Jewellery regularly holds not just significant financial value but also an unusual sentimental value. It is about the safety and longevity of your valuables, on the one hand, and their proper care and maintenance. Here is a detailed and user-friendly guide to help you keep your jewellery safe and fully available.
Taking Care of Your Jewelry
Caring for your jewellery is vital to keep it shiny and intact. Elements of harsh chemicals, intense light, and extreme temperatures may hurt sensitive objects. Removing jewellery from contact with chemicals such as chlorine and cleaning agents is recommended, as they can discolour and even erode metals and stones. As far as cleaning is concerned, gentle ways such as a soft, lint-free cloth for wiping and mild soap solutions for washing are suggested so they do not harm delicate materials such as pearls and opals.
Smart Inventory Management
To protect your investment, keeping detailed records of your jewellery is necessary. This entails taking pictures and keeping the receipts, which may prove very helpful in case of a loss. Also worth considering is getting expert appraisals for expensive or heirloom items, as this enables you to obtain a precise record of their current worth, which is critical for insurance reasons and possible future sales.
Storing Your Jewelry Safely
The foundation of protection jewelry is proper storage. A good safe or lock box is strongly recommended to prevent theft. On the one hand, having a safe is a necessary precaution; however, hiding it in a discreet place is also crucial to keep it from being noticed. In terms of daily wear or those we value less, putting them in disguised boxes and using unconventional places like the back of a drawer or under the freezer may also serve this purpose.
Opting for Security Enhancements
Implementing security measures to your house will markedly reduce the chances of theft. This can be anything from highly advanced alarm systems and CCTV surveillance to basic ones like motion sensors and secure locks. These structures help keep your property safe and give you a sense of security.
Insuring Your Jewelry
Despite having the greatest precautions, these risks can still be present. This is the point where jewellery insurance comes into play. It can include damages, loss, or theft, so you can repair or replace treasured pieces without having to go through financial distress. Continual appraisals are required to ensure that the coverage remains at the current market value of your property.
Boosting In-Home Security
Keeping your jewellery safe involves more than just storage; it also involves securing your entire home. If you can afford it, think about using cutting-edge security technologies. Surveillance cameras, alarm systems, and motion detectors are significant dissuading factors to would-be burglars. Moreover, these systems can sometimes be monitored from your smartphone, which adds another layer of handy control and security.
Discreet Storage Options
Jewellery storage alternatives to regular safes are wider than what we already know. For instance, consider using decoy safes that look like normal household items or storage spots that thieves won’t check—such as air vents, inside frozen food containers, or behind false panels in your closet. The trick is to use creativity to outwit possible intruders.
Maintenance and Expert Assistance
Constant contact with a professional jeweller may be needed to ensure the quality and integrity of your treasures. Jewellers can provide cleaning services, inspect for damages or loose settings, and give tips on caring for and storing your valuable pieces. This lets you get your jewellery in good shape and condition and makes security easy.
Safety Measures While Moving
While on the road, the risks to your jewellery rise. It is important to apply travel-tailored jewellery trays that facilitate arranging and protecting your belongings. Go for small, hard shell cases with interior padding, which help to prevent damage from occurring, as well as keep your valuables out of sight. Besides, check the most valuable items in your carry-on rather than the checked bag. If you bring high-value items, use the hotel safe for jewellery or get a safety deposit box at a local bank if you will be staying for a while.
Future-Proofing Jewelry Security
Thinking about the future, consider upcoming trends and technologies that can change the role of jewellery security. Technologies like biometric jewellery safe for home that need fingerprint identification or even advanced facial recognition software are increasingly coming to the market level. With the help of these tools, only authorized persons gain access to your belongings, which becomes almost impossible to steal.
Educate Yourself and Your Family
Education is one of the fundamental components of jewellery conservation. Family members should be well informed about the worth of the jewellery, not only from the financial point of view but also the sentimental one. Students must be shown different options for maintaining and preserving their stuff. Easy measures such as not leaving the jewellery out in the open, using safes, and understanding the critical nature of insurance will go a long way in ensuring the safety of your valuables.
Conclusion
Preserving your jewellery is not only a matter of just keeping it from being stolen. It is about knowing how to take care of materials, leveraging technology to improve security, and engaging the community in safety initiatives. Additionally, it’s about turning to efficient storage techniques and having a current inventory that will help recover after a loss.
When adopting these techniques, remember that you strive not only to keep the monetary value of your jewellery but also its sentimental importance. Through these preventive measures, such as employing safes and security systems as well as proper insurance, you secure your valuable assets and maintain them for your generation to come. Jewellery is not only an accessory but a connection to the past and a legacy for the future. Through proper security, you safeguard not only the value of the item but also the memories it holds for you.
Spending time wisely protecting your jewellery with strategic storage and thorough security precautions will become an investment in your peace of mind and the protection of your heritage. Remember that jewellery not only stands for its monetary value but can also personify fond memories and beloved stories.Safeguard your jewelry treasures both as valuable assets and cherished memories. Visit Lauth Investigations International to discover a range of personalized security solutions, from advanced safes to comprehensive insurance coverage. Let us help you ensure that your jewelry remains safe and secure for generations. Contact us today to explore your options and enhance your peace of mind.
Most of the famous stolen paintings in the art world have been subjected to several high-profile thefts typically cloaked in mystery and intrigue. These unfortunate events deprived us of important works of art and influenced the inquiry into the arts. This blog post looks into several incidents, covering the tales of the stolen arts and the fight to get these masterpieces back.
The Gardner Museum Theft
One of the boldest art thefts occurred at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. In a well-planned heist, robbers disguised as policemen outsmarted the museum guards and made off with 13 artworks, Rembrandt’s “The Storm on the Sea of Galilee” and Vermeer’s “The Concert” included. Despite the efforts and handsome reward, these artworks are still missing.
The Louvre’s Mona Lisa
No other painting has received more fame from being stolen than the Mona Lisa. The picture was taken from the Louvre in 1911 by an Italian workman who attempted to peddle it in Italy once. The theft made the Mona Lisa a worldwide sensation when it was recovered in 1913. This incident vividly shows weaknesses even in the most secure museums and what criminals would do for such renowned stolen paintings.
Kunsthal Museum Heist
In a stunning heist at the Kunsthal Museum in Rotterdam, paintings by Picasso, Monet, and Gauguin were stolen, among others. This theft is specifically famous owing to the sad ending of some pieces of art – it was said that the mother of one thief burned them to save her son.
Vanishing of Van Gogh’s “Poppy Flowers”
Valued at about $55 million, Vincent van Gogh’s “Poppy Flowers” was not stolen just once, but twice, from the Mohamed Khalil Museum in Cairo. The first loss of the picture was in 1977 and the mysterious recovery occurred in Kuwait two years later with vague circumstances. Its second theft in 2010, in the middle of the day with little security, has left it missing. Such events highlight the difficulties in protecting and recovering stolen art in regions with varying security and investigative capabilities.
The Enigma of “The Just Judges”
The “Just Judges” from the Ghent Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck was stolen in 1934. Although a ransom letter and the dying thief’s confession that only he knew the panel’s location were found, the panel is still missing. This specific case is intriguing because it involves elements of historical art, religious importance, and an enigma that continues to puzzle art historians and detectives.
Art Recovery Triumphs: Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise”
Many art theft stories have a happy ending. The painting “Impression, Sunrise” by Claude Monet, which was stolen in 1985 from the Marmottan Museum in Paris, was recovered in 1990. Luckily, this painting, which is fundamental for naming the Impressionist movement, remained unharmed despite its trial. The recovery was done by coordinated law enforcement from a few jurisdictions, which underlines the successes of international cooperation in solving famous paintings stolen cases.
Missing “Portrait of a Young Man” by Raphael
Raphael’s “Portrait of a Young Man” represented one of the biggest losses to the art world during World War II; one of the outstanding works of Polish art which went missing. The Nazis confiscated the painting together with other treasures from the Czartoryski Museum in Kraków. In the aftermath of the war, numerous searches were carried out in the hope of finding the painting, but it remained lost, leaving a major gap in the surviving works of Raphael.
The Robbery of Vermeer’s “The Concert”
The concert is one of the 34 known Johannes Vermeer works and was robbed in the notorious Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist in 1990. Theft of this kind was one of the largest and noblest in art world history, which resulted in the disappearance of 13 works of art, the value of which is 500 million. “The Concert” and other art pieces are missing, and despite a big reward and an ongoing investigation, there is a gap between them, leaving a big loss in the art world.
Case of Caravaggio’s “Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence”
This Caravaggio masterpiece theft happened in 1969 from the Oratory of San Lorenzo in Italy. It is believed that the Sicilian Mafia organized the theft. Over the years, different reports have emerged concerning the painting, with some rumours saying it was destroyed. Yet, hope remains that it could still be found in the art world, sustained by tales of artworks resurfacing after years.
Van Gogh’s “View of the Sea at Scheveningen”
This early painting by Vincent van Gogh was stolen in 2002 from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, together with another painting, “Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen.” The works were found in 2016 in Italy following a long investigation for the arts related to the Italian Mafia. This restitution is evidence of law-enforcement determination and international collaboration, which is needed for combating art theft.
Impact of Stolen Arts
The theft of universally known stolen paintings is more than the financial loss it represents; it is a cultural gap, a missing part of human history. Museums such as the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum have empty frames on display, a sad but powerful manifestation of the cultural heritage stolen away from the public by force and for the private study and delight of a prudent thief.
The tale of the 1969 theft of Caravaggio’s “Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence” from a church in Palermo is one of the art world’s most sorrowful losses. Despite several assertions of its survival, the painting has yet to be found, emphasizing the necessity for continuous attempts and faith in times of hardship. This case represents a sad sign of the cultural destruction caused by stealing such priceless works of art.
Conclusion
Obsession with the lost works of art is never-ending. Every piece stolen has its history, a story of human wit and, sometimes, an account of courage. Recovered or not, each of these works still lives in the world’s memory, forcing us to save our cultural wealth for our children. Therefore, as we carry out these inquiries into the arts, we must remember our role in valuing, maintaining and surviving against all odds brought about by art theft.
The tales of stolen art are as captivating as they are cautionary. Visit Lauth Investigations International to learn how our art recovery services can help protect and recover invaluable cultural heritage. If you’ve lost a piece of art to theft, don’t wait—reach out today and take the first step towards bringing your treasured art back home.
Wondering how to protect valuables from would-be thieves and robbers? Trade in stolen art and jewelry is a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide, so it makes sense to take steps to protect your assets. Here at Lauth Investigations International, we are dedicated not only to tracking and recovering stolen precious goods, but also advising diligent owners on how to protect valuables against external threats in the first place. Read on to discover our top tips for keeping the thieves away from your door.
1. Identify the High Value Items That You Need to Protect
Far too many owners of heirloom artworks, jewelry, and other high value assets don’t recognize the desirability of their treasures until they’ve been taken. Stay ahead of those who might target you with awareness of what needs to be safeguarded. Precious items might include paintings, sculptures, jewelry, watches, rugs, silverware, instruments, antique china or crystal, furs, firearms, and other collectibles. Knowing how to protect valuables starts with knowing where and what they are, and how much they are worth.
2. Review and Update Your Insurance Coverage
High-value items require specific insurance coverage that will likely exceed the limits of your homeowner insurance policy. Ahead of purchasing scheduled personal property coverage, we recommend meeting with your insurance advisor directly to identify policy vulnerabilities. Keep in mind that the value of assets like art and jewelry can go up and down over time. This makes it essential to track market values or have your items reappraised periodically to ensure that your policies always represent their true value.
3. Document Your Art and Jewelry
When a precious item is stolen, time is of the essence and having all the information on hand is vital if pursuit of the perpetrators is to be successful. Take detailed photos of your valuables, and detail all identifying features. Scan all documentation, including purchase receipts, provenance paperwork, and appraisals. Securely store the originals separately from the items themselves, and the digital versions using a cloud-based service. You can also consider using a purpose-built database to catalog your collection, like interpol’s Art-ID app.
4. Install Sophisticated Security Systems
When it comes to how to protect valuables, it’s key to understand that they are only as secure as the location where they are stored. High-value jewelry is far more vulnerable in a jewelry box or nightstand than it would be in a safe or safe deposit box. Equally, art work on the wall of a home with a state-of-the-art intruder alert system and CCTV cameras will be far safer than that in a home that would be easy to enter undetected. Artworks themselves can be fitted with alarms, too. Your insurance company may reduce your rate in reflection of this added protection.
5. Use Tracking Technology
While art collectors have long been concealing identifying markers on their most precious assets, these days the advent of miniature technology means that we can go further. Paintings, sculptures, and even jewelry cases can be fitted with tiny GPS tracking devices with batteries that last for years. These diminutive gadgets mean that if your art or jewelry goes astray, it won’t get far.
6. Perform Background Checks
How well do you really know your staff? From housekeepers to contractors, those we trust to enter our homes don’t always have the best intentions. On how to protect valuables, one of the most powerful tactics that we recommend is to subject every hire to our comprehensive background check service. This will illuminate anything nefarious in their past that might make you think twice about letting them near your beloved valuables.
7. Seek Tailored Advice Through a Risk and Security Assessment
You hope you’ve thought of everything to thwart potential thieves, but there may still be holes in your well-intended defenses. Our dedicated team of art and jewelry theft investigators are expertly poised to analyze your security measures and identify gaps that need to be closed. For total peace of mind, turn to Lauth Investigations International for guidance on how to protect valuables from every angle. Our team is always here to help, and only a call or message away.
As licenced private investigators specializing in jewelry and art theft investigations, we witness the fallout of jewelry and art theft first hand and all too often. Whether stolen from a private home or public setting, these types of precious assets often represent immense historic value, sentiment, and uniqueness that makes no dollar amount a satisfying substitute, making the crime one that cuts deep for targeted owners.
Framed by this reality, the unveiling of a brand new app from INTERPOL marks a positive step towards reducing the skyrocketing rates of both jewelry theft and art theft across the United States and around the globe. Let’s take a look at exactly what this cutting-edge technology has to offer concerned collectors everywhere.
Direct Access to INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art Database
INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art Database promises to change the game for those aiming to thwart criminals intent on art theft and jewelry theft. It does so by cataloging essential information for the identification of valued items, aiding in their identification and location. At time of writing, the database has already amassed data on more than 52,000 objects from 134 member countries—all in the name of mounting a combined response to safeguarding our common heritage.
This impressive resource has been designed for use by police officers, custom officials, the general public, private collectors, art dealers, journalists, students, and art enthusiasts. However, the innovation of this project lies not in the simple documentation of stolen valuables, but in a far more comprehensive range of functions. The key to unlocking this crime fighting potential comes with use of their groundbreaking ap, ID-Art.
Stamping Out Jewelry Theft and Art Theft with ID-Art
The free-to-use ID-Art mobile app not only allows users to check if an object is registered as stolen, but also to create and inventory their own art collections and report site thefts and threats in real time. Missing objects can be searched manually or visually, using diverse search parameters such as object type, medium, production technique, artist’s name, or country of provenance. These metrics are streamlined by INTERPOL’s standardized ‘Object-ID’ format.
Alternatively, users can upload an image of the asset in question to perform a visual search using ID-Art’s cutting-edge image recognition software. This attention to details means that those cataloging their collections on the app can enjoy peace of mind that the data is in place to make it difficult for criminals to move their most beloved property in the event of jewelry or art theft. This, in turn, will help to reduce illicit trafficking and deter would-be criminals from targeting one-of-a-kind objects in the first place.
Going Further to Prevent Art and Jewelry Theft
Seeking adequate insurance and cataloging your valuables can go a long way in the event of a theft, but what about prevention? Private investigators from Lauth Investigations International frequently turn their expertize in analyzing crime scenes to the art of security and risk assessment. If you are concerned that you may be vulnerable to art or jewelry theft, we can deliver a comprehensive assessment and tailored advice on the steps that you can take to ensure the safety of your prized valuables. Should the worst have occurred and your items are missing, our veteran private investigators are ready to jump out into the field and unearth their trail, in hot pursuit of recovery. No matter your art and jewelry related security concerns, the Lauth Investigations team is ready to provide essential support. Contact us to learn more, and download INTERPOLS ID-Art app free of charge for Apple and Android mobile devices, to add vital layers of protection in the safeguarding of your assets.
There’s a thrill in tracking down a unique treasure or acquiring artwork that will become a family heirloom, but contemporary buyers should beware. These days, art scams and jewelry scams are rife. If you think it couldn’t happen to you and don’t take the time to learn the facts, there’s a good chance your collecting efforts might go awry.
Do you think you could spot a fake or sniff a scam artist coming? Top art aficionados thought they had struck gold when Glafira Rosales began selling previously unknown works by painters such as Rothko, Pollock, and de Kooning to New York collectors. Later, it came out that every single one of the multi-million dollar paintings was a fake created by her accomplice, Chinese forger Pei-Shen Qian.
If Rosales and Qian were audacious enough to fool the New York art scene elite, you can bet that there are plenty of bad actors out there ready to roll out art scams and jewelry scams on a smaller scale with a big smile on their faces. Of course, this is no reason to avoid investing in spectacular art and exciting jewelry finds. Read on to discover what to look out for in order to protect yourself.
The Power of the Provenance
The provenance of a precious item describes its chain of custody—from the artist or jewelers studio to the seller presenting the piece today. This crucial paper trail doesn’t only exist for high-profile artworks in the world’s most famous museums, but also valuable treasures making their way through the hands of private collectors.
Within the worlds of art scams and jewelry scams, the term “newly discovered” denotes the forgers playground. Whenever a prized piece of reportedly noble origin appears without any provenance, it’s crucial to approach it with caution, no matter how romantic a tale is told. At the very least, a reputable appraiser, independent of the seller, should be brought in to size up your prize.
Of course, a phony provenance can also provide opportunity for sellers to overinflate value. When an item is described as having belonged to celebrity, royalty, or other persons of great importance, it can make an otherwise un-noteworthy item appear far more desirable than it should. Provenance should always be scrutinized to avoid disappointment.
Online Art and Jewelry Scams
The rise of online art and jewelry sales provides the perfect opportunity for scam artists to peddle their wares without direct physical scrutiny. Buyers can receive fake imitation goods, or nothing at all as the perpetrators digitally disappear without a trace. In order to avoid this perilous pitfall, steer clear of buying art and jewelry that is priced below retail value—if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Watch out for blurry images that may mask low quality items or poorly imitated brush strokes. Confirm quality guarantees, seller location, and returns policy—and in the name of avoiding jewelry scams, confirm that the total carat weight, gemstone quality, and setting style all match up. Finally, make provenance checks, just as you would when buying in person.
Sellers Avoiding Scrutiny Or a Paper Trail Are a Red Flag
Those selling authentic goods should have no concerns over making your transaction official. If a local seller seeks payment by money order or in cash, it’s time to raise the alarm—particularly ahead of a meeting in person, as this interaction may never happen if they intend to make off with your cash without providing what was promised.
Not only antique and vintage items, but new precious jewelry creations should have accessible proof of provenance for you to scrutinize. Contemporary tech is increasingly allowing buyers to protect themselves, as gemstones and precious metals are documented via blockchain so their history cannot be altered. The temptation to take the plunge on a desirable item can be great when it seems as if you’ve found something extraordinary, but it is better to save money and heart break, approaching every purchase with a focused and suspicious eye. Do you suspect you are a victim of an art scam or jewelry scam? If so, Lauth Investigations International can help. With extensive experience within the realms of art and jewelry theft and tracking the perpetrators of fraud and forgery, we have just the skillset required to find those responsible and ensure justice on your behalf. To learn more, reach out to our team today for a no-commitment consultation.
Anyone who has ever fallen victim to art or jewelry theft understands the unique brutality of this crime. While such precious treasures may represent a substantial financial investment, they are also often of great sentimental value—inflicting double the wound when they vanish without a trace.
And how common is jewelry theft, you may wonder? Well, the latest jewelry theft statistics paint a grim picture. According to the FBI, more than $100 million worth of jewelry is stolen each year in the USA. Meanwhile, art theft poses enough of a problem that the FBI has a dedicated Art Crime Team. No doubt, the threat is real to all who act as guardians for prized examples of human creativity—whether what menaces is gallery or jewelry store theft, or the violation of a business premises or private residence.
How Often Is Stolen Jewelry Recovered?
In a jewelry theft investigation, the results can be sort of a mixed bag. Because of the one-of-a-kind nature of many stolen jewelry or art items, when the worst occurs, art or jewelry theft insurance offers little peace of mind. Owners want their beloved pieces back, but sadly the odds are rarely in their favor. Art and jewelry theft stats vary, but together paint a clear picture that the vast majority of precious items are never reunited with their owners.
This is in part because law enforcement agencies operating with overstretched resources often have little choice but to prioritize violent crimes. Investigations of stolen jewelry, art, electronics, and other personal valuables sit on the to-do list, or face delays due to bureaucracy or a shifting chain of command. Of course, reporting art and jewelry theft through traditional channels is essential and may result in the victim’s favor. However many individuals or businesses who have suffered such a loss will be relieved to know that there are other avenues to explore when seeking the return of prized possessions.
Turning To a Specialized Art and Jewelry Theft Private Investigator
When police progress seems to have ground to a halt or one feels that precious time is being wasted, there is another form of art or jewelry theft investigation at your disposal. Uniquely, specialized private investigators are able to pour their complete attention into putting the puzzle pieces together until a clear picture emerges. They also operate independently, objectively, and efficiently on behalf of their clients, while drawing upon a wide variety of resources.
Typically, this type of private investigator will have a background either directly in law enforcement, or in working alongside such agencies. As such, they will be able to offer a skill set that includes the capacity to profile subjects, canvass for witnesses, and apply forensic methodology to both the crime scene and chain of events.
For example, by seeking out CCTV footage not only from the theft site but also the wider surrounding area, they will diligently strive to map the criminal’s movements. Meanwhile a jewelry theft investigator may turn to an online jewelry database in their search of clues and monitor online transactions in order to trace the stolen jewelry in question. In fact, licenced private investigators can access many of the same law enforcement databases that a police investigator would.
Ultimately, whatever stone must be turned to find answers, a jewelry theft private investigator will do so meticulously—identifying the most efficient next step at each case evolution, and documenting evidence as it arises. Because their loyalty is to you as their client, you can also be assured of oversight and control. If you are ready to enlist the assistance of a private investigator after falling prey to the perpetrators of art or jewelry theft, Lauth Investigations International is ever-ready to assist. Our dedicated, seasoned, and highly professional team offer expertize in swiftly locating and returning missing assets. To learn more about our methodology and how to set sleuthing in motion, get in touch today.
