Safe Ways to Travel with Your Jewelry

Whether it’s summer vacation, or a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of daily life, many of us like to take some of our jewelry with us to wear every day, or even for a special occasion that might be planned during the trip. So, let’s go over some things that will keep your jewelry, and yourself, safe while you are away from home.

Always Keep Your Jewelry with You

My best advice is to bring only the jewelry you wear all the time, and that you rarely ever take off.  But if you are going to travel with jewelry that you don't wear all the time, keep the pieces you take to a minimum. While traveling to your destination either wear your jewelry, or keep it somewhere hidden in your purse or any carry-on bags you take that will not leave your side until you reach your destination.

(Want some tips on how to pack your jewelry when you travel? You can go read that blog post here.)

Do not pack it in a suitcase that is going to make the trip in the baggage compartment of a plane, train, or bus. If you and your baggage get separated, there is a chance it could be opened and searched, and you don’t want your jewelry to be a casualty of that process. Not to mention the possibility of your bags being damaged, or worse, stolen.

Fine Jewelry Should Probably Be Left at Home

For many of us while traveling, we are staying at hotels, running around sight-seeing, hanging out on the beach, or doing some other activity that is not part of your usual daily life. You’ll be thinking more about doing these activities and living in the moment than wondering if your jewelry is still on your person, or still in your hotel room.

Anything that is flashy, a family heirloom or antique piece, or just a piece that you treasure dearly and cannot live without, should be left at home. I know many people like to wear their engagement ring and wedding band all the time, and that’s fine. But, if for some reason you decide to do something in your travels where you are not going to be wearing them, lock them up for safe-keeping.

Take It Off and Lock It Up

As mentioned earlier, there are some activities where you really should not be wearing your jewelry. If you are doing any sort of strenuous activity like hiking, biking, or any other sports-type activity, take your jewelry off. Even if you are just hanging out at the beach, lake, or pool, my guess is you will be wearing sunscreen and playing in the water. Both sunscreen, water, or chemicals in water like chlorine in a pool, are not great partners for jewelry. Are you getting a massage, or even planning a full-on spa day? Take the jewelry off, because between the lotions and other cosmetics used in these activities, your jewelry could become damaged, or worse yet, accidentally slide off your person while you are relaxing and you may never see it again.

So now that you’ve taken your jewelry off, you need to secure it. If you are staying in a hotel, many offer in-room safes that you can use. These safes are not fail-proof though because the hotel staff can gain access to them if they want to, but they are a better option than leaving the jewelry out on a dresser or hidden in a drawer. However, if you have a bag that has a hidden compartment that could be an option too if you absolutely must bring your jewelry with you.

Don’t Be Flashy

I know some of us love to wear our sparkly gemstones, especially if you plan on wearing them for an elegant occasion like a romantic candlelit dinner, or a special over-the-top event that you will be attending during your trip. You might want to consider leaving your most sparkling and expensive pieces at home because unfortunately thieves are everywhere and they are smart.

Tourists can be identified easily.  If you are not sure where you are going and are unfamiliar with your surroundings, and this can make you an easy target. Above all else, you don’t want to put yourself in danger.

Jewelry Insurance Exists for a Reason

You may not think jewelry insurance is necessary but sometimes bad things happen to the jewelry we love. Many people have their engagement ring insured, and sometimes even their wedding rings. This is an individual choice and one to consider depending upon the value of your jewelry. Like I mentioned earlier, fine jewelry and antique and heirloom pieces should be left at home when you travel, but if you insist on bringing them with you, it’s not a bad idea to know that you have a safety net in case something happens to your treasured jewels.

Traveling and vacations are generally supposed to be about having fun and relaxing. You don’t need to be worrying about your jewelry while you are trying to do this. So if you take some precautions and leave the really good pieces at home, you’ll probably have a much better time enjoying your time away from your daily grind.

Happy travels!