Travelling With an Engagement Ring

Never put a ring in checked luggage. Keep it with you, in your hand luggage or on your hand, for the whole journey. Carry the receipt and the grading report, or photos of them, in case you need to show what it is and what it is worth.

A ring you are wearing will often pass through security without fuss, though you may be asked to remove it. If you do, put it in a zipped pocket inside your bag rather than loose in a tray, where it is easy to lose.

A ring box shows clearly on an X-ray, and staff may want to look inside your bag. If you are travelling to propose, carry the ring in a small pouch rather than a bulky box, keep it in an easy-to-reach pocket of the bag, and if the bag is searched, you can quietly ask for it to be done away from your partner. Security staff are used to proposals.

Before you fly, check that your insurance covers the ring outside the UK, for the whole trip, and what it expects you to do if it is lost or stolen. A new ring for a proposal should be insured before you travel, not after you return.

Use the room safe, or the hotel’s main safe, when you are not wearing the ring. Take it off for the sea and the pool: cold water shrinks fingers and rings slip off, and sand and sunscreen are hard on settings. Put sunscreen on before the ring, not after.

In busy places, turning the stone into your palm is a simple way to keep it out of sight.

Give the ring a gentle clean when you are back: sand, salt and sunscreen collect under the setting. Warm water, a drop of neutral soap and a soft brush are all it needs.