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Just Fakes so Don't be Fooled! - A Tiffany & Co. Buying Guide

In my many years of experience as a Tiffany & Co. seller, I have come across a lot of different fake items. Some counterfeit items are definitely made better than others while others.  A few pieces are great copies of the authentic version while others do leave me scratching my head and wondering “What exactly is this piece trying to replicate?”

In this picture article, I will show you a couple of pieces (a pair of earrings and a necklace) that I see quite frequently being sold as “authentic” Tiffany & Co pieces.  I have seen unsuspecting buyers purchase these pieces unknowingly and would like to prevent this from happening to you, my customers and readers.  I urge you to take a good look at them so that you will be able to quickly recognize these fakes and steer away from them as quickly as possible.

 

Tiffany & Co. “Elsa Peretti?” Disc Earrings … Or NOT

The first piece is a pair of supposedly Tiffany & Co Elsa Peretti Disc earrings.  If you look from afar, the counterfeiters are trying to make you think that this pair has all the right markings on it:

1) It has the proper Tiffany & Co. Logo stamped on the piece.

2) The numbers 925 are clearly marked on the earrings. 925 stands for Sterling Silver.

3) And finally, it has the Designer's mark / signature on it.

The counterfeiters want you to think “What more could you ask for? This is clearly an authentic Tiffany & Co. piece – aren’t these the markings that you are supposed to be looking for in a real Tiffany & Co piece”?  The resounding answer to this is a BIG “NO!”.

Take a closer look at the supposed signature of Elsa Peretti. Here’s what it looks like on a different but AUTHENTIC pair of earrings  (Peretti’s Teardrop Hoops). The one on the front is the authentic piece. The one on the back is fake as discussed in a different picture article (Check out: Real or Fake Tiffany Guides - Peretti Teardrop Hoops, in case you are interested).

 

Now take a look at the Signature on this fake piece – It is made to look like Peretti’s signature but do not be fooled by this.  When magnified, the supposed Peretti signature reads more like “Lok Pairs” or something to that effect . Would you agree?

The other thing to note as well on this pair of earrings is that Tiffany does not make the hooks on their hoops earrings this way.  Tiffany & Co.’s hoops are much more refined and discreet as in the hoop earrings below. Notice how thick the fake pair’s hooks (picture above) are compared to the authentic piece below. The earrings are from Paloma Picasso's Triple Loop Earrings line. Notice how dainty and smooth the hook section of the earrings are. 

 

1837 Bar Lariat Necklace

Another piece that I have come across is this fake Tiffany & Co. 1837 Bar Lariat necklace. The piece copies the wording on the authentic Tiffany & Co. 1837 bar pretty well. But that's about it -- the quality of the bar, and even the stamping is terribly bad compared to the real piece. Compare the fake piece below:

And now take a look at what the authentic version of the 1837 Bar Necklace looks like:

 

Notice how smooth and consistent the real necklace looks like. The spacing of the wording is very even. The Silver bar itself is very smooth the stamp quality is consistent and deliberate.

 

A few things other things to note on the fake piece:

a)      The silver color is almost whitish

b)      The loops are poorly shaped and not consistent. An authentic Tiffany piece will show quality that is consistent throughout a piece.

c)       The Bar itself is marked “2001 / Tiffany & Co. / 925” and the Circular section (where the lariat loop is) is marked “2004 / Tiffany & Co” … Huh?? This should definitely leave you scratching your head. When is this piece actually supposed to be made – 2001 or 2004? The counterfeiters can’t even get their dates straight!

In any case, I do not believe that Tiffany & Co. ever made a lariat version of this piece so please avoid it at all costs, if you are ever tempted to purchase one.

 

So there you have it! With more research, time and experience, you will be able to immediately distinguish between an authentic Tiffany piece from a fake piece. I hope this quick picture guide proved helpful to you. Please have a look around our store for only 100% authentic Tiffany & Co. and other designer pieces. And of course, please send us an email at Sales@Madison880.com for any further questions or if we can help with anything else at all.

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