How to tell if Tiffany & Co jewellery is fake?

Tiffany & Company was founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in New York. Since then, they have become known for their high-quality products. Tiffany is a name synonymous with beauty, style and elegance in fine jewellery and luxury watches. As one of the most recognised and sought-after luxury brands, Tiffany & Co. has fallen victim to counterfeiters. In fact, Tiffany & Co. is one of the most counterfeited brands in the world. You may even come across fake pieces made with real precious stones set in precious metals. Fortunately, the quality and craftsmanship of Tiffany & Co. jewellery make it difficult for counterfeiters to produce a convincing imitation. Below are a few steps to help you identify fake Tiffany & Co. jewellery.

1 - Chain links

If your Tiffany jewellery has a chain, check its links. There are two major differences between a real and a fake Tiffany & Co bracelet:

On a genuine Tiffany link bracelet or necklace, each link is fully welded together. You won't and shouldn't see any gaps on the links at all. Take a closer look at how the links on an authentic piece are put together seamlessly, so that you can't guess where the link begins and ends. Now compare the look of a genuine Tiffany & Co piece (right) to a counterfeit (left) using the photos below, and you'll see the major difference almost immediately!

The other big disparity between the real and fake Tiffany & Co bracelets is the medallion. Notice how the Tiffany & Co. logo is embossed on the fake piece compared to the real bracelet. It is therefore important to pay attention to the quality of the stamping on Tiffany & Co. bracelets.

2 - The police

Another important point is to check the alignment and font of the engravings on the medallion of a piece of Tiffany & Co jewellery. For example, on the "1837" stamp on a genuine piece of Tiffany jewellery, the numbers should all be perfectly aligned in a straight line. In contrast, a counterfeit piece will display thin numbers that are not aligned with each other.

In addition, modern authentic Tiffany items usually display the full name "Tiffany & Co." with a larger T and C (right). To give you something to compare it to, check out the official Tiffany & Co. website to see what the engravings look like on authentic jewellery. If your jewellery contains only uniform letters (as on the left), it could certainly be a fake.

3 - Materials

The Tiffany & Co brand is renowned for its quality jewellery, crafted from top-quality materials, which counterfeiters are trying hard to reproduce, but without any real success. Here are a few things you need to know:

Apart from a few non-jewellery pieces made decades ago, Tiffany & Co has never used silver plating. So if you see base metal showing through, the piece is counterfeit. This is usually silver that has been electroplated onto brass. In the image below, sandpaper has been used to remove the outer layer of silver and expose the underlying brass.

Tiffany & Co has never used fake pearls or cubic zirconia.

In 2004, Tiffany began laser-engraving serial numbers on the underside of its diamonds, which are clearly visible under magnification with a jeweller's loupe.

Diamonds with visible flaws without magnification, poor clarity or colour are red flags indicating that you are looking at a counterfeit Tiffany & Co piece, which has built its reputation on selling only quality gemstones.

4 - Silver jewellery

Authentic Tiffany jewellery will always be marked with a fineness mark (also known as a "purity mark"). For sterling silver pieces, the purity mark will be "925" or "Sterling", the latter being more common on vintage pieces. The content of the coin will be 92.5% silver. While Tiffany & Co made large silver plated tea trays in the early 20th century, Tiffany jewellery, particularly the modern pieces, are all solid silver. You can inspect the piece closely with a magnifying glass to detect wear. Pay particular attention to the stamped and engraved areas and the joints.

On the left is a counterfeit with a poor quality fineness mark. On the right, authentic Tiffany jewellery.

5 - The perfection of craftsmanship

Tiffany & Co sell jewellery that is expensive but worth its quality in the perfection of its craftsmanship. Here are a few tips on the subject:

Tiffany's jewellery looks expensive. Their silver bracelets are heavy and their stones are firmly attached. They have a shiny, even finish that is soft to the touch.

Tiffany & Co. has meticulous quality control: its chains and bracelets are finished cleanly, without snags, and with clasps that close securely.

The weld (the assembly on metal parts) will be polished to invisibility. Parts with weld marks or misaligned joints are fake.

Gemstones leave Tiffany & Co. firmly in place. A loose stone should alert you to a counterfeiter's ploy.

Secure the purchase of your second-hand Tiffany & Co jewellery with Obvy

As you've seen, there are a lot of counterfeit Tiffany & Co jewellery items out there and it's not always easy to spot them. Use our guide to find the details you need to authenticate your jewellery. If you want to buy your Tiffany & Co jewellery second-hand, like many other people, to benefit from the quality of the jewellery while paying less than in an official shop, don't hesitate to ask the seller for more photos. What's more, it's essential to secure your purchase using a secure payment method such as Obvy. Thanks to Obvy, if you realise on receipt of the parcel that it's fake Tiffany & Co jewellery, all you have to do is prove it using this guide, which will help you, and you'll be reimbursed. Happy shopping!