top casting, but that almost certainly won't recover all the loss of value. Â I would think carefully before plunging in. Also, bear in mind that using Leica will almost certainly mean that they will find a number of other items of repair to do as well at extra cost of course. The upside should mean an extra warranty. Â Talking of which, how old is the camera - MPs have a long warranty! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted November 12, 2011 Share #7 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Resale value! Isn't the OP buying his wife a 40th birthday present? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted November 12, 2011 Share #8  Posted November 12, 2011 She might not like it  (She will... she will...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted November 12, 2011 Share #9 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Indeed, James is correct in that the resale value, should of course you/your wife wish to resell in it in the future, will be harmed by the special engraving. Â The collector's expression for a personal engraving is 'defaced'. Now for my little true story. I have a background job that regularly searches that big auction site for newly placed items. One search looks for the name of a renowned inventor, a member of my family. Â One day a gold pocket-watch was put up as 'defaced'. The defacing was the fine engraving with the inventor's name and occasion, a dedication gift to him made in the 1920's. There is a museum that includes his works, and people who would die for the watch. Â I got it for a song. There is a museum that includes his works, and people who would die for the watch. Because I am divesting, I gave it to the fellow he mentored (even though the man's politics irritate me to no end.) Â === How the seller got the watch is a mystery. To add to the mystery, a Brownie picture of my mother taken when she was about fourteen showed up. I took it for a few bucks after my Mother confirmed the picture. She still remembers the occasion. Â Sometimes I wonder if these sellers are somehow connected to the looting of my family's places. So much just disappeared after deaths. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted November 12, 2011 Share #10 Â Posted November 12, 2011 Yes it's a 40th present, but one never knows what's round the corner.... Â It's just something to consider, that's all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonheim Posted November 12, 2011 Author Share #11  Posted November 12, 2011 Hi everyone and thanks for all the input!  I am not worried about the resale value. Hopefully she will keep it for life and film will not go away. It is a gift that I hope she will enjoy next to the digital Canon she uses daily.  The MP is about 18 months old and that I found in the "Buy & Sell" section on this site: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/market/viewlisting.php?view=5445  Besides "40: and the date" I wanted to find space for: "Everything you need, nothing you don't" and the MP seemed so appropriate for it  When we travel for leisure we share my M9, so I know she will like it. I am quite certain it will be filled with B&W film from day 1  Perhaps I will contact Leica and ask if it faults warranty or anything else if I get it engraved.  Thanks again!  Cheers,  Knut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter H Posted November 13, 2011 Share #12 Â Posted November 13, 2011 .......... I wanted to find space for:"Everything you need, nothing you don't" ...... Â Have you considered a tattoo rather than an engraving? Â Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted November 13, 2011 Share #13 Â Posted November 13, 2011 Yes it's a 40th present, but one never knows what's round the corner.... Â It's just something to consider, that's all. Â Yes, how romantic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted November 14, 2011 Share #14 Â Posted November 14, 2011 Yes, how romantic. Â +1 Â Stephen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted November 14, 2011 Share #15 Â Posted November 14, 2011 Yes, how romantic. Â As romantic as making a prenuptual agreement, I agree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted November 14, 2011 Share #16  Posted November 14, 2011 Hi everyone and thanks for all the input! I am not worried about the resale value. Hopefully she will keep it for life and film will not go away. It is a gift that I hope she will enjoy next to the digital Canon she uses daily.  The MP is about 18 months old and that I found in the "Buy & Sell" section on this site: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/market/viewlisting.php?view=5445  Besides "40: and the date" I wanted to find space for: "Everything you need, nothing you don't" and the MP seemed so appropriate for it  When we travel for leisure we share my M9, so I know she will like it. I am quite certain it will be filled with B&W film from day 1  Perhaps I will contact Leica and ask if it faults warranty or anything else if I get it engraved.  Thanks again!  Cheers,  Knut   I find Leica's engraving service excellent. I would not have a third party do it. Give it a CLA whilst you are at it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted November 14, 2011 Share #17 Â Posted November 14, 2011 ...anyone know how long the engravers at Leica take for such a task? Knut, how soon is the big occasion? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonheim Posted November 14, 2011 Author Share #18  Posted November 14, 2011 ...anyone know how long the engravers at Leica take for such a task? Knut, how soon is the big occasion?  I was going to give her the camera on the 22. of November (8 days). The current owner is shipping it to me early this week.  That leaves me only a few days between receiving it and having it engraved.  Maybe this timeline will decide for me anyway, and I will have to send it in for engraving later.  I did not get the chance to call bresson.no (Norwegian Leica representative) during business hours today, but when I checked the configurator (A la Carte) on Leica's web site there was not enough characters available.  Perhaps that should tell me something, too  Once I get confirmation on this I will report back to the forum.  Cheers,  Knut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesop Posted November 14, 2011 Share #19  Posted November 14, 2011 I was going to give her the camera on the 22. of November (8 days). The current owner is shipping it to me early this week.  That leaves me only a few days between receiving it and having it engraved.  Maybe this timeline will decide for me anyway, and I will have to send it in for engraving later.  I did not get the chance to call bresson.no (Norwegian Leica representative) during business hours today, but when I checked the configurator (A la Carte) on Leica's web site there was not enough characters available.  Perhaps that should tell me something, too  Once I get confirmation on this I will report back to the forum.   Cheers,  Knut   ...whoa, 8 days! Sorry to sound so blue, Knut, but I will be more than pleasantly shocked(!) if Leica is able to meet such an aggressive timeline. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonheim Posted November 15, 2011 Author Share #20  Posted November 15, 2011 Hi all y'all! (Heard that in a movie last night:-)  I have just spoken to the Leica representative in Norway and learned the following:  1. Current turnaround for items sent to Solms is 4-6 weeks 2. Engraving the brass plates does not void warranty  Next step now is to see if the jeweler can put thin, white paint in the engraving.  Thanks for the responses and the fine, light humor in this thread!  Cheers,  Knut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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