WORKING -- Manuel Cordova

-- Story by Young Chang; photo by [TK]

HE IS

Getting personal

MEMORABLE MESSAGES

Manuel Cordova is in the business of making generic things one of a

kind. As an engraver at Noack Trophy & Engraving Co. in Newport Beach, he

receives shipments of blank awards, trophies, jewelry pieces and plaques.

By the time these objects leave his hands, they are permanently inscribed

with messages of affection.

Most are congratulatory. Others are thankful. Some just want to

express love or appreciation, and a few are humorous.

Cordova, 33, remembers one golf trophy needing the engraving: “The

most trips to the trees.”

“To me, that was the funniest,” the Orange resident said.

AN ENGRAVER’S DESK

He’s been engraving for 16 years but started working at Noack just six

weeks ago. His tools include an epilogue laser, an engraving machine and

the various surfaces that await his touch -- from glass and acrylic to

silver, gold and pewter.

The smallest object he engraves is usually a bracelet or necklace

charm. The messages usually need to be smaller than a tenth of an inch

high, but Cordova is accustomed to being excruciatingly precise.

“The hardest part about [my job] is making sure things look nice

aesthetically,” Cordova said. “If you just type it up all the same size

and all the same font, it’s kind of boring.”

The secret is to mix and match fonts and not be afraid of italicizing

words, he said.

FINAL TOUCHES

Yes, as an engraver, Cordova engraves almost all the gifts he

personally gives. He understands why his clients opt for that extra frill

-- that unique reason to treasure something forever.

“It personalizes what they’re giving as an award or token,” Cordova

said.