When we are on holiday, we want to be able to show off our wonderful collections of jewellery to feel special whilst we are away. However, there are plenty of things that could damage your jewellery during the travelling process and also whilst you are away. So, we have rounded up the three most important things you can do to protect your jewellery when travelling!
Keep Them Out of Extremely Hot or Cold Temperatures
A major issue with travelling is that jewellery is extremely sensitive to significant changes of temperature. For example, if you board a plane in a hot country and your jewellery goes into the baggage hold, it can get very cold, so any gemstones could actually crack if the change in temperature is drastic enough. Emeralds are especially sensitive, so you must be very careful with emerald rings, necklaces or earrings.
Another example would be if you are in a hotel room and have the air conditioning on, then turn the air conditioning off as you leave, so the room heats up quickly. This has the potential to cause damage, especially if the jewellery is in sunlight.
So, the best thing to do is to keep your jewellery out of excessively hot or cold weather, especially if it is vintage jewellery. Keep the jewellery with you in the cabin to avoid freezing baggage hold temperatures, try to maintain a consistent temperature in terms of heating or air conditioning in your accommodation and avoid wearing it out during peak temperatures.
Invest In A Travel Jewellery Holder
Something else to consider when travelling is your jewellery getting tangled or damaged in transit. When you have lots of different pieces of jewellery thrown into one small bag, it is likely they will get tangled, which can cause the metals to rub together and can also compromise the settings if gemstones are present. Additionally, if your bags are being thrown around through security and boarding, then this is another opportunity for damage to occur from other items in the baggage.
So, investing in a travel jewellery holder is certainly advised. These can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, however usually they will all have a range of separate compartments to protect each piece of jewellery, with a relatively hard shell to prevent anything else in the suitcase squishing or damaging it.
Keep Jewellery Away From Creams and Water
Another thing to be wary of when travelling is that there are plenty of products that can seriously damage jewellery over time. When you are visiting a hot country, you are likely to be applying sunscreen and aftersun, swimming in the pool or sea and potentially sweating. All of these things can have a significant impact on your jewellery, as they could get stuck in crevices and the moisture could cause the jewellery to tarnish or oxidise.
So, it is best to save your jewellery for when you are going out in the evenings. This will make sure that your jewellery lasts as long as it should! Even in the evenings, it is likely that you will have some product remaining on your body, so having your jewellery professionally cleaned when you get home is advised, to prevent long term damage. Once again, this is especially important if you are travelling with vintage jewellery.
Summary
There are three tips for protecting your jewellery when travelling! Being cautious about what your jewellery is exposed to will help it to last for generations to come.