What’s something that a lot of people do during this time of the year? Well, they get engaged, as we mentioned in our last blog post, but that’s not what we’re talking about today. Something else that almost everyone does is come together to celebrate, and, for many, that means traveling.
Traveling during the holidays can be a stressful event. The weather can often cause flight delays and even cancelations. Traffic can more closely resemble the mall parking lot than the freeway. Driving conditions can be poor. If you have kids, you’ll inevitably be peppered with “Are we there yet?” questions. And that’s on top of the usual travel concerns over directions, packing, leaving on time, etc.
Stressed yet? Sorry, but we can’t help you with any of that stuff. What we can do is help you minimize your worry over another concern: traveling with jewelry. Your jewelry collection is probably one of the most monetarily and sentimentally valuable things you own. Jewelry pieces received as gifts from a loved one – particularly your engagement ring and wedding band – hold special value to you. They can’t be replaced, so you need to be careful when thinking about traveling with them.
Leave Them Behind
This one seems obvious. Of course you could leave your jewels at your house – or better yet, in a safety deposit box. Thing is, this also creates the obvious problem of not being able to wear them, and that’s kind of the whole point of owning them, right? You can circumvent this problem by wearing high-quality cubic zirconia jewelry instead of authentic jewels when traveling.
Don’t wear just any cubic zirconia (cz) jewelry, though. If you’re a regular reader of our blog, then you know not all cz jewelry is created equal, but all of Birkat’s pieces are created to be the best. Maintain the beautiful look of your “real” jewelry by wearing pieces from our collection while traveling. Everything we carry will capture the light to stunning effect and fool all but the most veteran gemologists.
Buy Insurance
If you feel you absolutely must bring your real diamonds with you, though, then there are other options. The safest is buying insurance. When you travel, you’ll be in different surroundings than usual and will likely be doing different things, perhaps at tourist-ey locations that are frequented by thieves.
Consumer Affairs recommends insuring with GemShield, which provides specialized personal jewelry insurance at discounted rates through the International Gemological Institute. Keep in mind that risks are higher if you’re traveling outside of the country, and not all insurance policies cover international travel. If you’re leaving the U.S., then make sure your insurance will have you covered.
Write It Down
Did you bring that gold bracelet you got on your first anniversary? How about that diamond necklace you love? Can’t remember? That’s because you didn’t write it down. If you’re going to be traveling, then be sure to write out a list of all the jewelry you’re bringing with you. Take a copy of the list with you and leave a second at home, or make the list on your phone/computer/tablet. You can further help yourself by taking photos or videos on your phone of what you’re bringing along. This will help remind you of what you should have and – in the unfortunate event that something should be lost/stolen/damaged – will serve as proof for the insurance company when you file a claim.
Get a Travel Case
In addition to being stolen, your jewelry could also be seriously damaged while traveling. For example, necklaces and bracelets can get tangled and broken, and diamonds can scratch pearls. Thankfully, you have a lot of options when it comes to travel cases. Silk pouches, hard leather cases and cases with multiple compartments designed to separate out your various pieces are just a few of your choices.
Pack Lightly
Don’t try to bring every single piece of jewelry you own on your holiday trip. Sure, it’s nice to be prepared for literally any fashion contingency that could come up. But is it necessary? No, not really. You’re (probably) only going away for a few days to a few weeks. There are only so many outfits you can wear and so many occasions to look your best for.
Bring the classic staples that match a variety of outfits as well as a few statement pieces. If you can’t stash it all in your purse without feeling like you’re getting a workout just by carrying it, then you’ve got too much, so leave some behind if that’s the case.
Carry It On
Speaking of lugging your jewelry around, that’s exactly what you should be doing when you travel. Don’t put jewelry in checked baggage when flying. Keep it on you at all times, either by wearing all of it or putting it in your carry-on bag. If you’re going to wear it, be careful not to misplace any of it when going through airport security.
Use this same mentality when you reach your destination. Don’t leave anything behind in a car or a suitcase. When you’ve checked into your hotel, condo or wherever you’re staying, don’t hand it over to the staff to carry for you, either – unless you’re having them put it into a safe, of course – carry it with you.
Nothing will guarantee the safety of your jewelry, but taking some or all of these steps will greatly increase its security. Be careful, be smart and enjoy your holiday trip!