Crafts & Supplies

Pendant Bails

Tiffany Jewelry auth jewellery online shopping

1. Tiffany NEVER goes on sale, they DON'T have an outlet store, and you can't get things "wholesale". Tiffany also DOES NOT have a factory in China, nor do they buy from China. All their jewelry is made in the US. There were some exceptions in the 1970's with Elsa Peretti's line, but that's it. Therefore, when you see a seller with numerous "NEW" Tiffany items, BEWARE!!

2/08/09-Following is an email I recently received from an ebayer after I reported his listing for selling fake tiffany (it was removed). He knew who I was because I also emailed him and told him I was reporting him for a fraudulent listing:

Dear yvonne9903,

I see you were concerned about my Tiffany bracelet listing. Fact of the matter is we (30 ebayers) make purchases of 100 or more at a wholesale price straight from a distributer in Hong Kong. If you worked at Tiffany's you wold know that everything they sell is jacked up to 2-3 times after it arrives to uphold their reputation and pay their employees very well. They make alot of profit. As for myself and the others, we make between $10-$20 per item.

-kissmyvett

Bull. Funny thing is, when I emailed his past buyers to let them know their items were fake, one buyer told me he'd claimed the ring he sold her (a knockoff Tiffany Somerset heart ring) had been "specially made" for his girlfriend! He also claimed that it was the wrong size but because it was custom made, he couldn't return it! So STEER CLEAR OF THIS SELLER!!

2. The links on any tiffany tag bracelet or tag necklace are NOT pinched together, they are soldered together and very smooth. You almost can't tell where the link begins or ends.

3. The lobster clasp on a Tiffany bracelet or necklace will show EXCELLENT workmanship, if it looks like it's a cheapie, it's not Tiffany. In fact, the entire piece should be heavy and feel SOLID in your hand. Also, here's a little secret, the lobster clasp will ALSO be stamped 925, at the base of the clasp.

4. EVERY Tiffany piece is stamped with the Tiffany & Co. mark and the metal mark (e.g. Tiffany & Co. 925, or T & Co. 925) Many pieces are stamped with the date the piece was trademarked, the Tiffany logo, and the metal content, in that order (e.g. 2001 Tiffany & Co. 925). The pieces by artists such as Elsa Peretti, Paloma Picasso, Frank Gehry etc, will be signed as well as stamped. When buying a piece that has a chain and pendant (e.g. the Tiffany bar pendant) BOTH the pendant AND the chain will be marked Tiffany & Co 925. If the chain is marked but not the pendant, then that pendant IS NOT Tiffany! If the seller hasn't shown the markings in their photos, either ask for additional photos or don't bid.

5. Tiffany tag bracelets and necklaces are made of .925 sterling silver, and are heavy, if your jewelry feels light in comparison to it's size, beware. Also, Tiffany sterling jewelry will photograph dark silver and even gold colored sometimes, not pure silver or silver-white. There are alot of people out there selling fake Tiffany that's been coated with Rhodium, which gives it a whitish appearance.

For instance, look over to the right of this guide, that's right, take a look. See the items that look overly shiny and have lettering that looks WHITE? Those are what you want to avoid. The lettering on a real piece of Tiffany will look dark, this is an absolute fact.

6. THIS IS NEW - PLEASE READ! Tiffany has just come out with an engraved heart tag lifesaver necklace. For those of you who have read my guide in the past, you will know that this used to be a RED FLAG for fake tiffany, but not any more! So you're going to have to be more vigilant. First, the engraved heart tag necklaces WILL NOT have 925 at the bottom, it will be at the very top of the bail, and it will be small. The top part of these tags will have a large loop for the chain to go through. The older lifesaver tag necklaces will not be engraved. NO MATTER WHAT, IT WILL ALWAYS BE MARKED ON THE BACK. So ask for photos of the back of the tag to be sure.

7. The engraving on your return to tiffany bracelet should be completely and totally sharp and clear to read. Also, Tiffany uses a very thin font, if the font on your piece is wide, or ff it's unclear or looks sub-par, (ALL TOGETHER NOW)... IT'S NOT TIFFANY!!

8. This is my best advise: If you're not certain, check the tiffany.com website tiffany and co Shop, compare what the person is selling to what's on the website! Does it look the same? You will save yourself alot of doubt, worry and money if you just take the time to go to the website. It's very easy to navigate and you can see closeups of the items.

9. Make sure the photo is of the actual item, don't be fooled by a photo lifted from the Tiffany website.

10. There are many items engraved with "please return to tiffany", and you will need to go to www. tiffany.com to check what you see on ebay against the real deal. Go to "collections" at the top of the page and click on "return to tiffany."

11. Be suspicious of any seller who states in their auction that they don't want questions about the authenticity of their item. Any decent seller who wants to make a sale will welcome questions. If their auction tells you not to ask questions, they probably have something to hide. Make sure there are closeups of the item. If not, ask for closeup photos to be sent to you.

12. ALWAYS check a sellers feedback! Don't simply check their feedback number, but look for past buyers who may have also bought Tiffany jewelry from them recently. CHECK OUT PREVIOUS LISTINGS! Today I JUST found a seller who had what looked to be an authentic Tiffany toggle necklace & bracelet set, with a fairly decent story as to why she had these items, so I checked out past items they'd sold. GUESS WHAT? They've sold at least three identical sets in the past month!! Now what are the odds of someone having THREE sets of brand new, never worn Tiffany jewelry? Right.

13. Be suspicious of someone saying they got the item but it's just not their style, the recipient already had one, it didn't fit, their girlfriend broke up with them, etc. Tiffany has a generous return policy that allows returns for items purchased within the past 30 days of the receipt. So there is really no reason for an intelligent person to be selling a new piece of Tiffany on ebay, especially in this economy!

Also, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy Tiffany jewlery from someone who keeps their feedback private!! That's a HUGE red flag that they're selling fakes and don't want people, like me, to warn their bidders that the item is fake! (Which I do, when I have time).

14. I am personally VERY leery of people who sell necklace and bracelet sets. People who have authentic items like that will break up the set and sell them separately, to make more money. If the set or their feedback looks shady, it's HIGHLY likely that they've combined a fake set to draw more attention and bidders. In all my time of researching tiffany jewelry on ebay, I've NEVER come across an authentic set. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, just that it's very unlikely.

15. In regards to the "double heart" necklaces I've seen floating out there, be aware that the hearts should NOT BE CURVED in any way, but should be shaped JUST like the hearts on Tiffany's tag necklace and bracelet. ONLY THE LARGER, BOTTOM HEART IS ENGRAVED with Tiffany & Co. The top heart is BLANK! Also, the hearts hang at an angle from the chain, if you're looking at the necklace, the chain should go through the LEFT side of the heart. The fake one's have the chain going through the top of the hearts. Don't fall for those necklaces that have both hearts engraved, or that have "curved" hearts, those AREN'T TIFFANY!!

About the Author

china wholesale
tiffany jewelry

louis vuitton

do you konw what these pendants are and if they are worth anything?

ok so i can't add pictures for some reason
so i will describe it to the best of my knowledge

ok it is like a cross sword with a cross over the top of it (it is as one pendant though)
in the middle there is an orange agate stone (round)
then near this on the cross handles there is a red and green and purple and blue stones (i think these are agates as well)(these are also round)
then inbetween each of the smaller round stones there just above it there are some round stones in mint green , purple ,brown and red (i think these are agates)(these are rectanglular)
the bail is above the red rectangle stone
i have been told this is a scottish agate pendant however i can't find any hallmarks

i also have a rolled gold heart locket
this has a flowering tree on the main part of the locket
then the edges have a swirled pattern
i have been told this is from the 1950's

i was wondering if anyone knew how much these are worth and if anyone has similar

I don't think the locket is worth anything if it's rolled gold, but you would have to take the other two to a jewelry store that does appraisals. Let them know if you are looking for a sales appraisal or an insurance appraisal or both.