cdispoto

Is it safe for my wife to wear her diamond engagement ring and wedding band while on our three-week trip in Italy.

We'll be all over - as far North as Venice and as far South as Sorrento. Ive read to be careful with wearing expensive jewelry, etc. and even though we are exceedingly careful with our stuff, we want to be as cautious as possible.

nytraveler

I would take rings only that she will not take off and fit well. IMHO the biggest risk is loss - not theft - unless the ring is about 30 carats and she waves her hands around all over the place.

jgg

I agree with nytraveler. I leave my wedding ring at home (in addition to it's monetary value, the large diamond was my grandmothers). There is really no reason to wear it, and if I lost it I would be devastated. I have a simple, but wide silver band that I wear when we travel. I keep my ring and other more valuable jewelry in a safe at home.

Lexma90

I agree with the above - my concern is loss, not theft. At home, I take off my rings each nights, as my fingers swell. If I were to do that while on vacation and accidently forgot to put them back on, and left them at a hotel, I would be heartbroken. So I usually leave my engagement ring at home, and just wear my wedding band, which causes less of an issue with swelling fingers. Same with my nicer or more special, emotionally, necklaces or earrings.

annw

I leave the diamond at home (safe deposit) and wear wedding band only, or substitute my Claddagh ring. Simple earrings.

violetduck

I just wear a simple wedding band when traveling and if any other jewelry nothing expensive or flashy.

caroline_edinburgh

What do you imagine Italians do?

jamikins

I never take my rings off so I always wear them on vacation. The only exception to this was our recent sailing trip to Greece where I didnt want to get them covered in sun screen.

I think if your wife takes them off at night or to shower I would leave them at home like everyone above says - losing them would be a shame.

As for theft - highly unlikely unless she left them in your hotel room or something like that. Italian women wear engagement rings etc and I dont think they are too concerned about theft. Would your wife feel unsafe wearing her jewelry in New York or LA - it will be the same in Italy.

Enjoy your trip!

pizzocchieri

Most Italian women I know never travel with their jewelry. They love it too much.

I think it is funny women put on a fake wedding ring rather than just leave their real one at home. It really doesn't matter to Europeans if you are wearing a ring. If they want to make a pass, they will!

caroline_edinburgh

But they do keep it in the house and wear it around the town where they live. Do you think all their houses are higher-security than the average hotel? Most Italians don't even have insurance.

pizzocchieri

Of course they keep it in their house. But it is also true that there is a higher rate of home burglary in Italy than most other places, just for that reason. They keep a lot of cash hidden there, too. A hotel actually has more security!

But this thread is about traveling. Italian women I know don't take their important jewelry traveling. They are also afraid they might forget it or have it stolen from their luggage in airport security.

annw

When traveling to new places people are sometimes disoriented or in dicey areas that local jewelry-wearing Italian women don't go.

Even experienced travelers can end up in situations; 3 weeks ago and traveling with DH we ended up walking to a B&B (cab refused to take us on such a short trip) through a "transitional" area near the south Brussels train station. My late MIL's gold chain and a small gold Celtic pendant slipped outside of my black shirt and caught the eye of a couple of punks who ripped it off my neck and I'm sure made for the closest "cash for gold" shop.

When encumbered with even a carry on bag, in unfamiliar turf, one is more vulnerable than at home where we don't think twice about wearing jewelry.

I do think travelers in unfamiliar venues should avoid anything but the most subtle jewelry. Lots of Italian women wear jewelry, but they are on their home turf. I think that makes a difference.

Dukey1

I can relate to some of this but I don't consider Italy to be in the same league as some South American cities and countries in terms of outright theft. And even in Barcelona it is kinda hard for a pickpocket to snatch a wedding ring but whatever makes you (un)comfortable.

I was in St. Thomas a couple weeks ago and one of the jewelry store merchants made the remark that, "I see you're wearing about half of Fort Knox on your wrist." What I had on then I usually wear everywhere and it is a valuable piece and I, too, would be more concerned about loss than theft.

Please don;t tell us you are one of those people who takes their own sheets to put on the beds, too.

Dukey1

Lots of Italian women wear jewelry, but they are on their home turf.

Which does not in any way prevent theft or even possible loss. In fact, the more you are ON your home turf the more unaware you probably are.

mamcalice

In 20+ trips to Europe, I have never left my rings at home. I do agree that the risk of leaving them somewhere if you take them off is far greater than the risk of theft. So if your wife frequently removes her rings, I would leave them at home. The risk of having someone strip them from you finger is no greater than in a city anywhere.

Jean

I'm another one who never takes off her wedding ring, so it comes with me on vacation everywhere. I turn the stone to the inside of my hand if I think it's attracting too much attention.

The rest of the jewelry I bring, however, is only the cheap stuff.

Jean

I forgot to say that my diamond is a solitaire. If my ring set looked more like a candy store, I might leave it at home.

socaltraveler

I wear my wedding rings, and do not take them off, but trust me we are not talking large and gaudy. I pack very little other jewelry, mostly because I don't want to keep track of it, the taking on and off, repacking, try to keep things simple when I travel.

Pegontheroad

At the Kempinski in Berlin years ago, I found a diamond ring on the edge of the sink in the women's restroom. I'd seen the woman who'd been in there just before me, and I went over and asked her if she'd lost anything.

She shrieked, "Mein Diamant!" so I gave her back her ring.

RMMR2

cdispoto,

With regard to wedding/engagement rings: I have traveled to Italy numerous times (ranging, geographically, from Tuscany to Salerno) and I have always worn my wedding band and engagement ring with diamonds (though it's not big). Based on my experiences, I agree with what many have already said--your wife is no more likely to have her rings stolen in an Italian city or town than in, say, New York, Los Angeles, London or Paris.

Of course it's always possible that she will misplace them, but no more or less likely than in any other place she might travel.

As for other expensive jewelry that is more noticeable, such as a gold necklace, which may also be more accessible to the thief who literally wants to rip it from your neck (as poor annw experienced)--I have no personal experience with that, since my necklaces tend not to be made from gold or other expensive materials. But again, none of the Italian cities or towns I've visited have ever felt less safe to me than any other major western city or town.