From Hong Kong to South Africa to the United States, people around the world worry about their assets. It’s no surprise as the secondary market for valuable belongings is on the rise. With the rise in cryptocurrency ransom payments, thieves are able to anonymously get away with more theft.
You might be asking yourself how safe your own collection is at this point. Don’t panic just yet. Take these four tips under consideration to help keep your possessions safe from theft.
1. Let your valuables speak for themselves.
One of the worst things people do is brag about their assets. There’s no bigger red flag than proclaiming to the world that you’re worth money. Take a page from the avid watch collector and let your timepiece do its own talking. Brands found on the WatchBox luxury watch marketplace such as Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe radiate luxury, even outside of the watch market. However, a luxury watch doesn’t need to be shared with everyone.
In fact, most passionate watch enthusiasts enjoy the moment when another person recognizes and compliments one of their luxury timepieces. Adapt this subtly to all of your valuable assets. Like watch enthusiasts, you’ll appreciate it more when someone positive does notice what you have.
2. Have a secure location away from home for storage.
Unfortunately, as much as you’ll try and not bring unwanted attention to your collection, thieves are going to figure out where you live. In the U.S., we are lucky enough to have some great storage options for a personal collection. A storage facility now has several amenities.
You’ll want to ask yourself more than a simple what are the self storage places near me. Many have 24-hour access, climate control against humidity, and additional security features. The right self-storage can be your secure spot away from home.
Use a good website to look for self-storage facilities in your zip code. Some of the more popular around the U.S. would be CubeSmart and Extra Space Storage. Many of them offer incentives and discounts for new customers.
3. Have a secure location at home for storage.
Once you have your off-site location at a self-storage unit secure, you’ll realize that there are just some items you don’t want away from home. That makes sense. You don’t want your Audemars Piguet or Breitling just sitting all summer in storage not being worn.
You’ll need someone with easy access, but also secure at your home. A home safe can be a great way to keep your valuables safe, and not only from thieves. Natural disasters and electric fires claim thousands of personal items every year.
Filling insurance claims on them isn’t always as easy as it might seem, either. Heirlooms can’t be replaced with money, either. It’s wiser to invest in a sturdy safe that is rated well against fire.
4. Make sure you have someone you can trust.
The final step you’ll want to take to protect your valuables is to have a person you trust. Of course, you should trust your storage place and independent watchmaker. This needs to be someone you can talk about where your items are and what they’re worth. There needs to be pricing transparency between you. This can be a spouse, friend, or attorney.
The reason to do this is to protect your assets should the worst-case scenario arise. Perhaps you suffer from Alzheimer’s disease as you age. The CDC believes that nearly 14 million people will have the disease by 2060. If you don’t have a person who can help you track your belongings while you age, you might not remember where everything belongs.
