So you’ve organised the travel insurance, global roaming, hotels and excursions, purchased foreign money and have your easy-read book at the ready. Unfortunately, many of us tend to overlook some of our big ticket items we are wearing right now, as we set off on holiday. Jewellery can cost a lot, both emotionally and financially to lose and replace. Thankfully, it’s easy to protect and care for by following these simple tips.
Transportation
For transporting jewellery it’s good to give necklaces and earrings a bit of protection.
Use a pill box for earrings, brooches and diamond rings. It's small, it's strong and it's organised. Plastic drinking straws might just be the most ingenious thing for transporting necklaces and keeping them tangle free. Simply insert half the necklace into the straw and the firm plastic keeps it in place so there are never any knots to contend with.
Or, if you don’t have a jewellery roll it is easy to create a makeshift one by rolling your jewellery up in a hand towel and secure both ends with elastic bands.
Sunscreen, perfume and chlorine can dull your gold and diamond rings. Leave then in a cup of hot water with 1-2 tsp. baking soda for a few minutes, and rinse. This will bring them back looking like new.
Tax-Free Shopping
If you are planning to travel overseas, purchasing your diamond ring, pendant or earrings tax-free is very advantageous, especially for high-value purchases where a sizeable percentage can be saved. But there are a few conditions so refer to our tax-free shopping page for details or talk to us if you aren’t sure of anything.
Here at Walker and Hall, you can pre-purchase your order either online or in one of our stores and then collect from our airport store (minimum $500 order for tax-free purchases). We are the only airside jewellers at Auckland International Airport and it is a service which has proved very popular with many of our customers. A special present waiting for you just as you go on a special holiday – what could be nicer?
Travel Insurance
Most insurance companies offer a limited amount of cover for jewellery and watches (eg: $2500 per journey). If you are taking high-value items on holiday, you may need additional cover. Make sure you are aware of the benefits your insurance covers.
Take photos of your jewellery beforehand, so in the unfortunate event your jewellery is lost or stolen, we can help you establish its present day replacement value. We even have an online After Loss Assessment Questionnaire where you can submit a series of questions and upload images.
Best of all, these tips are easily done at home, online or at the airport – meaning there is more time to enjoy your holiday knowing things have been accounted for.