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I fly a lot and I've noticed that some of my jewelry rings at the security gates but that from one airport to another, this can change. How do you know which ones to remove in advance? Some are precious, and the thought of throwing them at the bottom of a bag in a bin terrifies me." says Alix, 52.
With the boarding deadline in mind and Gate C in the crosshairs, it's finally your turn to go through security. You are squeezed and in no time at all, you are in your socks, stripped of your computer, tablet, chargers, keys, your 10 beauty products of less than 100ml, jacket, belt, watch and shoes... But the beeps still sound and stop you in your tracks. You forgot to remove your gold bangle.
Silver, gold, and platinum shouldn't ring
To better anticipate and avoid being subjected to additional control, a little physics and chemistry is necessary. It is important to know that the gantries work with an electromagnetic field and detect any metallic object (therefore conductive of electricity) which would then cause a deformation of this field. The sensors on the gantries, which are more or less sensitive to these deformations (the threshold being specific to each country), trigger a bell.
Silver, gold and platinum are not magnetic, so they are not supposed to disturb the detectors... Unless the jewelry is too bulky and the sensitivity of the sensors is stronger in the airport where you are. A thin necklace or a small chain will pass without a hitch.
However, brass costume jewellery will interact strongly with the detector and may set off an alarm. A piercing is, if possible, to be removed or at least specified when passing through the gates. As for jewellery made of wood, plastic, silicone or other non-metallic material, it will only attract the attention of security guards if its shape is confusing (with nubs for example) or too imposing. They may then ask you to remove them.
The technique of the Love de Cartier bracelet
The mythical Cartier bracelet is in principle difficult to remove. This is part of its symbolic power, but it is rather restrictive when it comes to taking the plane because it is known to ring almost systematically. There is, however, a secret technique that is passed down among jewellery aficionados: "All you have to do is slip your finger inside the bangle," shares Adèle, a regular at airports and owner of a white gold model. In this mysterious way, the magnetic field would no longer be disturbed and I would not have to ring. It's a technique shared with me by a member of the flight attendant. One day, while applying this method, I even saw an agent discreetly point his finger at me and tell his colleague at the scan that I knew this insider's secret.
»Other initiates, who accumulate gold rings on their wrists, are in the habit of covering them with the opposite hand as they pass through the gate. Again, this technique is not reliable every time.
What about the watch?
In its online customer area, TAG Heuer specifies that in order to take care of your timepiece, you should avoid "approaching your watch from equipment that produces powerful magnetic fields, such as speakers, refrigerators, mobile phones or magnets on handbag clasps or boxes, as this could interfere with the proper functioning of your watch's mechanism.and recommends removing it when passing through the security gate at the airport.