Before You Fly: What Jewelry to Wear When You Travel

You have a flight tomorrow. You are packing. Your hand goes to the jewelry box and you pause. Which bracelet goes in the carry-on? Which pendant stays on your neck through security? Is there a stone you should wear for a safe flight — or one you should leave at home?

Here is what to wear and why.

Turquoise: The Traveler''s Stone

Turquoise has been worn for travel in the Himalayas for over two thousand years. The logic is simple: the sky does not fall. Wear the color of the sky, and you carry that same steadiness. Tibetan nomads put on turquoise before crossing a mountain pass. Caravans tied turquoise beads into their horses'' bridles. The stone has more miles on it than any other material in Tibetan jewelry.

Wear turquoise to the airport. Keep it on through the flight. It does not set off metal detectors. It does not need to come off at security. And if you are a nervous flyer, the weight of a turquoise bead between your fingers for eight hours is better than gripping the armrest.

Obsidian: Leave It On

Obsidian absorbs. That is its job. On a plane full of strangers, in a terminal full of stress, obsidian is the right stone. It takes in what is around you and holds it. You do not have to do anything. Just wear it.

Do not pack obsidian in checked luggage. It is glass. It chips. Keep it on your wrist or in your carry-on where it will not get crushed.

What to Leave at Home

Thokcha — sky iron — can set off metal detectors. It is dense, old metal, and airport security will flag it. If you wear a thokcha pendant, take it off before the scanner and put it in the bin with your keys. Or leave it at home. A thokcha piece is not worth a pat-down.

Heavy silver cuffs and thick brass pendants have the same problem. If it looks like it will set off the scanner, it probably will. Pack it. Do not wear it.

Mala beads are fine. The cord passes through with no issue. One hundred eight stone beads on a string will not trigger anything. You can wear your mala through the flight and use it to count breaths when the turbulence hits. A monk would do the same.

The Bracelet Stack: Edit It Down

You normally wear four bracelets. Wear two to the airport. Choose the lightest ones. Turquoise and a thin cord piece. Leave the heavy dzi beads and bone bracelets in your bag. Your wrist will swell slightly at altitude. A tight stack at takeoff will feel uncomfortable by landing.

At Your Destination

Put the rest of your bracelets back on when you arrive. The first thing you do after you drop your bags — before you check your phone, before you find food — is put your full stack back on. It tells your body you have arrived. The journey is over. You are here.

Frequently Asked Questions