(BPT) - Planning a getaway? It's a great time to relax, unwind and enjoy! But, you may be wondering whether to wear your jewelry, like your engagement ring or other valuable pieces, or leave them behind at home.
For an active, sporty vacation, like hiking in the Rockies, you may prefer to leave your precious jewelry safe and sound at home. But, if you're attending a destination wedding or jetting off to New York, you'll want to wear the jewelry you love, right? The question then becomes, how do you travel safely with it? Whether you're wearing your jewelry or buying it while you're there, your pieces need to be protected.
Insurance is a big part of the answer. A recent study by Jewelers Mutual found that only 40% of travelers insure their jewelry, and almost half of those rely on their homeowners' policies to get the job done. Does your homeowner policy cover your jewelry when you're on vacation? Some don't. Make sure to find out if yours does, before you go. The last thing you want, after losing your engagement ring on the beach in Cozumel, is to find that loss is not covered.
"Your jewelry is more than metal and stone. It's your story," said Howard Stone, Vice President of Global Risk Services and Analytics at Jewelers Mutual. "It's part of you. Wear and enjoy your treasured pieces while you're on vacation. But doing it safely is the key."
Here are five tips for traveling safely with your jewelry.
Get jewelry insurance. This needs to be your first step. Jewelers Mutual, the only insurer with more than a century of expertise dedicated to protecting jewelry, gives you confidence that, if your jewelry is lost, stolen or damaged, they'll work with your jeweler of choice to get it repaired or replaced. It's your peace of mind when wearing the beautiful pieces you love.
Document your jewelry before you go. Make a visual and written inventory of all the jewelry you're taking with you. If it is lost or stolen, this kind of proof of ownership is key. (You should do this anyway, even if you're not traveling.)
Don't wear it on the beach or in the pool. Any water activities with your engagement ring or other precious jewelry should be avoided. Water, and even applying suntan lotion, can make it easier for your ring to slip off. It can also loosen prongs or clasps, which can cause your stones or pieces to fall off.
Keep your jewelry safe in your hotel room. Storing your valuables in the hotel safe is a much better choice than leaving them on the bedside table. Other choices include locking jewelry in your luggage or asking the hotel if they have a safe behind the desk for patrons to use. Whatever you do, document it all with photos on your smartphone.
Conceal, don't reveal. If you're walking through an area of town you're not familiar with or could be dangerous, don't flash your ring or otherwise advertise it. It's also important to minimize advertising the presence of expensive jewelry on your vacation by limiting what you post on social media.
By following these simple tips, you can travel in confidence with the pieces that mean the most to you.
