Regarding the engraving: since the rings were produced in flat strips then joined at the ends to form a ring (think the part about it being impossible to cast them as loops proves it), they would be almost certainly engraved in their flat state as well, IMO. It is simply easier that way, especially if the engravers are part of the in-house staff (hourly wages). If they were an outside source then yes, they would work with finished product but simply because they had no access to the rings half way through it. From what I gather, Gahr was a company with big enough workload which would in turn mean that they almost certainly had engravers on staff. Especially on a pieces produced in such quantities as those.
You are also right about the engraving machines doing the work on the rings in their finished state. But I think we can agree the rings were not engraved by a machine at that point in time.
Finally, whether my version or yours is closer to the truth the contention was that the 'angled' engraving was done that way only because it was performed post assembly because of the room restrictions. I have posted another piece with the same type of hand engraving which, IMO, disproves the theory put forth by Antonio for no other reason other than the engraver had all the room to work with yet he still used the same type of angled engraving. Would you agree?
