As the two bank holidays approach, some of us may plan to take advantage of the long weekend and take a holiday.
Whether it be a staycation in the UK or a holiday abroad, bringing along your jewellery while travelling can lead to various problems, such as necklaces becoming tangled in luggage, earrings going missing, or precious metals being scratched.
Jewellery experts at Queensmith have shared their top tips for packing your favourite jewellery items as well as how to keep them safe while on holiday.
- Wear your jewellery when travelling
While it may seem like common sense, the most foolproof way to transport your jewellery during travel is to wear it. It is easy to unintentionally misplace your ring while rushing to get through the airport security line. Therefore, keeping your jewellery in sight and where you can feel it, is the most reliable method of ensuring the safety and security of your most special and everyday pieces while on the move.
- Use a travel jewellery box
While the previous advice is the most reliable, it may not always be practical. For instance, if you have multiple pieces of jewellery or smaller items, it may not be possible to wear them all. In such cases, a travel jewellery box can be a fantastic alternative for keeping your jewellery safe and well-organised.
A jewellery box designed for travel typically features designated compartments for earrings, spaces to secure chains and prevent tangling, as well as room to accommodate rings and larger pieces. If flying, try to take this in your hand luggage – we’ve all heard horror stories of lost checked luggage recently!
- Pill Cases
If you’re looking for a slightly more inexpensive solution to keeping smaller pieces of jewellery safe whilst travelling then a pill case could be a great alternative. The secure plastic cases are ideal for storing items like stud earrings, rings, and other small pieces of jewellery, with each item having its own compartment to prevent tangling, scratching, and maintaining organisation.
Additionally, you can use them to organise your jewellery pieces based on the outfit you plan to wear each day, adding further convenience to your travel routine.
- Straw hack
Preventing necklaces and bracelets from getting tangled during travel may seem like an impossible task, but there is a hack that can help keep them untangled. Simply loop one end of the necklace or bracelet through a drinking straw and fasten it.
The simple technique will keep your necklaces or bracelets secure and prevent them from getting tangled whilst in your suitcase.
If the straw is too long for a bracelet, you can cut it down to size and loop the bracelet through it in the same manner.
- Use resealable bags
Holidays are the perfect excuse to wear bigger, statement jewellery pieces that we may not normally wear on a daily basis. When transporting statement jewellery or bigger pieces that you don’t wear regularly, a top tip is to pack each item individually in small bags or pouches, and then place them inside a travel jewellery box. Using small, sealable plastic bags can be an affordable way to store your jewellery, preventing chains from tangling and pieces from scratching one another.
You can also wrap your jewellery in a layer or two of tissue paper before inserting them into the bags – this can just add an extra layer of protection!
- Use the hotel safe
Keeping any unworn pieces of jewellery in your hotel safe will provide peace of mind and easy access to your pieces. Additionally, it’s crucial to store your precious jewellery items at room temperature and away from sunlight or heat, particularly for more delicate coloured stones such as pearls. This will ensure that your precious jewellery stays in excellent condition during your travels.
- Know when to wear your jewellery and not
An important part of keeping your jewellery safe is knowing when not to wear it. There are several instances on holiday when you might want to leave your jewellery at home or remove it temporarily to avoid any damage.
For example, chlorine can cause damage and discolouration to precious metals like gold, which can weaken the metal over time. Even sterling silver can tarnish when exposed to chlorine due to its chemical composition. When this happens, a jewelry repair professional can help restore its original appearance. To prevent damage, it’s best to remove all jewellery before swimming in chlorinated water.
Similarly, it is important to remove jewellery before taking a dip in the sea. Salt water can erode layers of your jewellery which can lead to weakening. Wearing jewellery in the sea can also be dangerous with the risk of losing it much higher.
We would recommend planning ahead and leaving your jewellery at the hotel if you anticipate a pool or beach day. This is preferable to removing it at the beach or poolside, which could result in loss or damage.
- Research your holiday destination
Another way to protect your jewellery is by doing research on the safety of your holiday destination whilst also trusting your gut instinct. Taking anything valuable such as precious jewellery pieces on holiday always carries some risk. If your holiday destination is known for pickpocketers or theft, or your gut instinct tells you not to take your jewellery out, then we would recommend keeping it secure in the hotel safe.
- Insure your jewellery
The best way to give yourself peace of mind while you travel with jewellery is to make sure it’s insured. Find a policy that covers your items while abroad and out of the home, and make sure they are covered on a ‘like for like’ basis, with cover for theft, damage and loss. Covering ‘like for like’ means your insurance will cover you buying or recreating the same piece of jewellery with the same jeweller.
