Sierra Nevada Laser Works

This is Legacy.

A legacy of place This is Nevada.

Battle Born Craftsmanship · Made by hand in Reno, Nevada

  • THIS IS LEGACY.
  • THIS IS NEVADA.
  • THIS IS THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA.
  • THIS IS YOUR LOVE.
  • THIS IS YOU.
  • BATTLE BORN CRAFTSMANSHIP
  • CUT IN LIGHT
  • LAYERED BY HAND
  • PROOF BEFORE PRODUCTION
  • MADE IN RENO
  • CARRIED FORWARD
Find your legacy

Every product, handcrafted to showcase your legacy.


What we make begins with what you want to carry forward.

Explore by the story a piece tells — or skip ahead and shop by the form it takes. Both roads end at the same Reno workbench.

Chapter I A Legacy of Place

This is Legacy.

This is Nevada.

The Nevada Series

Nevada-themed objects, maps, seals, and regional pieces — the shape of home, cut in real layers.

Enter the Nevada Series

Chapter II A University Legacy

This is Legacy.

This is the University of Nevada.

The University of Nevada Series

University of Nevada, Reno pieces — years, people, and work remembered together.

Enter the University Series

Chapter III A Legacy of Love

This is Legacy.

This is Your Love.

The Wedding Series

Wedding, anniversary, and couple-focused pieces — two names and one date, made permanent.

Enter the Wedding Series

Chapter IV A Legacy All Your Own

This is Legacy.

Your Legacy.

A series all your own

Fully customized objects and original commissions — made for a legacy no catalog can contain.

Enter Your Own Series

Shop the Collection

Handcrafted, laser-engraved pieces — made to order in Reno, Nevada
Customized with light

Your Legacy. Customized in Light.


A name, a date, a place, a mark that's yours. Watch the beam draw it live — then make it permanent.

  • Names Family, first, or hard-earned
  • Dates The day it all changed
  • Places Coordinates & hometowns
  • Monograms & logos A mark made permanent
See your words, written in light

Battle Born Craftsmanship — the craft and the makers

The Craft · Layer by layer

Battle Born Craftsmanship.

Every piece is drawn in light and built in layers — up to three of them, cut from Baltic birch and stacked so the design casts its own shadows.

The beam cuts and engraves the approved design. The layers are assembled, finished, and inspected by hand at one Reno workbench. Nothing is engraved until you've approved the proof.

Giving the gift of a legacy.

The Makers · Reno, Nevada

Our Legacy.

SNLW is our own legacy in the making. Born and raised in Reno, literally Battle Born, I learned to engrave on the University of Nevada's laser at the InNEVation Center, and my first original design was the Great Seal of Nevada.

Today every piece that leaves this workshop is designed, cut, finished, and packed by hand.

— Matthew Hawn, Founder & Maker

The machine draws the line. Hands make it matter.

The Legacy Concierge

Bring the idea. We'll help find its form.


Some pieces begin with a product. Others begin with a name, a date, a place or a story worth carrying forward. Tell us what matters, and a real person in our Reno workshop will help you choose the right form, material, scale and path forward.

  1. 1

    Tell us the story

    Begin with a product, memory, milestone, sketch, photograph or problem you want to solve.

  2. 2

    Shape the piece

    We help determine the product, material, scale, personalization, timing and investment.

  3. 3

    Approve the proof

    Where personalization requires it, you see and approve the important details before production begins.

  4. 4

    Made in Reno

    Your piece moves through material, light, hands, finishing and final inspection.

No commitment. Nothing enters production until you approve the project details and any required proof.

This is Legacy.

Battle Born Craftsmanship.

Made by hand in Reno, Nevada.