My mom taught me to never travel with jewelry.  I have followed that teaching for decades.  Maybe a small band, cheap watch and gold studs would be all I adorned myself with, but that was it.

These days, I tend to travel with my husband, so I have branched out. Two or three gold bands are added to the mix. Maybe a bracelet. But still that is the extent of it.

I have known people who have had their jewelry stolen while on a cruise, a couple who had their jewels swiped from a hotel, and a lady who had her necklace ripped off her neck by a passerby while traveling.  So, I know these things happen.

Still, I have several friends who travel with their real jewelry regardless of where they are heading.  They have never had a bad incident.  I also know other folks that keep travel jewelry for those occasions when air, boat or car trips are scheduled.

The concept of travel jewelry is that you take pieces that are costume or of little value, so that if lost or stolen a traveler doesn’t lose much.

I started collected some sterling silver jewelry for that very purpose.  The thing is,  I started really liking the jewelry so I didn’t want to travel with it for fear it may be swiped!  I also don’t travel with costume jewelry because it adds weight to luggage. The down side to all this safety is that once I get where I am going I have clothes, but no outfits.

I also wonder about the folks who wear fake diamond jewelry.  It is so difficult to tell real from fake these days that I wonder how a would be robber tells the difference.  I would hate to get held up at gun point for fake jewels!!!

Have you had a bad experience while traveling with fine jewelry?  Do you use travel jewelry?

I feel a bit ridiculous not using my nicer jewelry when I go to the airport and see ladies with all sorts of sparkling stones shining. But, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention….