neko

I think anyone would be ill-advised to have nice jewelry at a US airport.

Part of the problem is that the TSA doesn't have rules that they have to follow (at least in practice), so no one here can give you a definitive answer. They might tell her to take off her jewelry or they might not. If they do, there'll be nothing she can do about it, except not fly.

The risk is a "light fingered" TSA agent (or more likely a pair working in collusion) or an opportunistic light-fingered passenger. In the simplest case, one screener demands its removal "for security" and the other makes it vanish from the x-ray.

A more abusive variant uses the intimate "pat down" if someone opts out of the virtual strip search x-ray or if the TSA claims there is an "anomaly" on her body.

The victim is distracted and upset by invasive touching of her crotch, under her bra, inside her waistband, in her hair, etc. If they can make it bad enough, when it's over, she just grabs her bag and runs for the nearest bathroom to vomit and cry and try to wash herself and forgets (until it's too late) to demand her jewelry back from the agent - who fails to report that it was "accidentally" left behind.

If you look on this forum (or just google for news reports), you'll see that there have been a fair number of cases with charges filed, both for random theft and for well organized theft rings, including e.g. kickbacks to supervisors.

If you want to wear jewelry, buy some cheap stuff that has neither money nor sentimental value. Other than that, stick with just a plain band and say that you haven't taken it off for years and it doesn't come off.

Just be careful to put some paste or something under it, I said that a couple of years ago to a TSA screener who said she "had to examine my jewelry" (narrow gold chain and small gold earrings) and she grabbed my ring and tugged - luckily I was a little bloated and it didn't come far. I basically haven't worn any jewelry I care about to the US since.