If I had to guess what type of jewellery is most frequently lost, I'd say earrings. I don't think I've ever met a woman who hasn't lost an earring. 

Here are my top tips on how to help you keep your precious items safe and how to avoid the most common mistakes when it comes to looking after your earrings. 

1) The Bathroom

Bathrooms are a common place that earrings get lost. Don’t take your earrings off or put them on over a sink. It’s easy to fumble with an earring when putting it in or taking it off and if you do it over the sink, it will inevitably end up down the plug hole. If you find it hard to change your habits of putting them in using the bathroom mirror, put the plug in first. Another way earrings are lost in the bathroom is by leaving them at the side of the sink. If you aren’t wearing your earrings, keep them in a jewellery box. Showers are also a place to avoid wearing earrings. I once had a customer who said she had to dig up the tiles in her bathroom to retrieve a very large diamond earring! 

2) Hotels

Nothing takes the shine off a lovely holiday like losing an earring. If you are in the habit of leaving earrings on a bedside table or on a shelf in the bathroom it’s easy for them to be missed when you are packing to leave and people often don’t realise they don’t have them until they get home. It’s very rare for the hotel to find and return the missing treasure. If you are going on holiday, take an earring box and keep them in it if you aren’t wearing them. Having the box will prompt you to look for the earrings when you are packing. Ideally take only one pair of earrings with you that you can wear during the day and in the evening.

3) The Beach

Don’t wear earrings when you are swimming, especially in the sea. If earrings come out when you are in the sea it will be unlikely that you’ll find them. If you are towelling your hair dry on the beach, it would be easy to knock them out without noticing so it’s best to keep them somewhere safe when you are doing any exercise.

4) The Bedroom

Don’t wear them in bed. When you are sleeping you move about and it’s easy for an earring to get caught and come out. If you then don’t notice until later in the day that the earring is missing, it’s hard to pin point where it has been lost. It can end up getting lost in the washing machine if it gets caught up in the sheets.

5) Pets

I have no idea why pets like to eat jewellery but we have had a few customers who have brought items in that have been through the dog :P Keep jewellery out of the reach of pets.

6) Handbags

Don’t keep earrings wrapped up in tissues or loose in your handbag. Even keeping them in small fabric pouches can end up with them being accidentally thrown out.

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 7) Earring backs

If you only do one thing as a result of reading this blog, always check that your earring backs fit tightly. Earring backs are made of two curls of metal that create a bit of tension to hold the earring on. Over time, these curls can loosen off. To tighten them, hold the earring back between your thumb and index finger and squeeze them together without the earring post in it. The try putting the back on the earring. If it is too tight, push the back on and off a few times to loosen it off a little before you put the earring in. Every time you put a pair of earrings on, flick the back with one of your nails to check that it isn’t loose and that it is secure. The last thing to check is that the post is through the middle of the earring back and that the earring back hasn’t twisted to the side.

 

8) Winter

Winter can be one of the easiest times to lose an earring. Scarves and high collars can push up earrings with hook fittings, causing them to come out. Get in the habit of checking your earrings are still there when you put scarves or coats on or off.

9) Choose a good jeweller

When you buy earrings, check with the shop if they sell single earrings should you lose one. It’s a service that we offer meaning if you lose one you only have to pay for one to replace it.

Anything else?

Are there any other ways you have lost earrings that you’d like me to add to this list or tips to avoid losing them? Let me know by emailing me christine@christinesadler.com