What are the best ways to identify a fake Cartier Love bracelet? Our guide gives you the key clues to check and avoid being ripped off by counterfeiters.
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The French jewelry and watch company Cartier has been part of the Swiss luxury goods group Richemont since 1997. In 2009 Cartier celebrated its 100th anniversary in the USA. The company’s success grew thanks to creations such as the “ Trinity ” ring and the “ Panther ” ring. Typical of Cartier jewelry is, for example, the leopard from the “Panthère de Cartier” collection , which is implemented in a wide variety of jewelry pieces. His eyes are made of emeralds, the dark spots of the leopard skin are made of onyx or sapphires.
The famous Cartier Love bracelet is a creation by the jewelry company that has also been particularly popular with Hollywood stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Angelina Jolie. This is actually one of the most iconic pieces of jewelry in history, which makes the bracelet even more desirable and symbolic.
It originated in New York in the 1970s and sealed a love that is free from all convention. The jewelery classic consists of two parts and can be opened and closed with a high-quality screwdriver. In earlier times the man wore the small screwdriver on a chain around his neck, so only he had the key to the piece of jewelry that flattered the wrist of his lady of the love.
The perfect oval, the graphic screws and the timeless elegance make the bracelet a strong symbol. The bracelet is set with diamonds and available in different gold tones: white, red and yellow gold.
Best ways to identify a fake Cartier Love bracelet
Due to the great popularity of the bracelet, there are unfortunately also numerous counterfeit Cartier Love bracelets. When the first Cartier Love Bracelets came on the market, they weren’t given serial numbers. Many counterfeiters took this fact as an opportunity to put fakes of the iconic piece of jewelry into circulation.
In fact, at least half of the bracelets made in the 1970s are believed to be counterfeit. In order not to fall for any of these fake bracelets, there are a few points that you should definitely consider to be sure of the authenticity of the coveted Cartier bracelets.
THE MATERIALS
As mentioned earlier, the gold color of the bracelet can vary between different shades of gold. However, the Cartier Love Bracelets are always made of 18 carat gold or platinum, and this is one of the best ways to identify a fake Cartier Love bracelet. In addition, attention must be paid to the stamp.
Signs that speak for the authenticity of the Cartier Love bracelet are the metal and carat type, the latter should even be mentioned on both halves of the piece of jewelry. The Cartier Love bracelet is adorned with ten brilliant-cut diamonds totaling 0.69 ct. Only the pure gold bracelet is not set with any diamonds.
THE COLOR
Pay attention to the color of the bracelet when it comes to identifying a fake Cartier love bracelet: As already mentioned, the label’s real jewelry is available in yellow, white, rose gold and platinum. Fake fakes, on the other hand, are usually made of sterling silver, with a fake gold coating often being used to imitate the gold tones of the original love bracelets.
THE CARTIER SIGNATURE
The Cartier signature is of particular importance and is one of the best ways to identify a fake Cartier Love bracelet. The brand logo must be engraved on the inside of the bracelet in the italic font specific to the brand. The letters must be very clear and clean. It should be mentioned that the label engraving can vary slightly depending on the year of production.
THE SCREW STAMPS
A particularly unusual feature of some of the Cartier Love bracelets are the screw stamps. With the help of the supplied screwdriver, the piece of jewelery can become a constant companion of the wearer. To ensure a perfect fit, certain models of the Love Bracelets are fitted with so-called screw heads. When it comes to fake bracelets, it is noticeable that the indentations for the screwdriver are completely uneven and have no clear lines.
Accordingly, fakes are not about soft outlines, but rather about rough, superficial punchings. The material around the screw stamp therefore often looks almost “swollen” and can in no way be compared with the fine stamping of real Cartier bracelets.
If you try to open the Cartier Love Bracelet, you can also determine whether it is a fake: In the case of a real bracelet, the screwdriver supplied should fit perfectly into the screw die and also be very easy to turn. Accordingly, real Cartier Love bracelets can be opened easily.
THE SIZE
The size of each Cartier Love bracelet is engraved on the inside of the bracelet. The pieces of jewelry are available in sizes 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 cm and describe the circumference of the wrist. If the size is not engraved, it is definitely not a real Cartier bracelet.
THE CARTIER SERIAL NUMBER
Every single piece of jewelry on the label has an individual serial number. This is never awarded twice and is therefore absolutely unique. The format of the serial number with which Cartier provides its creations has changed again and again over the years. This is mainly due to the increased popularity of the iconic bracelet.
Possible formats for the serial numbers and corresponding examples are: 5 digits and one letter (12345 A), 2 letters and 4 digits (AA 1234), 3 letters and 3 digits (ABC 123)
THE CARTIER BOXING
Of course, the authenticity of a Cartier piece of jewelry can also be recognized by the corresponding boxing. This consists of the Cartier jewelry pouch and the jewelry box itself. Fakes can already be clearly identified by certain features in the case of the bag: Original Cartier bags must be made of soft, textured paper. It should look leather-like and look like a luxurious reptile skin upon closer inspection.
Counterfeit bags, on the other hand, are nowhere near as high-quality as they are made from crackling paper. Pay attention to the red shade of the bag. The original is a particularly deep red. A Cartier fake can even be seen on the handles of the jewelery bags.
The deep purple cords should be woven through the sides of the pouch and fastened in gold or brass. If the handle of the bag is more reminiscent of a shoelace, it is most likely a fake. The label “Cartier” should also be written in fine gold foil on the front of the carrier bag . In the original, the underside of the jewelery pouch is additionally reinforced by a red cardboard box.
The box in which the precious piece of jewelery can be found also speaks volumes about the authenticity of the Cartier Love bracelet it contains. The box of the jewelry label is decorated on the edges of the box with a floral tendril pattern in gold, but an original has no “Cartier” lettering on the top of the box! The logo is stamped on the bottom of real boxes. Inside the jewelry box you should find fine white satin with Cartier written on it in gold letters. The bottom of the box is made of white leather.
THE PRICE
A clear indication of a fake Cartier Love bracelet is of course the price – this is still the best indicator. The famous Cartier jewelery pieces are available on the brand’s official website from around $5000, the price of course varies depending on the model, gold tone and number of diamonds.
If you discover – especially online – a considerably cheaper bracelet for, for example, only several hundred euros, it is definitely a fake. In general, Cartier’s creations are in the higher price segment compared to other popular jewelry labels – but combined with so much history and uniqueness, the icons are worth the price. The high-quality workmanship of the bracelets is absolutely timeless and full of elegance that connoisseurs will immediately notice.
SECOND HAND & VINTAGE
“Diamonds are a girls best friend” – a wisdom that was already spread by Marilyn Monroe. A special piece of jewelry simply enhances every outfit and gives the wearer an elegance that no other accessory can.
Women all over the world are particularly fond of Cartier jewelry and the Cartier Love bracelet in particular has become an icon. If you would like to get into possession of the classic jewelery, but still don’t want to dig deep into your pocket, you should think about buying a second hand. The label’s beautiful bracelets can be bought second-hand from various retailers. This fake check in particular means that you can look out for used Cartier Love Bracelets without any worries!
Since the Cartier Love bracelet is so popular, an entire line of jewelry was named after it: the Love Collection. The love ring, the love earrings and the love necklace were designed. In any case, our favorite remains the Cartier Love Bracelet, which today is even allowed to call itself a real jewelery classic! It has maximum recognition value and, in addition to the stunning design, also has a strong symbolic power.So it’s no wonder that style icons like Princess Diana, Olivia Palermo, Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross were already addicted to the classic.
