As jewelry buyers, every now and then a piece crosses our desk that really makes us take a closer look, sometimes it’s a rare and unique piece and occasionally it’s a counterfeit.
The client never is aware of course, and it is our unfortunate job to let them know the item they purchased or was gifted is not authentic and therefore not worth what they thought it was.
**We do not purchase or sell known counterfeit items.**
One of the most mass-produced counterfeit items is replicas of the Cartier Love bracelet.
A trendy item that is highly in-demand, many fall prey to those peddling fakes, often from Hong Kong.
Here are our tips to spot a fake and keep yourself self from counterfeit replicas:
1. If it’s too good to be true, it is.
If the price for the item is just too good to be believable, ask yourself why. Does this person/seller have several of this one item? Take a look at what similar used items have sold for on eBay and compare them to the price of your item. Does it come with a certificate and box? What is the story behind where they got it? If it’s pristine, why was it never worn?
Is your item two toned? In a style or design you’ve never seen? Sometimes fakes will be made in outlandish styles that Cartier would not sell.
2. Accessories and stamps do not mean authenticity.
In our case, this item came with a Cartier Box and certificate from the Cartier Narita South Wing Terminal 1, where there is a real Cartier Store.
But the item was indeed counterfeit and a source at Cartier confirmed that the serial did not exists in their database. A quick google search brought up that others have noted that there are several fake Love Bracelets being sold with the Narita South Wing stamp.
Note the handwriting looks childish as well.
The “Cartier” Logo font was the first thing that made us look twice.
The “IY” hallmark was definitely off, the Y was crooked, something Cartier would have caught.
While Cartier did have variations on stamps and fonts depending on the year, this bangle is supposedly brand new and the font on this bracelet was questionable.
A Cartier love bracelet will be stamped 750 or 950, you can look up photos of other authentic Cartier Love Bracelets and compare the font yours.
3. A Quality brand will put out quality items
The biggest giveaway is often the quality of the item. Cartier will only use the top grades of diamonds and gold.
For a large name like Cartier, each and every aspect will be done with care and precision. The screw indentations will be precise and defined. The center of each “screw” make will be edge to edge. The stamps will be clean and defined, not smudged or off center. The gold will be true and not plated or silver. If anything is not perfect and makes you look twice, it could be a fake. Counterfeit manufacturers do not have the time or care to manufacture the way that Cartier would have.
In the end, go with your gut feeling. Most times that someone comes to us questioning the authenticity of an item, they’re right.
The Love Bracelet is an iconic jewelry item and should come with the appropriate price tag.
Only buy second hand items from a jeweler you trust.
Sell my Cariter Love Bracelet in Hawaii.
If you’re looking to buy or sell your Cartier love bracelet, contact us today!
Here’s a few other Cariter items we have for sale:
