How Engraved Slate Medals Captured the Excalibur Winter Event

Winter events already have a strong visual identity before you even start designing the medal.

Cold weather, darker colours, frost, snow and rugged outdoor conditions all give you plenty to work with.

For the Excalibur Winter Event, we used engraved natural slate medals with a simple ribbon setup and a winter-inspired engraving treatment.

The result was a medal that felt heavy, understated and very much part of the event rather than a generic award with winter artwork added afterwards.

Watch how the Excalibur Winter Event slate medals were prepared, engraved and finished.

Why Slate Suited a Winter Event

Slate has a very different character from wood.

It is heavier, colder to the touch and more substantial, which makes it particularly well suited to rugged or winter-themed events.

For Excalibur, that natural stone finish worked with the event rather than against it.

The Medal Format

The Excalibur medals used pre-drilled slate blanks at around 70 mm in diameter and approximately 5–6 mm thick.

That gave enough surface area for the event artwork while keeping the medal practical to wear.

The pre-drilled hole also meant the ribbon could be attached cleanly without adding a separate hoop or frame around the slate.

Preparing the Slate Before Engraving

Before engraving, the slate received a light lacquer treatment.

The aim was not to create a glossy artificial surface, but to even out and slightly darken the stone so the engraved artwork would show with stronger contrast.

That preparation helped the finished engraving stay crisp while still allowing the natural slate texture to remain visible.

Creating the Winter Effect Through Engraving

The most interesting part of this design was the engraving technique.

Rather than using one completely flat engraving pass, the artwork was built up using a two-pass approach.

The first pass defined the fine detail and structure of the artwork.

A second pass then added extra weight and shadow in selected areas.

For a winter event, this helped create a subtle snow-on-top style effect where parts of the artwork appeared more prominent.

Why Detailed Engraving Works Well on Slate

Slate can hold surprisingly fine engraved detail when the artwork and laser settings are properly prepared.

That makes it possible to reproduce:

• Event names.
• Fine line artwork.
• Small text.
• Detailed logos.
• Landscape elements.
• Winter-themed patterns and textures.

The key is balancing detail with enough spacing so the design still reads clearly at medal size.

The Ribbon Was Kept Deliberately Simple

For the Excalibur Winter Event, a plain recycled polyester ribbon was used rather than a heavily printed one.

That was a good decision because the slate already carried most of the visual character.

Adding a highly detailed ribbon could easily have competed with the medal rather than supporting it.

Using a Wooden Breakaway Clip

The ribbon was completed with a custom wooden breakaway clip made in-house.

The clip is designed to remain secure during normal wear but separate under stronger tension.

For organisers, this provides another fastening option alongside standard welded joins.

Depending on the event, ribbon finishing can include:

• Plain recycled polyester ribbon.
• Full-colour printed ribbon.
• Ultrasonic welded joins.
• Wooden breakaway clips.

When Should You Keep the Ribbon Plain?

Not every custom medal needs a fully branded ribbon.

Plain ribbon often works better when:

• The medal material has strong visual character.
• The engraving is already detailed.
• The event branding is understated.
• You want the stone or wood to remain the focal point.
• A simple colour already matches the event.

Full-colour ribbon makes more sense when sponsor logos, patterns or more complex branding need to be included.

What Other Event Organisers Can Learn

The Excalibur Winter Event is a good example of designing around the material rather than fighting it.

Before choosing slate for your event, consider:

• Does the weight of slate suit the event?
• Would dark stone fit the visual identity?
• Can the artwork work in engraving rather than full colour?
• Would a simple ribbon give the medal more balance?
• Could engraving depth or texture help reinforce the theme?
• Do you need a pre-drilled format or another fastening style?

The strongest slate medals usually let the stone remain part of the design.

Case Study Summary

The Final Result

The finished Excalibur medals used the natural weight and texture of slate to support the winter theme rather than relying on extra colour or decoration.

The layered engraving added visual depth, while the simple ribbon kept the overall design clean.

It is a good example of how a medal can feel very specific to an event even when the core format remains simple.

Explore Our Slate Medal Options

If slate feels like the right fit for your event, you can view our customisable slate medal options and see the available finishes.

Want to Compare Slate With Other Materials?

If you are deciding between slate, engraved wood or colour printed wood, request a free sample pack and compare the materials and finishes in person.