Get out your detective hats and magnifying glasses, because today’s article is geared toward turning you into your own Nancy Drew when it comes to spotting fake jewelry.
When it comes down to it, pieces of jewelry cost a lot of money, and purchasing a fake is something we’d classify as being a poor investment. Let’s avoid this!
Below, My Jewelry Repair provides tips that will help turn you into your own super sleuth when it comes to debunking jewelry fakes.
Pay Attention to Workmanship
When you pick up the piece of jewelry, does it feel heavy and like it can withstand a certain level of wear and tear? If you’re dealing with necklaces or bracelets, make sure to pay close attention to the quality and sturdiness of the clasp, which, in fake jewelry will in many cases be compromised.
Take a close look at the details and finer points of the piece of jewelry in question. High quality jewelry will exhibit master craftsmanship. Fake jewelry is often compromised in some sort of obvious way, whether the piece breaks easily, its colors fade, its stones fall out, or they lose their shine easily.
Inspect the Materials
Real jewelry will be made of gold, silver, and other precious metals, while fakes are generally plain gold or silver-plated metal. Thinly plated fakes will often leave green marks wherever they are worn or touched. Heavily plated metals are harder to tell apart from the real thing, in which cases it might be a good idea to get an expert’s opinion.
Markings vs. Illegal Markings
High quality pieces of jewelry will be stamped in order for the purchaser and seller to know its superiority. For example, many vintage jewelry pieces are marked “Sterling,” “Ster,” or “STG,” when it comes to silver.
Fakes will often lack marking and counterfeiters will often use jeweler stamps on fake jewelry pieces to increase the quality of their product and likelihood of sale.
Testing, Testing… 1, 2, 3
Try a magnet test on the item in question. Gold and silver are not magnetic. Fakes often will be, although heavily plated fakes can often get past a magnet test.
Acid testing is an effective method to use in order to truly learn if silver or gold is real or fake. Quality kits will include testing for 10k, 14k, 18k, and 22k gold as well as silver.
A Note on Gems and Gemstones
Did you know that gemstones are now created in laboratories? Lab diamonds can often have a “too good to be true,” look that gives them away.
However, the only truly effective way to tell if a diamond or gemstone is fake or real is to get it analyzed by an experienced and reputable Gemologist. Diamond testing, for instance, will be able to tell you if a product is treated or not treated, lab-created, or glass.
Once you’ve purchased a piece of jewelry that you’ve deemed authentic and has run the gamut of testing tools that you now have at your disposal, that piece of jewelry will need routine maintenance in order to truly shine.
That’s where My Jewelry Repair is a real gem. We’ll help you repair anything that breaks or becomes dysfunctional, and we’ll also provide you with the routine maintenance and care you need to keep your jewelry showcase quality. Contact us today to learn more about who we are and what we do. We currently perform over half a million repairs annually, nationwide.