Whether your jewelry collection is small or extensive, having a record of every piece is crucial in certain situations.
For larger collections, it’s nearly impossible to remember every item. In the event of fire, flood, or other disasters, your insurance company will require proof of your belongings to reimburse or replace them with items of the same kind and quality.
If jewelry is lost and later recovered, proof of ownership may be needed to claim it. A photo of you wearing the piece can work, but finding the right image can be surprisingly difficult.
Whenever you need to verify value, ownership, or both, the easiest, fastest, and least stressful solution is to maintain a dedicated personal jewelry inventory.
How to inventory your jewelry
Depending on your collection’s size and value, your inventory could be as simple as a phone photo album or as detailed as specialized software that tracks serial numbers, documentation, and images. Here’s a range of options, from simplest to most comprehensive, to help you create a personal jewelry inventory.
1. Photo album
Simply take photos of each piece of fine jewelry you own. One close up, showing the details of the piece, and one with your face in it, to prove you're the owner. Save them all to a dedicated album on your phone, where it's easy to access.
You could even snap pictures of any receipts, appraisals or certifications you have for your jewelry and keep those in the album, too.
Just make sure to always lock your phone and consider extra precautions to secure sensitive data.
2. Personal jewelry inventory template
Looking for more than just a photo album? Lucky for you, we designed a downloadable jewelry inventory template!
You can either print out the template or edit it from your computer by typing the info in each of the rows. Be sure to still include a photo of your jewelry piece, either saving it onto your computer or printing it out in a photo album.
Download jewelry inventory template here.
3. Excel spreadsheet
If you're the more organized and Excel-savvy type and would like your inventory to look a certain way, you could bump it up a notch and go with a from-scratch spreadsheet inventory.
You'll want to include details like:
- Jewelry Type
- Latest Appraised Value
- Description (including brand name, carat, color, clarity, etc., if applicable)
- Date of Ownership
- Identification Number (if you have one)
Wherever you save the spreadsheet, also save pictures of each item and any appraisals, receipts or certifications.
Extra data safety precautions apply to your computer as much as they do your phone. Always take measures to protect your financial data.
4. Dedicated software
Simply search for "home inventory software" and you'll find a handful of apps and software products available to help you categorize your belongings.
Some can be downloaded for free while others you do have to pay. Depending on features important to you, and whether you have an Apple or Android operating system, you'll surely find the best home inventory software for your needs.
No matter which method you choose, you've taken an important step toward ensuring you're covered in the event of an insurance claim. Just another thing to help you wear your jewelry with peace of mind.
And if you still don't have jewelry insurance, but would like to see how much it could cost you per year, click the button below to check your rate.
