16 cm or 24 cm — Which Size Journeyman Gift Should You Choose?

Journeyman gift size is the question most people face once the trade is chosen and the gift is about to be ordered: should it be the 16 cm standard figurine at 599 kr or the 24 cm premium figurine at 899 kr? The difference isn't just eight centimetres and 300 kr — the two sizes suit different occasions, different givers and different spots in the home.

This guide compares the two sizes point by point so you can make the choice in a few minutes. We cover who typically gives what, how the figurines look in real life, and how engraving works on both.

Journeyman gift size: the two options at a glance

All trade figurines from Udlært come in two sizes. The standard version measures 16 cm and costs 599 kr. The premium version measures 24 cm and costs 899 kr. Beyond size and price, the figurines are identical: same trade, same level of detail, same choice of male and female versions, and both arrive in a gift box ready to present.

That means the choice is not about quality — both are designed in Denmark down to the smallest detail, with the trade's real workwear and tools. The choice is about how big the occasion should feel, who the gift comes from, and where the figurine will stand afterwards.

A rule of thumb that recurs among our customers: private givers — parents, grandparents, partners and friends — most often choose 16 cm. Employers, masters and crews of colleagues pooling for one joint gift more often choose 24 cm, because the gift has to carry a bigger collective gesture.

16 cm — the standard figurine at 599 kr

Picture the figurine on a bookshelf: 16 cm is roughly the height of a glass or a small trophy. It's a size that takes up just the right amount of space — visible and distinctive, but without dominating the room. The figurine stands on its base with the trade's hallmarks clearly rendered: the carpenter with hammer and folding rule in the pocket, the chef with chef's hat and apron, the hairdresser with scissors in hand.

The 16 cm version is the best-selling size, and for good reason. It fits in almost anywhere: on the windowsill, on the desk, on the shelf in the hallway or in the bookcase between books and pictures. The newly qualified doesn't have to rearrange anything to make room — the figurine finds its own spot.

The 599 kr price also hits the level most private givers aim for. As we cover in our guide to what a journeyman gift costs, a meaningful journeyman gift from private individuals typically falls in the 400–800 kr range — and with engraving, the 16 cm figurine lands at 798 kr, still within the range.

Choose 16 cm when the gift comes from one person or one household, when the recipient lives in a room or a smaller flat, or when you want to give a personal, trade-specific gift without outdoing the other guests' gifts at the journeyman celebration.

24 cm — the premium figurine at 899 kr

The 24 cm version is a different experience to unwrap. It's one and a half times as tall as the standard version and roughly the height of a wine bottle. When it stands on a table, you see it from across the room. The details — the seams in the work trousers, the tools in the belt, the facial expression — stand out more clearly, simply because there's more surface to see them on.

That makes the premium figurine the natural choice when the gift has to carry special weight. A master who has followed his apprentice for four years isn't just giving a gift — he's giving visible proof that the apprenticeship meant something to the company. A crew of six colleagues chipping in 150 kr each gets a joint gift that looks like what they gave together.

The 899 kr price — or 1,098 kr with engraving — places the premium version at the upper end of the typical gift level. That's deliberate: the 24 cm figurine is for the situations where the gift is the day's main gift, and where the giver wants that to show.

Choose 24 cm when the gift comes from the company or the master, when several people have gone in together on one gift, or when the recipient is the type who likes to display their professional pride — in the workshop, at the office or centrally in the home.

Who gives what? Family, master and crew

Looking across the orders, a clear pattern emerges in who chooses which size. Use it as a guide if you're in doubt:

• Parents and grandparents: most often 16 cm with engraving. The engraving — name, trade and year — is the personal part, and the size suits a home where the figurine will stay on display for many years.
• Partner or spouse: 16 cm, often with a personal inscription instead of the classic name-and-year formula. The gift is intimate rather than ceremonial.
• Master and company: predominantly 24 cm with engraving. The gift represents the workplace, and the premium format matches the weight of the occasion. Many companies also engrave the company name.
• The crew or colleagues: 24 cm, because several givers share the amount. A joint gift at 899 kr split across a whole crew is manageable for everyone — and the result is a gift with presence.
• Friends and siblings: 16 cm, with or without engraving depending on budget. Even without engraving, the figurine is still trade-specific and personal in character.

The pattern is not a rule. Parents who want to give the day's big gift choose 24 cm too — especially if the newly qualified is the first skilled worker in the family and the day deserves to be marked accordingly. Conversely, smaller companies happily choose 16 cm when several apprentices qualify the same year and the budget has to stretch to everyone.

Placement in the home — where will the figurine stand?

A good and often overlooked question when choosing size: where will the figurine actually stand? A journeyman gift figurine isn't a gift that gets packed away — it's made to stay on display and remind the recipient of the day the certificate came home.

The 16 cm figurine is made for shelves and sills. It stands firmly on narrow surfaces, fits in height under most shelf spacings in bookcases, and it can move along — from the childhood bedroom to the first flat to the house. If the recipient still lives at home or in a room, 16 cm is the safe choice.

The 24 cm figurine does best with a bit of air around it: a windowsill, a chest of drawers, a sideboard, an office shelf or the counter in the workshop. Many newly qualified with their own business in sight end up giving the figurine a spot where customers and colleagues can see it — a discreet journeyman's certificate in three dimensions.

If you're unsure about the recipient's living situation, 16 cm is the choice that never misses. If you know the home and know there's an obvious spot with room for presence, 24 cm is the gift that gets noticed.

Engraving is available for both sizes

Whichever size you choose, the figurine can be engraved with a personal inscription on the base for 199 kr. The text can be up to 40 characters — enough for a name, trade and year, or a short personal greeting. Engraving is ordered as an add-on with the figurine and done before dispatch.

On the 24 cm version the base is wider, so the inscription appears in slightly larger text — but the content and character limit are the same for both sizes. So you don't choose a size for the engraving's sake; you choose it for the figurine's.

If you need inspiration for the text itself, we've gathered our experience in the article on journeyman gifts with engraving and personal inscriptions — from the classic name-and-year formula to inscriptions from the master and the family.

How to choose in 30 seconds

If you have the order open and need to decide now, use this quick checklist:

• Giving the gift on your own as a private person? → 16 cm (599 kr)
• Giving it as a company, master or whole crew? → 24 cm (899 kr)
• Is it the day's main gift, and should that show? → 24 cm
• Does the recipient live small, or are you unsure about space? → 16 cm
• Want to make the gift personal whatever the size? → add engraving (+199 kr)

Both sizes are available for every trade in the range — see the full selection in the collection of journeyman gifts. Among the most sought-after trades are the journeyman gift for carpenters, the journeyman gift for bricklayers, the journeyman gift for electricians and the journeyman gift for chefs — all with a choice of 16 cm or 24 cm plus male and female versions directly on the product page.

Delivery takes 1–3 business days, and the figurine arrives in a gift box — ready to be wrapped or presented directly at the journeyman celebration.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between the 16 cm and 24 cm figurine?

Size and price: 16 cm costs 599 kr, 24 cm costs 899 kr. Design, trade, level of detail, male/female versions, gift box and engraving option are identical for both sizes.

Which size journeyman gift do you give as a parent?

Most parents choose 16 cm with engraving — 798 kr in total. If the gift is to be the day's big statement, 24 cm with engraving (1,098 kr) is the festive alternative.

Which size do companies typically choose?

Masters and companies most often choose 24 cm, because the gift represents the workplace and is often the main gift at the celebration. With several apprentices in the same class, 16 cm is also often chosen for budget reasons.

Can both sizes be engraved?

Yes. Engraving with up to 40 characters costs 199 kr and is offered on both the 16 cm and 24 cm figurine. The text is laser-engraved on the base before dispatch.

How quickly is the figurine delivered?

Delivery takes 1–3 business days anywhere in Denmark. Both sizes arrive in a gift box and are ready to present straight from the parcel.