High Value Goods Transport: Secure, Single-Custody Courier
How high value goods transport works: 3 ways to move jewellery, watches, art and documents, chain of custody, insurance and what to ask. Read the guide.
What high value goods transport really means
High value goods transport is the movement of items whose loss would be financially or reputationally serious, such as jewellery, watches, art, prototypes, luxury stock and certified documents, under conditions that keep them accounted for at every moment. The decisive factor is not the vehicle or the tracking software. It is how many people touch the consignment between collection and delivery.
SilverDrive runs a single-custody model: one vetted chauffeur collects the item, keeps it in their personal custody and hands it to the named recipient. No depot, no sorting hub, no subcontracted final mile. Read more on our high-value goods transport service page.
What we transport
- Jewellery, gemstones and precious metals: the classic case and the most exposed.
- Watches: retail stock, consignment pieces, service returns and private sales.
- Art, antiques and collectables: where damage is as costly as theft, and provenance paperwork travels with the object.
- Luxury goods: sample collections, press loans, made-to-order pieces and archive items.
- Prototypes and pre-release products: where confidentiality is worth more than the object.
- Legal, financial and identity documents: low insured value, severe consequence of loss.
Why the handover is where value goes missing
In transport, the road is rarely the weak point. The handling points are. A parcel in a standard network passes from a collection driver to a depot, onto a linehaul truck, through a hub, to a second depot and finally to a delivery driver who knows nothing about it. That can mean six to eight custody changes and dozens of people with legitimate access before anyone signs.
Tracking tells you where a loss occurred. It does not prevent one. And a liveried van announces that something is being delivered, while an unmarked executive car on a Dutch motorway announces nothing at all.
Three ways to move valuable goods
| Model | Custody changes | Who is accountable | Discretion | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parcel or express network | Six or more | A company, not a person | Low | Routine, low-consequence goods |
| Specialist freight carrier | Two to four | An operations team | Moderate | Pallets, heavy or bulky items |
| Single-custody chauffeur | None | One named chauffeur | High | Small, high-consequence items |
A pallet of stock belongs with a freight carrier. For a tray of rings, a canvas, a watch collection or a sealed prototype, the cheapest option is the one that does not generate a claim.
Chain of custody, insurance and liability
Chain of custody is the documented record of who held an item, when and under what conditions. With one named chauffeur from door to door, it is a single continuous fact rather than a record reconstructed after something goes wrong.
Be careful with standard carrier liability: it is often calculated by weight rather than declared value, and commonly excludes theft and unexplained disappearance. SilverDrive is not an insurer and does not underwrite goods. Cover is coordinated with your own insurer or broker. Confirm in writing, before the movement, that your policy responds to the route, the value and the method of transport.
Discretion, routing and close protection
Route planning for valuables is mostly about removing predictability: direct routing, sensible timing, no unnecessary stops and no fixed weekly pattern for recurring collections. We provide the driving and custody layer only. We do not provide close protection, bodyguarding or armed escort, and we do not operate armoured vehicles. Where your risk assessment calls for it, we work alongside the close-protection team you appoint. Our security driver service is a trained-driver capability, not security guarding.
Who relies on us
- Jewellers and gemstone dealers moving stock between Amsterdam, Antwerp and clients.
- Watch retailers and collectors, often combined with a watch shopping chauffeur in Amsterdam.
- Art dealers, galleries and auction houses for smaller works and consignments.
- Luxury brands moving samples and press loans between boutiques and events.
- Private collectors and family offices, where confidentiality comes first.
- Insurers and brokers who specify a single-custody method as a condition of cover.
Questions to ask any provider
- How many people will handle this item?
- Will you name the person driving?
- Is any part of the journey subcontracted?
- What does your liability cover, and on what basis is it calculated?
- Is the price fixed before collection?
- Who carries the goods across the border?
How SilverDrive handles it
Vetted, trained chauffeurs; one custodian per movement; our own fleet of unmarked Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars, matched to the consignment. Prices are fixed at booking, the service runs 24/7, and coverage extends across the Netherlands and to Belgium, Germany, France and beyond. For travellers carrying their own valuables, see secure transport of valuables by chauffeur and our discreet chauffeur service.
If a loss would matter, book a secure movement or contact us. We confirm the chauffeur, the route and the fixed price before anything is collected.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as high value goods?
High value goods are items whose loss would cause serious financial or reputational damage, regardless of weight: jewellery, watches, gemstones, art, antiques, luxury stock, prototypes and sensitive documents. There is no fixed industry threshold; the consequence of loss defines the category.
How is a high value courier different from a parcel service?
A parcel service moves your item through depots and sorting hubs, with many custody changes and no single accountable person. A high value courier keeps the item with one vetted individual from collection to delivery.
Does SilverDrive insure the goods it carries?
No. SilverDrive is not an insurer and does not underwrite goods. Cover is arranged with your own insurer or broker. Confirm in writing before the movement that your policy covers the route, the declared value and the transport method.
Do you provide security guards or an armed escort?
No. SilverDrive provides the driving and custody layer only. We do not offer close protection or armed escort and do not operate armoured vehicles. Where your risk assessment calls for close protection, we work alongside the team you appoint.
Can you deliver outside the Netherlands?
Yes. We operate door to door across the Netherlands and to and from Belgium, Germany, France and beyond, with the same chauffeur staying with the consignment for the whole journey.
How is the price calculated?
Prices are fixed and agreed at booking, before collection. They reflect the route, the vehicle and the timing. There is no per-kilo tariff, because the service is priced on the journey and the custody, not the weight.