How do you carry jewels during an international travel?

kanmani · May 2, 2008

Hello Ladies,

I will be travelling soon from US to India alone. I am going to attend my brother's wedding and other family functions. So I need to carry some jewels with me (may be a pouch of jewels).

Earlier we can take the risk of loading it in the check-in baggages since we were allowed to lock. These days they don't want us to lock the check-in baggages for security check reasons. So I am a little hesitant to load them in check-in baggages.

At the same time, I am also a little concerned to carry it in the hand baggage / back pack because they go through various scanners at different check points and jewels being metal I don't want them to beep going through the detectors. It will cause unnecessary confusions and opening up of the bags. Also, I am worried to leave it in the hand baggage in the flight bins.

Kindly let me know the less risky way to take the jewels safely.

Thx
Kanmani

sowmyapbhat · May 2, 2008

Hi Kanmani,

I would say that the decision depends on how big the pouch of jewels is.

As ladies are allowed to carry a small handbag or vanity bag along with their cabin baggage, you could store your jewels in your vanity bag. That way, the pouch remains with you all the time, and even if the scanner detects it, you can take it out and explain without much inconvenience.

On the other hand, if the pouch is too big, the cabin bag is the ideal holder...since you can lock it, and it remains near you, if not with you, throughout the flight. If you are worried about losing sight of the bag, make sure it is in a compartment that is clearly visible from your seat.

And I don't think you need to worry about the metal detectors - the airport officials are trained to distinguish between suspicious and harmless metal objects, and anyway, as long as you are at hand to explain, it shouldn't be a problem.

Hope this helps,

Best Regards,

Sowmya

Arunarc · May 2, 2008

Hi Kanmani
What Sowmya has written is correct i too carry my jewellery in handbag. Just a little bit of addition to the above. Please have photogragh of your jewellery and bills or just estimated value of the jewels and u can keep these papers in your checkin baggages. This is for the safety purpose.

gokusha · May 2, 2008

Hi Kanmani,

As our ILites said, it is best to carry in hand luggage or hand bag as you have it always with you.

I did same when i went to India in last year to attend my Brother-inlaw wedding. I went alone from U.S to India for the first time, so i kept safe with passport and important documents.

shree · May 2, 2008

hi all,
i too carried in my hand bag i put all my jewels in a bag and then put it in my hand bag. donot forget to bring boxes for them in your check in. atleast one, one of my chain broke b'cos it got tangled with the other chains while keeping it in the house.

ramyaganesh · May 3, 2008

Hi Kanmani,

i too carried my jewellery in hadbag, i didnt get any problem at the metal detectors..

regards,
ramyaganesh

sssaustin · May 4, 2008

Has anyone come across any jewelry organisers here or in India..handy...for travel purposes?

I vaguely remember something like a purse as suggested by my friend back home...