Let's talk jewelry safes

[BlingDreams]

I know that the best safe is one that's cemented in to the foundation. Outside of doing that, what safes do you recommend for storing/accessing jewelry in your home?

We'll probably bolt one in to the studs in our closet. Main reason is to keep jewelry safe from cleaners/contractors, not looking to keep everything save on the chance that someone breaks in to the house and brings a chainsaw to cut it out.

 

[Karl_K]

Call a local safe shop and ask them what they have in a used commercial fire safe.
Then compare the price to new online.
You can get 10x the safe for your money doing this over residential safes.

 

[Karl_K]

Many of the residential safes on the market with an electronic lock can be opened in 5 seconds with a strong magnet.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have been thinking about this, too. I look forward to seeing all the replies!

Oh wow, Karl!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

ILS, I am thinking of a dummy safe or jewelry box in the master bedroom closet and putting the real safe in an unexpected place where thieves don't normally go in the short time they are normally in a home. I hate to say where, because those are places I hide my things when we are out of town.

 

[Karl_K]

Even a bolted down lock box will protect from the occasional kleptomaniac.
The best safe is only as good as your alarms ability to summon the police or armed guards.

 

[arkieb1]

Here people wait until the owners are not home and rip safes out of walls or just pick them up (even the heavy ones that take several big men to carry them) and take them with them. Then they cut into them when they have removed them. This says to me that you would need a pretty heavy commercial safe to prevent that type of thing from occurring.

Having said that if it's just cleaners or people coming and going from your home they are not going to rip a safe out of a house in front of the owners. They might however tell people they know you have one in there and that again can make you a target.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Maybe my current methods are better than a safe, then!

 

[missy]

You are best off with a tiered level of security. That is, alarmed house, safe bolted to the wall and floor and safe hidden from view. The more obstacles you put in the way of the criminals the less likely they will be successful.

We have the added security of also living in a doorman building with cameras everywhere. Not everyone has a doormen. But everyone can have security cameras and a good alarm system and a safe that is bolted to the floor and wall and hidden from view.

Generally criminals who are going after small potatoes like us want as easy job/easy robbery. Anything you do that makes it more challenging is a turn off to them and might just save your house from being robbed/burglarized.

 

[Mayk]

We did this one. It's bolted to the floor under the stairs. I guess if they want it the can get it but hopefully the home alarm will slow them down.
https://www.costco.com/Bighorn-24-Cu-Ft-Gun-Safe,-70-min-Fire-Protection.product.11468049.html

 

[Karl_K]

You are best off with a tiered level of security. That is, alarmed house, safe bolted to the wall and floor and safe hidden from view. The more obstacles you put in the way of the criminals the less likely they will be successful.

We have the added security of also living in a doorman building with cameras everywhere. Not everyone has a doormen. But everyone can have security cameras and a good alarm system and a safe that is bolted to the floor and wall and hidden from view.

Generally criminals who are going after small potatoes like us want as easy job/easy robbery. Anything you do that makes it more challenging is a turn off to them and might just save your house from being robbed/burglarized.

Exactly levels of security.
Good lighting outside is another good deterrent.

A tl-15 rated safe is what I recommend if you can afford one.
Even with a professional it will give the cops time to respond and is to heavy just to be grabbed.

 

[missy]

Exactly levels of security.
Good lighting outside is another good deterrent.

A tl-15 rated safe is what I recommend if you can afford one.
Even with a professional it will give the cops time to respond and is to heavy just to be grabbed.

Oh definitely I forgot to add that. We have such a powerful lighting system and if anyone steps on our property it goes on and it’s super bright. And stays on as long as there’s someone on the property. Plus our night cameras get it all on video.

 

[whitewave]

I recommend a giant one, commercial, bolted down with the old fashioned combination and boat wheel thing., and about 4-5 feet tall installed by a professional.

 

[missy]

My parents had a heavy commercial gun safe for everything including their rifles (skeet shooting) and bling and important papers etc. Well, it wasn’t indestructible despite its weight and size and impenetrability. It weighed more than a ton. And Sandy washed it away like it was nothing. Fortunately my parents already had removed the contents in anticipation of Sandy. But omg. Nothing is fool proof. You can only do the best you can.

 

[Octo2005]

Not sure how much of an investment you want to make, but I had come across these beauties awhile back. I don't have one, so I can't offer a review. I would love to have one though.

https://shop.brownsafe.com/collections/gem-safe

 

[Dancing Fire]

Maybe my current methods are better than a safe, then!

Yes, in the toilet tanks...

 

[Dancing Fire]

These are Ex. safes for the home.
http://www.libertysafesofsacramento.com/safe-presidential-safes-ps-4.html?tab=specs

https://www.gunsafesnow.com/BrowningPP49TPlatinumSeries.aspx

 

[Karl_K]

These are Ex. safes for the home.
http://www.libertysafesofsacramento.com/safe-presidential-safes-ps-4.html?tab=specs

https://www.gunsafesnow.com/BrowningPP49TPlatinumSeries.aspx

For bling this one is much better.
https://www.amazon.com/AMSEC-AMVaul...1520118678&sr=1-6-catcorr&keywords=tl-15+safe
Just be sure and ask what the free shipping covers. You dont want an 800lb safe sitting on your curb.
Which is why its a good idea to through a local dealer......

 

[redwood66]

We bought ours at Costco. Getting it home and moving it was altogether another story though.

 

[Arcadian]

I highly recommend Amsec. I've now owned 2. In both cases you ain't moving this thing First one sold with the house, this one, if I sell this house will also be sold with the house.

 

[Queenie60]

Layers and layers of protection. We have 13 cameras around the parameter of our home; alarm systems that include glass break detectors, and 2 safes bolted into the foundation. Oh, not to forget - our alarm system on "immediate dispatch" with the police. This is all we can do after an attempted burglary back in November. And when we are out of town, all cash and jewels go to the bank safe deposit box.

 

[whitewave]

Layers and layers of protection. We have 13 cameras around the parameter of our home; alarm systems that include glass break detectors, and 2 safes bolted into the foundation. Oh, not to forget - our alarm system on "immediate dispatch" with the police. This is all we can do after an attempted burglary back in November. And when we are out of town, all cash and jewels go to the bank safe deposit box.

Protecting your stuff is an active task, for sure.

 

[luv2sparkle]

This is so timely. We have been talking just this week about getting a jewelry safe. I like the one Karl posted but I would like one a little bigger. I love the ones with all the drawers in them but I am having a hard time swallowing the price. I could hardly find one big enough for under 5k.
I was thinking about asking @missy what brand she has.

It seems to me that it would need to be in my master closet to use it, and yet that seems like the most targeted place. We do have multi-layered security with cameras and an alarm system and even my closet door is solid with a key pad.
I just hate to spend such a chunk on a safe when I want to pretty much do a full update to my house.

 

[luv2sparkle]

These are Ex. safes for the home.
http://www.libertysafesofsacramento.com/safe-presidential-safes-ps-4.html?tab=specs

https://www.gunsafesnow.com/BrowningPP49TPlatinumSeries.aspx

From what I have read, the RSC rating means that is would take an unskilled intruder 5 minutes to break into that big safe.

The problem, to me with the small safes (beside the size), is that I would have to build them up to eye level if I want to use them consistently. Then the weakest point is the cabinet they are built into. Also, my bedroom is on the second floor and I know some safes require reinforced floors to install them upstairs which is more expense.

 

[Karl_K]

RSC is about as good as it gets for gun safes.
The weight is the limiting factor a large gun safe at tl-15 would weigh 3-4+ thousand pounds.
Of the top of my head the highest weight for a second story home safe is 500lbs and anything over 1000 requires reinforcement on the 1st floor, less if it is not close to the outside. One in the middle of a span requires reinforcement.
The stairs are the limiting factor in a basement safe also 1000 lbs without reinforcing the stairs.
What some people do is put a tl15 in the basement with the bulk of the goods and a wall or closet safe upstairs for daily wear and rotate it out.
When going away for extended periods everything goes into the tl15

 

[Karl_K]

Here is the amsec website.
The problem with tl-15 safes is you quickly run into the weight limits.
http://www.amsecusa.com/high-security-safes/amvault-tl-15-composite-safes-2/

The Hybrid safes are a little lighter for the same size allowing one to go bigger but I cant find pricing online.
http://www.amsecusa.com/high-security-safes/cdxe-series-tl-15-hybrid-safes/
They are also not fire rated.

 

[Karl_K]

For the want to be safe geeks the cheap electronic ones use a solenoid to unlock the mechanism, literately a steel rod with a spring that is attracted to an electromagnet to move it out of the way.
This makes them susceptible to opening if dropped the right way and a magnet from the outside can move the locking rod.

The good ones use a motor that spins a worm gear that moves the locking rod/bar.
They can not be moved by dropping nor by a magnet.
It also costs a lot more.

 

[Karl_K]

Here is example of why I say check with your local safe company for used safes.
This one here is a smoking deal on a nice safe.
https://www.thesafekeeper.com/used-amsec-ce2518.html

 

[Dancing Fire]

IMO, Antique safes are the best. most were made in 1920's-30's. I used to own one similar to the one pic below.

 

[FancyDiamond]

This thread makes my head spin. In the last two years, I have been busy decluttering and donating old furniture and stuffs, so as to get myself ready to move someday (for purpose of downsizing). Last thing I want is to stress over the trouble of getting rid of a heavy safe.

Best solution is to keep the bare minimum jewelry at home.