There exists nothing more disappointing than being deceived and duped. Imagine you are out and a beautiful jewelry piece grabs your attention with its elegance and bling. You are now under its charm. You hastily grabble for your wallet till a fleeting thought crosses your mind; what if this designer jewelry is a total fake? You get a hunch and gradually slide away from the jewelry piece of your dreams. To prevent you from getting duped, we have formulated 5 handy ways to spot faux designer jewelry. Continue reading to explore!
What is Faux Designer Jewelry?
Before getting started, it is crucial to know what faux designer jewelry is. Designers are committed to ensuring quality, authenticity, and originality. Any piece which however real-looking it might seem, could be a phoney if it doesn’t provide what it claims. These pieces are mostly made of low-quality material or could be a replica of a brand. If not discerned carefully, it gets pretty hard to distinguish between the real deal and its counterfeit.
1. Check Out For Signs
First, keep your calm. Yes, keeping your calm helps to stay focused as I am sure none of you would like the signs to slip through!
Here are some usual signs which often go unnoticed:
- Feel the weight: High-end jewelry is made of heavy metal like gold or silver. If a jewelry piece feels lighter than it should normally feel, it’s a phoney. Also, believe in your gut feeling.
- Look for Stamps and Markings: Designer wear has proper stamps to show the material quality and information about the manufacturer. If these are missing or scrappy, leave the jewelry piece right there!
- Bring it closer to a magnet: None of the high-end metals are magnetic. If your jewelry piece is attracted to a magnet, it’s not genuine.
- Observe the Texture: Designer wear has fine finishing. If the surface of a piece shows scraping, tarnishing, or a dent, it is not real!
- Study the Look: Yes, the most important step. Top-notch jewelry pieces are designed by considering a certain color palette and a particular set of designs. If the look deviates from any such patterns, the piece is not a designer wear.
2. Perform DIY Tests
Here’s how you can perform quick DIY tests at home to spot faux designer jewelry and prevent curiosity from killing the cat:
- The Tap Test: It is scientifically proven that high-end jewelry metals such as silver and gold give off deep pitch resonating sound when struck. To check if your jewelry piece is fake, tap the piece on a firm surface. A fake jewelry piece would make a dull sound, while a designer wear would have a high-pitched sound.
- The Testing Kit: There is gold, platinum, and silver testing kits available in the market. These kits come with an acidic solution which could help determine the authenticity of gold and silver. If the test doesn’t pass according to the given indicators, the jewelry piece is a fake.
- Scratching the Surface: Diamonds are brittle and take no scratches as the surface is well-buffed and refined. If the surface shows marks, scuffs, and scratches on rubbing with a fingernail, the diamond is fake.
3. Analyze the Wrappings and Documents
High-end designer jewelry uses flawless packaging with attention to detail. A major portion of their marketing goes in how the article looks when presented. Look if the packaging hits the high mark. Along with the wrappings, the article should be supplemented with detailed documentation of the article’s material, a warranty card, a care guide, and some protection tools. If the jewelry piece is without any authentication certificate, it’s not worth your dime.
4. Check If Pricing Details Seem Unreal
High-end jewelry brands do give out articles in sales and discounts. However, they can’t lower their prices down a certain threshold. The price of their jewelry pieces is a testimony of their top-notch expertise, high-end material, and unparalleled service. Check out for retailers who dupe by throwing groundbreaking discount offers and sales. Moreover, every brand has contracts with certain retailers, not all are allowed to retail their treasured pieces. You can check for authentic retailers online. The retailer’s names also show up on a brand’s online website. Be on your guard against fraudulent online jewelry shops who game with the customers by offering high-end designer jewelry at an unbelievably low price.
5. Research on a Seller’s Reputation
Yes, reputation decides it all. Before making a purchase, keep things firm at your end by rigorously verifying the authenticity of the seller. Usually, well-reputed sellers are famed and celebrated for their outstanding services. Search for a seller’s service license. In the case of an online presence, look into ratings and customer reviews as they offer proof. Remember that authentic sellers have detailed criteria for checking the quality and authenticity of a jewelry piece. They do not hold back information in case of any flaw or shortcomings.
FAQs
Q1: How to check if my jewelry is just plated?
To verify whether your jewelry piece is made of pure gold, you need to check for the inner engravings which look like this: 22K, 24K. In the case of plating, the article shows a stamp of GP.
Q2: Where are the jewelry marks mostly located?
To prevent the symmetry of an article from being disrupted, the jewelry hallmarks and engravings are mostly done on the inner sides, in the case of a ring and at the back, in the case of a pendant.
Conclusion
Spotting faux designer jewelry asks for rigorous testing, keen observation, and authentic attestation. It is important to search on the material, value, and hallmarks before making a major purchase. Hislon Jewelers is a trusted name in the world of high-end jewelry pieces. This guide on 5 handy ways to spot faux designer jewelry will be your mentor!