Honestly? I never thought much about photographing my jewelry until a friend’s diamond necklace went missing during a trip to New York. No proof, no pictures, nothing. Her insurer didn’t pay out. That’s when it clicked—photos matter more than we think.
So now I always snap my pieces. Every single one. I ain’t saying I’m a pro or nothing, but I’ve learned a few tricks. Most people just chuck their jewellery in a box and hope for the best. Not me. Let me tell you how I do it (and maybe you’ll steal a few tips for yourself).
Why the Pics Really Matter?
Ok so here’s the deal. Insurance companies—they need proof. Not just receipts and appraisals, but solid, clear pics that show what your stuff looks like. The condition it’s in. The details. Trust me on this—words don’t cut it when something’s gone.
Imagine trying to describe a diamond ring from memory. What was the setting? How many prongs? What was engraved on the band? I couldn’t do it without photos. Could you?
Stuff You Might Want (But Not Need)
Don’t let the fancy photography crowd fool you—you don’t gotta have studio lights and $2,000 cameras. My phone’s got a good camera and that’s mostly what I use.
What I usually grab:
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iPhone or whatever camera you got handy (clean the lens! I always forget that part).
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A tripod, if you hate blurry photos like me.
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Lighting. Any soft light really. Natural light near a window = magic. But a lightbox helps too if it’s cloudy.
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A background that ain’t distracting. I use a plain white shirt sometimes, folded flat.
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Some kind of magnifier or macro mode. You wanna get up close.
I clean each piece before shooting too. Dust and fingerprints look 100x worse in close-up. I found that out the hard way.
The Prep Part (That No One Likes)
Before anything, I spread out everything I wanna shoot. Kinda like laying out clothes before packing. Helps a ton.
Then I wipe stuff down gently with a microfiber cloth. Just so no grease or crumbs ruin the picture. Gross but real.
Some people skip this step. I don’t. Why? Because once you’ve uploaded everything, you’ll see that tiny smudge you missed on your gold chain, and it’ll drive you nuts.
The Way I Do the Photos
Alright, so here’s how I usually go about it.
1. Set up near the window. Morning light’s soft and doesn’t cast hard shadows. I put the jewelry on a white background, sometimes even a plate. Yeah—a plate. Looks decent.
2. Stabilize your hands (or cheat with a tripod). I don’t care how steady you think you are, a tiny shake ruins the whole vibe.
3. Shoot a bunch of angles. Top-down, from the side, zoomed in, one far out. Every piece gets like 5-6 pics minimum. Overkill? Maybe. But that’s what insurance needs.
4. Focus on them details. Hallmarks, clasps, stamps—anything that proves this ain’t some knockoff. The macro setting saves me here. If you don’t use it, you’re missing out.
5. Add something for scale. A coin, a ruler, whatever. Helps them (and me) remember how big the thing actually is.
Tips You Didn’t Ask For (But You’re Getting)
Photos should be high res. Don’t compress them. Emailing from your phone sometimes shrinks ‘em, so send ‘original size’ if it asks.
Naming the files right is helpful too. Not like “IMG_7645” — more like “gold_charm_bracelet_sideview.jpg.” Future-you will say thanks.
Don’t trust just one device either. I lost a whole set once when my laptop died. Since then, I save ‘em to cloud, USB, and email.
Also: back everything up with a description. “14K rose gold ring with cushion-cut morganite and 12 accent diamonds” or something like that. Doesn’t have to be poetic, just accurate.
Updating the Photos (Yeah, You Gotta)
Jewelry changes. You clean it, resize it, maybe fix a loose stone. That’s when you update the pics.
I try to do this once a year. Or whenever I add something new. Especially for high-value items or stuff I wear often.
Better to have new pictures and not need ‘em than need them and find you forgot. Which I’ve done. Twice.
What Else I Keep with the Pics
I learned this the annoying way. Insurance might not accept just a picture.
So now I keep these in the same folder:
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Appraisals (PDFs or scans work fine)
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Receipts (if I have ’em… not always the case)
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Certificates (like GIA reports)
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Descriptions with item names, weights, materials
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Date bought and where
I toss it all in one labeled folder per item. Easy to send over if anything happens.
Types of Jewelry & My Personal Strategy
Every piece is its own pain. But worth it.
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Rings: Always shoot from top and slightly tilted. I get the band, stone, and undercarriage.
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Watches: Face, back, clasp, even inside the band if there’s engravings. Serial numbers are gold for claims.
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Necklaces: Untangle them, lay flat, photograph the clasp. Some of mine are dainty, they curl up if I’m not careful.
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Earrings: Pair them up in the frame and show front/back. I once had to prove a diamond fell out… pics saved the day.
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Bracelets: Open and closed views. That’s all I got for these.
Final Thoughts? Take the Photos. Now.
You never plan to lose your stuff, but if you do, having no photos is like trying to file a claim in the dark.
Honestly, it takes what—10 minutes per piece? Maybe less if you’re fast. I just do it during Netflix binges.
It’s peace of mind in JPG format. Could be the difference between “sorry, claim denied” and “check’s on the way.”
Want Help with Jewelry Insurance?
I use InsureDirect because they actually told me to take photos in the first place. (Shoutout to the agent who patiently explained how lighting worked. You’re a real one.)
They’re solid folks, based out of Pennsylvania.
Website: InsureDirect.com
Office Address: 618 South Broad Street, Lansdale, PA 19446
Email: contact@insuredirect.com
Phone: (800) 807‑0762 ext. 602