One of the hottest jewelry trends right now is to have coordinates engraved onto your special pieces of jewelry. If you are new to coordinates jewelry, it is a type of engraving in which you select and engrave specific GPS coordinates onto a ring, necklace, earrings, etc. It is a perfect way to create a sentimental keepsake to celebrate a time, person, or place that is near and dear to you.
In addition to initial engravings, GPS coordinate jewelry is also a new and modern way for fun, chic customization for any style.
So, what kind of people, places, or events can you commemorate with coordinates jewelry? The options are limitless and can be used for any type of occasion. The following are some ideas you can choose from when you begin your coordinates search:
- Long Distance Relationships
- Wedding Venue
- Birth of a Child
- Were You Met Your Spouse
- Honeymoon Location
- Where You Grew Up
- University
If you are interested in getting your very own coordinates engraved, you will need to know the following in order to choose the correct GPS coordinates for your jewelry
Meaning and Intent of Coordinates
The first step in selecting coordinates for your jewelry is to figure out the exact location you would like to use for the engraving. As mentioned earlier, there are numerous locations to choose from. Imagine thinking about your loved ones, what places or specific things come to mind?
For example, if you think of a beloved grandparent, you may think of their house and where you spent your childhood, thus creating that warm and gentle feeling of nostalgia. Or, you may think back to when your spouse proposed and immediately feel your heart skip a beat remembering the place they proposed, such as a park where you had your first date, on the shores of a beach you both love to visit or at your favorite restaurant.
Another way to imprint meaning and intent for your coordinate’s jewelry is to use the location of the birth of your child or children. You can use the coordinates of the hospital they were born or even your own residence if you had a home birth.
Regardless of the location, how you choose to honor your engraved coordinates is completely up to you!
Google Maps
The second part of validating your coordinates is to use the Google Maps feature. This is a free, online tool from Google that allows you to research the area you are looking for and allows you to find their coordinates.
Simply enter the address of the place you are looking for into the search feature and Google Maps will show that location on a map. Once you have confirmed the location, you will do the following to find the location coordinates:
- Right-click on the location on the map
- Select “What’s here?” from the dropdown
- A text box will appear at the bottom of the screen with the coordinates in numbers in DS (degree and seconds) format.
- Click on the coordinates within the text box at the bottom
- This will take you to the detailed Google Maps section that will show you the DMS (degrees, minutes and seconds) with letters format
If you are in a situation where you have the coordinates and are not sure of the location, you can also enter in the coordinates into the Google Maps search bar and it will show you the location on the map as well.
Another great feature of Google Maps is that it allows you to zoom in on the map to see more details of a location. So, if you are not sure if the park your spouse proposed at is the same one you are remembering, you can simply select the yellow person icon on the lower right corner of the screen and drag and drop that icon onto the location in Google Maps. This will give you a street view of the location you are searching for so you can confirm that this is exactly the location you will need for your coordinates.
Understanding Latitude and Longitude
Part of the GPS coordinate engraving process is understanding the terms “latitude and longitude.” Every single location on the planet earth has a physical location, which is somewhat mind-blowing when you think about it. Think of latitude and longitude as a type of home address for all physical locations.
Taking it back to elementary school, let’s review what exactly latitude and longitude numbers actually mean. Latitude and longitude use numbers from a grid system, kind of like what you may think of when you look at graph paper.
So, you can find your location on this grid system by locating where the horizontal and vertical lines intersect and noting the two numbers which will be your coordinates.
The latitude and longitude numbers on the grid for coordinates also represent how many degrees away or to the location is from the equator and the prime meridian (which is the longitude line that divides the globe into the Eastern and Western hemisphere and considered the 0° starting point). Specifically, any coordinates North of the equator are assigned with letter N. For south of the equator, the letter S will be assigned.
For example, the latitude of the Empire State Building is 40.44557° N, meaning it is 40.44557 degrees north from the equator and the longitude is 73.59075° W meaning that it is 73.59075 degrees west of the Prime Meridian.
Degree Division
As mentioned earlier, GPS coordinates can also be broken down into degree division such as the following:
- Decimal Degrees (DD) – This means the coordinates are written as a decimal and degree. For example, using the Empire State Building again, the decimal degree is 40.7484° N and 73.9857° W.
- Degrees and Decimal Minutes (DDM) – These are the coordinates for degrees and decimal minutes. For the Empire State Building, we would use the DDM coordinates 40° 44' 55.7412'' N and 73° 59' 7.5408'' W, which would be 40 degrees and 44 minutes latitude and 73 degrees, 59 minutes for longitude.
- Degrees, Minutes, and Seconds (DMS) - These are the coordinates for degrees and decimal minutes. For the Empire State Building, that would be 40 degrees, 44 minutes and 55 seconds latitude and 73 degrees, 59 minutes and 7 seconds for longitude.
Best Types of Jewelry for GPS Coordinates
Now that you know the detailed process on how to get GPS coordinates for your engraving, you can start selecting which style of engraving you would like. There are plenty of shapes and charms you can choose from to use for your engraving. The most popular type of engraving for necklaces to use is the bar pendant, as it is engravable on the front and back to give you two different options to engrave your coordinates.
Another style of jewelry great for coordinates is personalized bracelets. Personalized bracelets, like the bar pendant necklace, also allow you to get engravings on the front and back of the pendant. Personalized bracelets can also hold different customizable pendants and charms such as oval, disk, or heart-shaped.
You can also choose a small vertical bar charm which allows you the versatility to either wear it as a necklace or as an anklet.
Regardless of which type of jewelry you decide to display your coordinates on, you now know the steps and process of finding your own unique engraving to mark whichever occasion, time, or place that is worth celebrating for you!
Sources:
https://gisgeography.com/latitude-longitude-coordinates/
https://journeynorth.org/tm/longitudeIntro.html
