wearing jewelery in Italy

I wouldn't wear hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry but a wedding ring, earrings or a nice necklace will be fine. It won't make you any more of a target than anyone else. I usually just wear my wedding rings and a watch and leave the rest at home. Donna

Honestly I'd be more worried about losing it - it's easy to misplace and lose things when travelling, especially if it's not something that you wear every day like a wedding ring.

My general philosophy for travel either here in the US or in other continents is, "if in doubt, don't." Other than the skilled pickpocket who can remove an expensive watch in no time, or the ease with which someone would snap a gold coin on a chain, wearing something like a 3+carat diamond would just call attention to one's above-average wealth, which may (or may not) make one a better potential target for a pickpocket. Why worry? Best to travel under the radar, especially in times that European populations, including Italy, are also dealing with financial frustrations. Put the expensive stuff in your bank safe deposit box and travel without worry.

The short answer is yes. The next question is, Why would you? What is the point of wearing expensive jewelery? I argue on the pickpocket is that it is not any one thing that you do or don't do. But it is the package. How do you look to a potential thief? Are you look like you have something? Do you look like an easy mark? Etc. Personally think expensive jewelery is not an asset but we have had this discussion and others think it is just fine. So do what is within your comforter level.

I usually wear it on the plane over and back and out to fancy dinners. Other than that, it stays in the safe. It's not so much a safety issue, but I just don't want to be bothered with checking for it all the time. Plus I'm a night owl and long nights out usually don't involve a jewelry check every hour. I haven't noticed if it made me any more a target or not. My guess 'not'. You will see plenty of others wearing theirs so I wouldn't think you would be painting a target on your back unless you are competing with the Real Housewives of Moscow. If it's a concern, then just leave it and save yourself the hassle. It's pretty much no different than you would find in San Fran, maybe better.

I hadn't been to Europe in several years, and wearing jewelry became a question for me, too. I looked around on the tram one day and realize that no women were wearing neck jewelry except for what was clearly costume jewelry, and I took the hint. I dress fairly casually when I travel, but the gold chain I always wear is of great sentimental value to me, so I just kept it in a little coin purse in my luggage for most of the trip.

I only took jewelry I wouldn't miss if lost or stolen. I ended up wearing the same pair of earrings every day and only wore a necklace once. We were never bothered by pickpockets in Rome (but then we toured by Segway which kept us moving) and I never carried a purse (had zippered security pockets in pants and capris which held money & passport). Camera stored in the pack attached to the Segway. Why would you wear expensive jewelry travelling anyway?

My wife says she has no need to wear fancy jewelry when flying and since we do not go out to fancy dinners in Europe she has no need to take any. Better to leave it at home.

good advice above: leave it at home if you have any fear of losing it. A cousin who is a native of Milan wore a nice necklace on public transit in Milan and didn`t notice until she got home that it had been stolen right off of her neck. She didn't feel a thing and does not remember anyone even bumping into her!

Be cautious, as you would anywhere else. You can be robbed anywhere, and I wouldn't say that your jewelry would be a target any more in Italy than another part of Europe. I wear my engagement/wedding band set (with a decent sized diamond in the middle) happily, without fear. When I am in big crowds in Rome or other large cities, sometimes I will turn the engagement ring over so that the diamond is not showing. But I have never had a problem, hope not to! I wear a few nice-ish necklaces, but nothing crazy. One necklace I love is made of several strands of gray pearls, and has some value, but if it were stolen it wouldn't be the end of the world for me. However, it's the same with your wallet and such - do not act or look like a target, be confident, and often this will deter people. Not always, but your actions and your posture do definitely help.

I am always losing something I really like.
My daughter gave me a pair of Pandora earring wires, with several sets of inexpensive earring beads (not necessarily from the manufacturer above) I can pretty much coordinate everything. With the earrings, my watch and wedding band I am set to go.

I agree with other posters, but you're just as safe wearing expensive jewelry in Italy as you are in Fairfield. And even safer than wearing it in Sacramento.

My wife left all her jewelry at home after a classmate in her Italian class, who was an experienced European traveler, reported that her watch had been stolen while traveling in Italy. Edit: in response to - does she take her jewelry off in San Francisco (we live in the Bay Area), the answer is, she turns her wedding band over so the stone isn't visible when she travels to the city. And we are reasonably cautious on BART and Muni.

And watches are never stolen here?

Of course watches are stolen here. However when a person is traveling/on vacation, that person may have a tendency to be distracted (looking at maps, attractions, whatever) and may not be as fully aware as usual. I believe that's why he made the point that the person with the stolen watch was an experienced traveler. Additionally, given that an American woman would dress differently and probably conduct herself differently from an Italian woman, she's already increased chances of being noticed. She probably wouldn't be noticed in the same way in San Francisco or Sacramento simply because she's already a part of the culture here. I personally wear jewelry while traveling (because I tend to wear jewelry every day and I miss it when I don't), but I don't take anything that I wouldn't miss terribly if I lost it, forgot it, or if god forbid, it was stolen.

I said above that I agree with previous posters. My point is, and my opinion is, that wearing a watch or jewelry in Italy is just as safe as wearing a watch or jewelry in the US. If a person is worried about either being stolen in Italy, they should be just as worried about it here. A couple of weeks ago, a woman was knocked to the ground in San Francisco and her necklace ripped from her neck and stolen. So, should women never wear jewelry in SF? Some would say yes. To me, it's the same logic.

Understood. My take is that you are referring to crime occuring in both countries I agree - I don't think Italy is any more dangerous than America. I am not really referring to crime, more the sense of blending into the culture while traveling. One may be automatically more noticeable as a traveller, therefore why increase one's chances of being victim of said crime rate if obviously expensive jewelry makes a person an even more attractive target? enjoy your evening.

Just because you noticed your necklace gone doesn't mean it was stolen. I have often had necklaces simply fall off, due to the clasp breaking or a link breaking. Fortunately, I have found them on the floor, but if you are out and about walking, it would just be gone. It isn't common for thieves to just come up and grab a necklace off of someone. Nor to grab rings or watches. This is really a very, very uncommon crime.

I agree with Jo on this one, that necklace could have just fallen off. My wife wears her jewelry (rings, necklace, watch) on all of our trips and she's never had a problem. As much as I would like to say that we "meld" with the locals, you can identify us as Americans (maybe Canadians...) from a mile away, and we've been fine over countless trips. I wouldn't sweat it. However, if it's going to ruin your trip worrying about it, then leave it at home and travel in peace.

My wife and I wear very basic wedding bands. We call them our travel jewelry. Our regular wedding rings aren't over the top but they have sentimental value, and we would hate to lose them, so we leave them at home. Hotels, showers and bathrooms that are outside your normal routine, plus packing and unpacking, create lots of opportunities to misplace things, including jewelry. I do think any over the top display of wealth is likely to make a thief take a closer look at you as a potential target - but that hasn't been our primary concern when traveling.

I always wore my wedding and engagment rings ,, they are not big rock ones though,, but I never take them off, even at home, so no risk of leaving them by a strange sink( which would be biggest risk to me).
I have a pearl and white gold necklace ,, it was from my now deceased mom, so has great value to me, I do not wear it to Europe,, not because of theives, but because i would have to take it off when bathing etc,, and because i worry the clasp) even with a safety on may give out. When I wear it at home I am hyper aware of it,, often touching it to make sure its still on me,, so on holiday i know I would be more distracted. I take and wear costume jewelery,, I actually like the stuff I have,, I don't need to worry if its lost or stolen,, and I don't really worry about thieves,, I mean my stuff LOOKS real,, so what difference does it make,, a thief is just as likely to take it as real stuff,, but I just don't think its a huge risk.

I always leave my good jewellery at home; it doesn't matter where I am traveling to. I take one pair of hoop earrings; and I wear a watch that can be illuminated in the dark; ie: a Timex or similar, useful on the plane.
Look at all the great street markets where you can buy something pretty when you are in Italy or wherever!

I suggest you not wear any expensive jewelry. There are a lot of pickpockets over by the Trevi Fountain and anywhere in Rome. We were just in Rome in August-September. Any regular travelers will recommend that you wear minimal jewelry. You call attention to yourself and your are liable to be mugged/followed. I only took two pairs of earrings, two rings and a couple of necklaces. We were in Italy, Denmark, Britian, Istanbul and Greece for five weeks.