Tiny Nativity scene is created on a speck of gold as micro-engraver shares his impressive work

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Man makes tiny Nativity scene on speck of gold

A 76-year-old man from England — a micro-engraver — spent 40 hours engraving a Nativity scene on a speck of gold.

A 76-year-old engraver in Birmingham, England, created a tiny Nativity scene on a speck of gold — and all for a good reason.  

Graham Short spent five eight-hour days — 40 hours in total — working to sketch a Nativity scene on a tiny piece of gold. (SEE THE VIDEO at the top of this article.)

Short said he decided to take on the challenge for his local church in Northfield, England. 

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"This latest project is for the local church as they have a Nativity display," he said. 

"They’ve had about 60 items on show, and I thought I’d like to contribute to that."

A microscopic image of a crib that is thought to be the world's tiniest Nativity scene has gone on display. Visitors at St. Laurence Church, Northfield, can view the piece using a microscope. (SWNS)

Nativity scenes are known for portraying Jesus Christ's birth — and are popular during the holiday season.

Short said he took beta blockers to reduce his heart rate in order to be able to make the small, ultra-precise movements needed for micro-engraving. 

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He also had a Botox-style injection around his eyes, he said, to stop the nerves and muscles from twitching while he worked on the scene. 

Micro-engraver Graham Short of Birmingham, England, created the tiny and beautiful Nativity scene.  (SWNS)

Short even worked early in the morning and late at night to avoid the vibrations caused by traffic moving outside during the day. 

"I have to work between midnight and 5 a.m. to get the best results," he said. 

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The entire process took him five days.

He worked eight hours per day during those days, he said. 

Short noted that he had to restart the project many times, as his hands would slip and ruin the piece. 

It took Graham Short 40 hours across a five-day spread to create a tiny Nativity scene on a speck of gold.  (SWNS)

"The needles always slip — then you have to polish and start again," he said. 

The piece is thought to be worth over 20,000 Euros — or about $20,660. 

"It’s not as impossible as it looks."

This isn’t the first time Short has completed a big "small task."

Graham Short's Nativity scene is shown here — he engraved it on a speck of gold inside the eye of a needle.   (SWNS)

The micro-engraver created four banknotes featuring Jane Austen and a picture of Queen Elizabeth II on a pinhead, worth 50,000 and 100,000 Euros, respectively. 

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"It’s not as impossible as it looks," he said. 

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Visitors at St. Laurence Church in Northfield can view his unique creation this season using a microscope.