Real Vs. Fake Tiffany Silver Jewelry
Since 2003, in New York City alone, nearly $52 million has been seized in knockoff goods. These goods are items posing as real or genuine goods for a significantly lower price. The most popular brands that are replicated are Louis Vutton, Prada, Rolex, Burberry, and Tiffany & Co. When shopping for Tiffany & Co. items, it is important to know the signs of knockoff silver jewelry. Does this Spark an idea?
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Fakes Online
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Often those selling counterfeit goods will sell online at places like eBay or iOffer. Look for sellers that are selling multiples of the same item, this is a tell-tell sign that the item is a fake. Often they will buy counterfeit goods at a wholesale price. Ask the seller if you can see the actual item you are bidding on, often they will use stock photographs (the picture shown on the official website) as their own. Tiffanyfakes.com says to note the location of the seller, “The most expensive frauds are committed by sellers with vague addresses--Southeast U.S., Tiger Country, Home of the Brave, South of the Border
and our all time favorite Route 66.”
Research
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Some sellers will market an item as “rare” or “discontinued.” Often this is not true, but contact Tiffany & Co. directly and it can provide information. It is important to remember Tiffany & Co. does not have an outlet and it never has sales. According to eBay guides, genuine Tiffany & Co. pieces are often sold through an independent seller, estate auctioneer, or eBay cosigner.
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Misspellings
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Tiffany & Co. often collaborates with other designers to do a special collection. According to Harper's Bazaar, Fakes are Never in Fashion campaign, a misspelling of the designers name is a give-away this item is a fake. Some current designers are Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, Frank Gehry, and Jean Schlumberger. Pay close attention to the spelling of names and brands, often counterfeit goods will be misspelled.
Look and Feel
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The clasp on a necklace, pendant, or bracelet will be stamped with appropriate metal signature. For sterling silver this is .925. On every item there will be a Tiffany & Co. signature to verify the authenticity. Pay close attention to the weight and feel of the item, if the clasp is wobbly or flimsy, it is often a fake. eBay guides provides an important piece of information when looking at the finish of the item, “Many of the replicas are done with a platinum rhodium finish. Even for the high quality and luster of Tiffany's jewelry, a platinum rhodium finish has a too-good-to-be-real finish and brilliance and I've found it to be a tinge whiter than genuine sterling silver.”
Packaging
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Upon receiving the item, it should come in a light blue box accompanied by a soft bag that doubles as a polish cloth. It should be the same color as the box and have the Tiffany logo on it. The box and bag should be free of any misprints, such as misspellings or mismarkings.
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References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
