Meet the Makers Behind the Glass

We’re Helena and John, the husband-and-wife duo behind Just The Ticket. From our small studio in Fife, Scotland, we create meaningful engraved glassware that marks life’s most treasured moments.

John brings over 40 years of glass engraving experience to every piece—his skill and precision ensure each design is beautifully executed. I’m Helena, a designer and photographer with degrees in both Professional Photography and Interior Design. Over the years, I’ve shifted into graphic design, and now I create the artwork that personalises your glassware—whether it’s a hand-drawn sketch, a company logo, or a heartfelt message.

We believe in thoughtful craftsmanship, beautiful design, and gifts that last a lifetime. Whether you’re choosing a wedding decanter etched with a custom monogram, a tankard for your best mate, or a delicate champagne flute to celebrate a milestone, every glass is carefully engraved by hand, just for you.

This isn’t mass production. It’s personal.

Our Technique – Sandblast Engraving

There’s a depth and quality to sandblast engraving that simply can’t be replicated by transfers or lasers. Considered an art form, this century-old technique allows for incredibly fine detail, thanks to the skill of our artisan engraver and the control the process offers. By adjusting pressure and exposure time, we can vary the depth of each engraving, creating rich, tactile results that are built to last.

Unlike laser engraving, which can produce a pixelated or burnt appearance, sandblasting uses a fine abrasive that delivers a beautifully consistent, high-contrast finish.

Why Choose Sandblast Engraving?

  • Crisp, clear engraving even on fine details
  • Resistant to fading and wear over time
  • A luxurious, tactile finish you can feel
  • High visual contrast, perfect for logos and motifs
  • No pixelation—just clean, even engraving

  • Your Personalisation, Perfected

    We believe personalisation should be just that — personal.
    That’s why every message, name, or date you add is carefully laid out by hand, and a digital proof is sent to you for approval before we begin engraving.
    It’s not automated, and it’s not guesswork — it’s a real, hand-prepared design, checked carefully to ensure it’s perfectly balanced and just as you imagined.

    • Proof emailed directly to you
    • Approval before engraving begins
    • No extra cost — just part of the care we take

    Because when your words matter, so do the details.

  • How It Works

    • Our designer creates each design in vector format.
    • The artwork is printed onto film, then transferred to a UV-sensitive stencil.
    • The stencil and protective tape are carefully applied to the glass by hand.
    • Each glass is individually engraved in a dedicated sandblasting cabinet.
    • We rinse, polish, and check every piece for quality.
    • Each item is tissue-wrapped, gift-boxed, and packed in eco-friendly materials—ready to be gifted or enjoyed.

Your Story, Brought to Life

We talk a lot about care, but sometimes it’s easier to show than to tell. From first layout to final polish, here’s a look behind the scenes at how your glass comes to life — one quiet, considered step at a time.

  • Digital engraving design displayed on a laptop screen in Adobe Illustrator, ready for stencil preparation

    Vector Artwork Ready on Screen

    Every design begins digitally — hand-laid, balanced, and prepared as vector artwork for clean, precise engraving.

  • Digital mock-up of tulip presentation bowl engraved with a stag

    Digital Mock-up for Approval

    Each personalised order includes a digital proof — sent directly to you for approval before engraving begins.

  • Close-up of a printed stencil on clear film, ready to be transferred to UV-sensitive material for sandblast engraving

    Film Freshly Printed

    The finished artwork is printed onto clear film, ready to be transferred to a light-sensitive stencil.

  • High-pressure water rinsing a glass to halt UV stencil development and reveal the final engraving mask

    Developing the Stencil

    After UV exposure, the stencil film is washed at high pressure to reveal the design — crisp and detailed.

  • UV engraving stencils air-dying on racks

    Stencils Drying

    Each stencil is single-use. Once dried, it’s carefully stored for hand application to glass.

  • John marking out stencil placement on a glass bowl using an eight-segment printed guide for precise alignment before engraving

    Marking the Glass

    Every piece is measured and marked to ensure the design sits perfectly — no guesswork, just care.

  • John carefully peeling the backing film from a tissue-thin UV stencil after applying it to a glass bowl for engraving

    Applying the Stencil

    The stencil and protective masking are applied by hand — positioned precisely and smoothed to avoid air bubbles.

  • Close-up of John carefully applying tape to a whisky glass to protect areas not covered by the stencil during sandblasting

    Taping the Glass

    The surrounding glass is carefully taped to prevent overspray — every detail is protected.

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  • John applying protective tape to areas of the glass bowl not covered by stencil to prevent sandblast overspray during engraving

    Taping a Bowl

    Larger pieces are fully masked by hand to protect engraving-free areas during the process.

  • John engraving a glass by hand using high-pressure sandblasting, wearing protective gloves for safety and precision

    Sandblasting in Progress

    Each glass is engraved in a dedicated cabinet, using fine abrasive at controlled pressure to create a permanent, tactile finish.

  • John’s hands inspecting an engraved glass bowl for imperfections in front of the engraving machine, part of the quality control process

    Checking the Engraving

    John inspects the design carefully to ensure every line is clean, even, and complete.

  • Engraved glass bowl being gently washed to remove stencil, tape, and sandblasting residue after engraving

    Washing Away the Stencil

    Once engraved, the stencil is removed and the glass is washed in warm, soapy water to lift any residue.

  • Close-up of a freshly engraved glass bowl air drying on a soft towel in the studio after sandblasting

    Air Drying With Care

    Glass is left to dry naturally on soft towels — avoiding heat that could cause thermal shock or microfractures.

  • Professionally photographed glass bowl with two engraved designs placed opposite each other, aligned using segment guides during production

    The Finished Design — Front and Back

    This bowl features two separate engravings — aligned on opposite sides for a beautifully balanced finish.

  • close-up deatil of stag design etched usings sandblasting engraving technique

    A Closer Look

    Fine detail, clean lines, and a soft matte finish — the signature of traditional sandblast engraving.

  • Engraved glass presentation bowl featuring the Fife College crest, displayed in a satin-lined gift box.

    Gift-Ready Presentation

    Each piece is tissue-wrapped and boxed by hand. Choose a satin-lined presentation box to make it even more special.

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Words That Mean the World: Stories Etched in Glass

Each piece we create is part of someone’s story — a wedding toast, a milestone moment, a thoughtful gesture. We’re honoured to be part of those celebrations. Here’s what our customers have shared about their experiences with our engraved glassware and bespoke service.

Let customers speak for us

from 154 reviews
Great product

I ought two engraved glassed to replace one that I broke after 25 years! Fantastic quality product and would recommend Just the Ticket to anyone. Delivery was really fast as well given that these are made to order.

Neil Gunn
Clan Gunn Engraved Whisky Glass – Aut Pax, Aut Bellum
Clan Gunn Engraved Whisky Glass – Aut Pax, Aut Bellum
Beautiful Glasses

Easy to order. Personalised and delivered within a few days. Great service. Purchased as a gift and the recipients love them.

Angela
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Wine Glass
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Wine Glass
Shankly gates whisky glass

Bought for my dad for Father’s Day. He loves it. Excellent customer service from start to finish, delivered very promptly. Would 100% recommend.

Sara Chadwick
Liverpool's Shankly Gates & Trophy Silhouettes Whisky Glass
Liverpool's Shankly Gates & Trophy Silhouettes Whisky Glass
Personalised Family Crest Tankard

Amazing communication, advice and support from Helena. The tankard is superior quality and the engraving spot on accurate. Lovely gift box completes what is going to be a perfect gift for our 18 year old grandson.
Would highly recommend

Hilary McKuhen
Coat of Arms Tankard with Custom Engraving, Bespoke Request, Satin Lined Presentation Box
Coat of Arms Tankard with Custom Engraving, Bespoke Request, Satin Lined Presentation Box
Love it

The glass was a gift for a special birthday, absolutely perfect for what I wanted. When ordered I was sent a digital preview to confirm it was meeting expectations, it was and the engraved glass arrived within a few days, well packaged to avoid damage. Will be recommending for others to use the company. Thank you.

Lisa
Liverbird Whisky Glass – Championship Football Trophy Line-up
Liverbird Whisky Glass – Championship Football Trophy Line-up
Top quality

I ordered on Sunday and the product was delivered to me on Tuesday was unsure it would reach me on time for a special birthday as looked at other companies and the delivery time was much longer. The quality is top notch and the perfect gift thank you

Nicola Dove
Elephant Whisky Glass – Mother and Calves
Elephant Whisky Glass – Mother and Calves
Quick and precise

Quick turnaround time, good precise engraving. Perfect leaving gift! Proper job 👍

Nathan
Clan Crest Tankard — Personalised Family Heritage
Clan Crest Tankard — Personalised Family Heritage
Bespoke glass

Helena was really quick and easy to communicate with regarding the images I wanted on the glasses. They are amazing thank you. Delivery was quick and the cost of engraving and postage was very reasonable. I'd definitely order again in the future. 😊

Natasha Rhodes
Knitting Pint Glass - Bespoke Request
Knitting Pint Glass - Bespoke Request
Great quality gift

Very happy with my order. Was delivered very quickly. Good quality and nicely packaged. Great gift. Will certainly recommend

Marilyn Miller
Personalised Pint Pilsner Glass - Custom Engraving
Personalised Pint Pilsner Glass - Custom Engraving
Absolutely brilliant

Lovely quality glass and very helpful communication. I'm absolutely delighted with this as I'm sure my son will be when he receives it for Christmas.

Susan Steel
National Three Peaks Whisky Glass
National Three Peaks Whisky Glass

Good quality glass & great etching

Maz
Scafell Pike Whisky Glass – England’s Highest Peak
Scafell Pike Whisky Glass – England’s Highest Peak
Fantastic

This company provides the most brilliant customer service. The order I placed was absolutely perfect. My husband was totally thrilled with his personalised gift. Highly recommend.

Carole Bie
Scottish Clan Crest Tankard - Bie & Gunn
Scottish Clan Crest Tankard - Bie & Gunn
Crystal Clear

A very worthy presentation set for military duty done

Dr George Scott
Satin-Lined Presentation Boxes – For Engraved Glassware Orders (Not Sold Separately)
Satin-Lined Presentation Boxes – For Engraved Glassware Orders (Not Sold Separately)
Beautiful glass, accomodating team.

Ordered after contacting regarding a custom order as this combination of image/glass was not currently avaialble, was put online and delivered very quickly for me, beautiful result.

Will Daniels
Scafell Pike Wine Glass – England’s Highest Peak
Scafell Pike Wine Glass – England’s Highest Peak

Glasses are fantastic I lived in fort William between 1962 and 1970 8 when we left Ben Nevis was a view I've got a special friend who I bought a glass for and have purchased a bottle of Ben Nevis whiskey to give to him from the distillery in fort William

David
Ben Nevis Whisky Glass
Ben Nevis Whisky Glass