What is the safest way to ship a diamond?

[pregcurious]

Hi Everyone,
I am getting ready to ship my 1/2 carat center stone to a jeweler for a custom e-ring. What is the safest way for me to ship it? Actually, is it safe to ship it? I''ve never done this type of thing before, so I''m a little nervous.

Thank you!
Preg

 

[Dancing Fire]

registered mail USPS

 

[RBD hunter]

Date: 3/23/2009 1:15:54 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
registered mail USPS

Well packed Registered USPS
AND Insured for the full replacement amount ( Insured becuase you sleep better)

 

[Moh 10]

The least safe way to ship a diamond is on the Titanic.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/23/2009 12:05:58 AM
Author:pregcurious
Hi Everyone,
I am getting ready to ship my 1/2 carat center stone to a jeweler for a custom e-ring. What is the safest way for me to ship it? Actually, is it safe to ship it? I''ve never done this type of thing before, so I''m a little nervous.

Thank you!
Preg

Definitely USPS Registered is the safest way to go, also you need to check but I believe the insurance cover is 25k. Sometimes this method can take longer but it is generally believed to be the safest as the package has to be signed for every time it changes hands, plus it is under lock and key when not moving.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 3/23/2009 6:11:35 AM
Author: Moh 10
The least safe way to ship a diamond is on the Titanic.

* plop*

 

[rainydaze]

hi pregurious,

just wanted to add that you can use priority mail with registered mail.... i just shipped diamonds three times this way (twice returning some to a vendor, and once sending it to the designer making my setting). each time it took about four days to get there, whereas when i have used regular registered mail it took 2-3 weeks. make sure to ask for insurance and insure the full value of your diamond. it cost me about $35 total (flat priority shipping fee using the medium box which i think cost $10, plus insurance and email delivery confirmation) to send diamonds worth 8k, give or take.

priority boxes and labels are free at your post office - i picked some up and packed it at home. you do have to use that ''special tape'' for registered mail, the brown stuff that you have to wet to seal, and it has strings running through it.

also, i packed it throroughly - bags inside of a box inside of another box, lots of stuffing to keep it from shifting and making noise, and even a magazine or two to add some weight.

good luck!

 

[pregcurious]

Thanks everyone! That was really helpful. I can''t wait to send off my stone and start the design process.

 

[VictoriaEremita]

I would only use USPS registered mail if the diamond was worth more than 5K. Otherwise, you can just use regular priority mail with insurance which you can buy up to 5K. This way you aren''t paying for additional stuff you really don''t need, and it won''t take nearly as long as registered mail as even priority registered mail can take a week or longer.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/23/2009 12:09:42 PM
Author: VictoriaEremita
I would only use USPS registered mail if the diamond was worth more than 5K. Otherwise, you can just use regular priority mail with insurance which you can buy up to 5K. This way you aren''t paying for additional stuff you really don''t need, and it won''t take nearly as long as registered mail as even priority registered mail can take a week or longer.

This is assuming that the only value to the ring is financial. Anything with any sentimental value I would send registered.

 

[oldminer]

Express Mail offers overnight service with up to $5,000 insurance value coverage.
Registered Mail is the safest and offers up to $25,000 coverage, but you MUST declare the full value, regardless of the limit on insurance.

"Value" for the US Post Office is what your actual cost was and what you can prove. If you have no proof, you'll have a problem. Don't use "retail" at some inflated number as they only give you a check for actual loss, your cost basis which you can prove. It is very rare to suffer a loss with Registered Mail, but they do not pay fast or recklessly. Be prepared to prove your loss with USPS.

I would avoid using Priority mail with insurance although it is an offered service. The loss rate is likely way higher and the service is hardly two days like they imply once you insure it. Don't waste your money on Priority rate Registered Mail, either. Just use Registered or Express....

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 3/23/2009 3:24:24 PM
Author: oldminer
Express Mail offers overnight service with up to $5,000 insurance value coverage.
Registered Mail is the safest and offers up to $25,000 coverage, but you MUST declare the full value, regardless of the limit on insurance.

'Value' for the US Post Office is what your actual cost was and what you can prove. If you have no proof, you'll have a problem. Don't use 'retail' at some inflated number as they only give you a check for actual loss, your cost basis which you can prove. It is very rare to suffer a loss with Registered Mail, but they do not pay fast or recklessly. Be prepared to prove your loss with USPS.

I would avoid using Priority mail with insurance although it is an offered service. The loss rate is likely way higher and the service is hardly two days like they imply once you insure it. Don't waste your money on Priority rate Registered Mail, either. Just use Registered or Express....

my friend working for the USPS say...there's no way a customer can prove what was inside the package...

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/what-is-the-insurance-limit-on-priority-mail.105199/

 

[oldminer]

You are correct that it may be hard to"prove" what you say you sent, but you MUST have evidence of cost in order to expect to collect from a claim. You also have to be willing, under the penalty of perjury, to swear what the lost contents were. I think the combination of taking a legal oath about the lost contents and also having good evidence of what you claim was lost is what the whole deal is about with USPS. They will investigate a claim and if you are a criminal, then you can expect a bigger problem than a lost piece of jewelry.

I had a large package stolen from a mail truck in an armed robbery and I had to show evidence of the purchase cost of every item I claimed to have shipped. It was close to 50 items and hundreds of pages of documentation were required. After many months, the check arrived and the postage was also refunded. Even when there was no doubt about how the package disappeared, the proof of value fell on us. Postal inspectors take their jobs more seriously than one might think.

 

[VictoriaEremita]

Neat - I know registered mail is the most secure service the post office offers, but at the same time it always makes me a little nervous, especially in bad economic times, because there is no hiding the fact that there is something valuable in the box. I know I sound like a cynic, but the thought is always in my mind. Even if it was a sentimental piece (and it was under 5k) I think I would still opt for priority or express with insurance before I tagged it registered mail, but that is just me. Plus, it will be there next day with express where as registered mail can be agony as it feels like it takes a lifetime.

Old Miner - I''m sure your right with express being a much better option than priority! I didn''t think about express when I write my first post. Though, my experience with priority has been excellent, it''s always made it there within three days even with insurance, unlike registered priority mail which takes as long as registered first class mail, but I''m sure you have a lot more experience with it and I am more than happy to take your word for it!

Dancing Fire - I don''t think anyone could prove without any doubt what is inside a usps package. I guess you can only do the next best thing and have as much documentation as possible so that your claim will hold up. I''ve had to file several claims (all on first class or media mail packages) and the post office has always paid, but I''ve had to put up quite a fight. These were losses that were less than $200 dollars, so I can only imagine the effort involved for something in the high thousands.

 

[RBD hunter]

I sent a ring back to a jeweler in Texas UPS Ground (insured) and the packing instructions stated that I must have a witness sign a statement when packing stating the contents were actually packed in the box.

I guess this would help to back up your story about the contents.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 3/23/2009 8:28:14 PM
Author: VictoriaEremita

Dancing Fire - I don't think anyone could prove without any doubt what is inside a usps package. I guess you can only do the next best thing and have as much documentation as possible so that your claim will hold up. I've had to file several claims (all on first class or media mail packages) and the post office has always paid, but I've had to put up quite a fight. These were losses that were less than $200 dollars, so I can only imagine the effort involved for something in the high thousands.

$200 shouldn't be a problem but,imagine it was a $20k claim. that's why my USPS friend said...the customer has a very slim chance of claiming a 20k loss.