Come Fly with Me...

I’m off to CIRCA’s Hong Kong office this week, and although I thank goodness that I missed the travel nightmare of the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland, I am already dreading the flight. One could probably date the demise of the heady glamour days of air travel to when porters disappeared and they stopped providing free drinks. But for me personally, it was when two London Heathrow security men wrestled down my Birkin bag to stuff it into my carry-on before allowing me to board. If only Hermès could have seen them!

The worst are the “angry” travelers – those unfortunate enough to have their luggage lost. While I do feel for them, they should take a cue from our CEO, a paragon of Zen-like calm when his polo mallets were put on a flight to St. Martin and he was waiting by the luggage carousel in Palm Beach. No tantrums, only a minor twitch in his demeanor as he saw his mallets being used playfully by the airline staff when he went to pick them up two days later.

So my fellow travelers, even if you are in sweats, flip-flops and jeans, always maintain your composure and style. Here are some tips to help you and your jewelry travel better:

1)  Make a decision – especially when the trip is one week or less.  Will it be the white or yellow gold jewelry color palate?  If it’s the yellow – then wear the rose gold watch, the yellow gold diamond necklace, etc.
2)  Unhook necklaces so that there is “give” in any movement; there is more potential stress when it is clasped tightly.
3)  Hand carry the most expensive or beloved pieces. Airlines will only give you about USD500 when they lose a piece of luggage. Believe me, I know – I once tried to explain that this would only replace one pair of shoes!
4)  For really precious cargo, bring the item in its original box - A CIRCA buyer once flew with a dome shaped 24”x12”X 6” box holding an 18th century tiara with all its fittings.

So dears, I’m off, but will be tweeting from Hong Kong. Tune in on Twitter: @CIRCA_Jewels.

Image: The Empress Josephine Emerald Tiara, part of the Norwegian Parure; source: internetstones.com

In the Loupe is authored by CIRCA’s resident trendspotter and style maven. She’s traveled the world, dabbling in high finance, haute cuisine, and fine art at one of the world’s leading auction houses, before finding her true calling in the world of priceless gems. The result is a genuine global luxury connoisseur, with a knowledge and appreciation of beauty, quality and true style. She is one of the industry’s foremost experts on the valuation of fine gems and jewelry, and is now happy to share her discerning eye and impeccable taste to help you look and feel fabulous! Print this post