Is jewelry personal property?

Personal property is counted as all personal property that is not immovable property. It can be furniture, clothes and other objects that can be moved. When it comes to jewelry that can be worn and taken anywhere, this can theoretically be categorized as personal property, but it's more complicated than that in some cases.

The emotional vs the financial value

Considering jewelry only as chattels may underestimate their importance. Jewelry often has a certain emotional connection to the owner, a so-called affective value, and can have a sentimental and symbolic value basis. Jewelry can also mean a great deal in connection with inheritance. In addition, some jewelry can be more of a work of art in itself than just an ornament on the body. Perhaps it is a very old piece of jewelry that also has historical value.

Their economic value can sometimes be considerably higher than their material value, which makes the question of whether jewelery should actually be classified as simple personal property, ambiguous.

The economic value must be assessed

In probate, it is common for jewelery to be valued by an authorized appraiser or a jeweler who knows his stuff. The appraiser takes into account factors such as the jewellery's authenticity, material, quality, age and condition. This is especially important in the context of inheritance.

In legal practice and in estate records, the status of a piece of jewelery can therefore vary depending on various reasons. In some cases, jewelry is considered pure chattel and is included in the total asset when distributing the inheritance. In other cases, they may be treated separately, based on their value and importance.

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