Why take an inventory of your valuables?

The majority of individuals do not do this — and unwittingly expose themselves to complex, expensive and time-consuming situations that could have been easily avoided. Over the past eighteen months, through our exchanges with customers, collectors, families and partners, we have been confronted with numerous revealing cases. These experiences fuelled the development of Objectory, the first application dedicated to the management and inventory of valuables.

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In this article, we have chosen to summarize eight concrete situations, experienced in the field, in order to demonstrate how simple it is to guard against these difficulties through a structured inventory.

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When it comes to valuables, this is a very broad field. This includes everyday goods — furniture, clothing, equipment — as well as more valuable items such as watches, jewelry, musical instruments, works of art, or collectibles. Together, these assets constitute what is called the moveable heritage, often underestimated in global asset management.

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Our experience also shows that when our customers start drawing up an inventory of their goods, surprise is common. Some objects immediately come to mind — like the piano in the living room or a watch that is worn daily. Others, more discreet, are often forgotten: comic books loaned to friends, objects stored in a second home, or belongings that have been stored for years without real documentation.

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Creating an inventory of valuables is today a pillar that is all too often overlooked in modern asset management.

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Without inventory, it is not only the objects that risk being forgotten, but also their essential documentation: invoices, certificates, guarantees, proofs of ownership or elements of origin. As long as no incident occurs, this lack of structure goes unnoticed. But at the slightest problem — disaster, litigation, transfer or administrative procedure — shortcomings appear suddenly, leading to loss of value, conflicts or long and complex procedures.

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Based on our field experience, we identified eight key situations in which the absence of an inventory of valuables turns a simple setback into a real ordeal.

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1. ‍The disaster: when memory is no longer enough to prove the value of your objects ‍
2. A collection without origins is a fragile collection ‍
3. Art professionals: when managing collections wastes precious time ‍
4. When the history of objects disappears, part of their value is lost ‍
5. Succession and donation: when the vagueness about valuables feeds conflicts
6. Resale, expertise and valuation: the importance of a complete file
7. Incomplete asset management leads to a biased vision of heritage
8. Blended families and new family realities: clarifying to avoid tensions

‍Conclusion: inventorying means choosing wealth awareness ‍

Creating an inventory of your valuables is neither a luxury nor an administrative constraint. It is a An act of financial lucidity and prevention, which is essential to protect the value, coherence and transmission of its movable assets.

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Modern wealth management can no longer be limited to financial assets alone. Works of art, jewelry, watches, collections or everyday objects participate fully in the reality of global heritage. Documenting, structuring and contextualizing them means anticipating the unexpected, facilitating decisions and maintaining much more than material assets: It is to preserve a history, a memory and an enduring value.