Traveling jewelry

I have just begun my jewelry business and am a scuba diver - so part of my jewelry is aquatic-oriented.  I just dove in Honduras and took my jewelry and sold several pieces to other divers.  The problem is the jewelry did not travel well.  I packed it in the fold-up jewelry cloth cases.  Several pieces were not in great shape when it arrived - and believe me, they are solidly made.  Any suggestion?  Thanks!!
Brenda of Bear Mountain

[amyonlyone]

Hi Brenda,
When I store my jewelry or move it from place to place, I found it works well if I take a piece of wire & string it thru the clasp of each item that is close to the same size then I place them in a plastic zip lock bag that is an appropriate size and then I push the ends of the wire thru the bag making a hole so I can twist the wire together. this will keep them lying straight. after all this is done I place them according to weight (heaviest at the bottom) in a big flat tupperware container.

[Metalman]

I also like to use some of the silver protection cloth that you can get at the fabric store.  The silver protection strips [R&T # 63-538] will also be a help.  Watch out for rubber bands - the rubber sometimes off gases sulfur which causes tarnishing on the sterling silver. Travel with a polishing cloth as well  [ for those little touch ups.  I usually pack and or roll everything in such a way that it can't move around at all.

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice - I will try/use them all!!

Brenda of Bear Mountain

[Luann Udell]

Another idea are jewelry sample cases, aka "soft-sided carrying cases" with stacks of sample trays inside.  They look like gray or black square or rectangular duffle bags.  They hold 10-12 sample trays securely.  

You can buy individual sample trays to customize for your needs.  You can get a variety of depths from 1" up to 3" or so deep.  

You then buy tray inserts to set into the trays.  These inserts are configured for many different kinds of jewelry, with different sized "compartments" available--very small (for small pins & earrings) to long and narrow (for bracelets) to large.  There are even hooks, flaps and bars available to secure rings, watches, bracelets, etc.  The compartments are all standard sizes, so earring cards fit into them.  The economy flocked inserts still look very nice.  

You can buy these carrying cases for less than $20--Rio Grande has them starting at $16.  www.riogrande.com

The trays run from a few dollars each on up.

The insert trays start very low, too, but it looks like Rio's prices have gone up (or I'm not seeing what I used to buy there.)  Try J&D Displays (a wholesale source for display materials catering to antique dealers and gift shop owners.)  The economy insert trays should only run a few dollars each, too.  J&D Displays, 800-889-5448 www.jddisplays.com

Advantages:  

Each piece of jewelry is stored in its own "slot" or compartment, and you lay a piece of batting over each try to secure the contents of each tray.  (Also available and also very cheap.)  

You can buy economical versions (which again look nice) or invest in really elegant versions.  Even the cheapest versions look very nice and polished and professional.

You can adapt the system to suit your individual needs.

You can store your jewelry in them even when you are not traveling.  

It's really easy to make a presentation to a customer or a store.  You just pull out a sample tray and all the pieces are already displayed in black, or white, or dark gray trays.  It looks neat and organized and professional.

So far, I've found these sets very standardized, and the ones you buy from one distributor will work with others.
hope this helps,
Luann