How To Spot Real Tiffany Jewelry

You know you’re getting the real deal if you buy directly from Tiffany & Co. Whether you’re visiting their landmark store on Fifth Avenue, buying from one of their over 300 branches worldwide, or shopping their website, you know that you’re getting true Tiffany quality—and you’re paying top dollar for the privilege. So how to buy real Tiffany jewelry at a good price and still get that same quality? Our experts explain how to spot real Tiffany jewelry.

On the secondary market, prices are better but that sense of security is gone. Especially since counterfeiters, attempting to cash in on the cachet of those little blue boxes, have been flooding the market with phony pieces—making fakes harder and harder to detect. So, before you buy, learn how to spot real Tiffany jewelry.

Materials:

Aside from a few non-jewelry pieces made decades ago, Tiffany has never used silver-plating. So, if you see base metal showing through, the piece is counterfeit—usually silver that has been electroplated over brass.
Tiffany has never used faux pearls or cubic zirconia.
Beginning in 2004, Tiffany began laser-engraving serial numbers on the underside of its diamonds, which will be clearly visible under magnification with a jeweler’s loupe.
Diamonds with flaws visible without magnification, bad clarity, or bad color are red flags that you’re looking at a piece that is not from the Fifth Avenue jeweler that built its reputation by selling only quality gemstones.

Craftsmanship:

Tiffany’s jewelry feels expensive. Its silver bracelets are heavy. Its stones are securely set. Its enamel has a glossy, even finish that is smooth to the touch.
Tiffany & Co. has meticulous quality control: Its chains or bracelets are cleanly finished—no snags, no sharp edges—with clasps that close securely.
Soldering (the joining on metal pieces) will be buffed to invisibility. Ergo, pieces with solder marks or misaligned joins are fake.
Gemstones leave Tiffany & Co. securely set. A loose stone should make you alert to a common counterfeiter’s ploy: prying out the high-quality gemstone sold by Tiffany, substituting a low-grade or man-made stone, and then selling the result in an authentic Tiffany setting inside an authentic Tiffany box.

Branding:

Scam artists focus on heavily advertised bestsellers with recognizable shapes that are fast and easy to fake. Be especially wary when shopping for iconic designs—especially if they’re silver. Favored Tiffany & Co. targets: the Heart Tag Key Ring or Heart Tag Charm Bracelet from the Return to Tiffany collection, Elsa Peretti’s Open Heart Pendant or Open Heart Bangle, pendants from the Tiffany Keys collection, or almost anything silver in the Atlas Collection.
A presentation box should fit snugly inside its robin’s egg blue cardboard outer box. If it does not, be aware that the seller may be putting a piece of fake jewelry inside an authentic box that has been acquired at an estate sale or online auction site.
All stamping will be clean, evenly spaced, and easily legible. Anything off-center, blurry, or uneven would not have passed Tiffany’s quality control.
Tiffany & Co. standardizes its sizes. When in doubt, consult its website. Genuine pieces will have only the most minute differences in measurement.

How To Afford Tiffany Jewelry

Shop pre-owned: Get up to 80 percent off retail prices by shopping for pre-owned TIffany pieces polished and refurbished to perfection—you will be acquiring authentic pieces without compromising on quality.
Affordable monthly payment plans: We offer affordable monthly payment plans with our partner Affirm.
Recycle your jewelry: If you have jewelry that’s just collecting dust (and increasing your insurance bill), why not turn it into the means for acquiring Tiffany jewelry that you would really love? Whether you have a diamond tennis bracelet, David Yurman ring, Omega watch or Cartier bracelet, sell your jewelry quickly, easily and safely. To get started, just complete the simple online form to receive your bespoke price quote. The selling process is entirely free—no fees, no seller’s commissions—and the entire process can take as little as 24 hours with the option of payment by wire OR for 10 percent more on your offer if you opt for a myGemma store credit.

Where To Buy Real Pre-Owned Tiffany Jewelry?

From silver tag bracelets to platinum jewelry set with fine diamonds, we carry a wide variety of pre-owned and expertly authenticated Tiffany jewelry at outstanding discounts. With our A+ Better Business Bureau rating and excellent reviews, we are committed to making shopping for pre-owned Tiffany jewelry easy and enjoyable. Customers love our fantastic savings, affordable monthly payment plans with our partner Affirm, free US shipping, and 14-day return policy.