Is this "Real" Authentic Tiffany?
Apparently there is a tremendous trust issue regarding the purchase of Tiffany merchandise on ebay. I can certainly concede with opinions shared by fellow bloggers, but certainly not all and I can definitely understand Tiffany & CO.'s position of defending their proprietary rights.
I do not claim to be an expert, however the person who assisted me in writing this Guide is a JA Certified Bench Jeweler and a GIA Gemologist.
Before sharing guidelines, which are my opinion as a result of extensive investigation into the matter...I do wish to state that if you truly want to be 100% certain that you are buying Tiffany merchandise...purchase it directly from an Authorized Tiffany Retailer.
GUIDELINES:
Are the photos of the item stock photos or actual photos of the item listed?
Are the photos listed clear and are enough details presented to offer a true depiction of the item?
I do disagree with the blogger who stated that if Tiffany jewelry has too shiny of an appearance it is a reproduction. First of all Tiffany's pieces on their website appear shiny and if you visit their stores the jewelry is quite shiny indeed.
Also when a professional or someone who is adroit with digital cameras takes photos of jewelry using the correct lighting and background, the jewelry will definitely project much luster. Below are two photos of the same bracelet and as you can see that lighting and background do determine the final image, so just because a sellers item appears shiny in a photo this does not mean it is countefeit.
Is the listing too wordy with endless reasons for selling or is it straight and to the point?
Being as Tiffany's have a 30 day return policy, I question the sellers who state that they just bought the item or received it as a gift, but yada yada and have decided to sell it.
I personally am an advocate of the KISS method...Keep it short and simple. Definitely it is wise to offer a detailed description of the item, but I recommend a that a seller avoid over stating their case on as to why they are selling the item. I believe great photos are the best for they speak a thousand words.
If there is a copy of a receipt...is it real or a facsimile?
I have visited several other auction sites where people are creating and selling fake Tiffany receipts. For those listings that offer a receipt...I would ask for the sales associates name, the location of the store, the telephone number, transaction, and item number located on the receipt and then contact the store to verify authenticity. All of this information is stored within their archives.
I would apply this to appraisals of fine gemstone jewelry as well.
Below is a photo of an actual Tiffany receipt and one of a fake receipt. You may have to zoom in for details.
Receipt from a Tiffany Store Fake Receipt
When you ask the seller a question..do they respond?
If they do not this is a red flag that something isn't right.
Do they list numerous items continuously?
This could be a red flag and then again it would depend on the circumstances. For example if an estate is being liquidated and the person owned a large amount of luxury merchandise, this would definitely provide a valid reason for selling a number of jewelry pieces over a period of time. Also a person owning a luxury consignment business would have access to more items of this nature to resell.
I would say that the real red flag presented would be if the "same" style is listed repeatedly within short intervals. Also in my opinion another red flag is one or three day listings particularly those that appear on the weekends, holidays, or Tuesday through Thursday. Most reputable sellers will set up their listings for 7-10 day viewings.
Does the seller offer a return policy or is it an all sales are final listing?
I believe that the lack of a return policy is a red flag situation.
If it is a Buy it now price...is the price low and too good to be true?
The rule of thumb here is that the seller should be asking around 50% of the actual retail price or more and settle for no less than around 33% of the retail price. Regarding auctions that start with a .99 cents bid and no reserves...this is fine for this is done to eliminate costly listing fees.
What about the packaging offered and/or included?
This can be a determining factor regarding authenticity for Tiffany's packaging is exquisite and really cannot be accurately replicated.
I believe that the packaging is a dead giveaway regarding the authenticity issue.
Tiffany's boxes are that unique "Tiffany Blue" comparable to the colour of a robin's egg and not blue/green. The pouches are very soft to the touch"Tiffany Blue" with a clear logo and not stiff with a green hue and sub-standard print. Even the silver care cards are printed on heavy quality paper stock, not cheap flimsy paper.
Additionally, Tiffany packaging cannot be sold on ebay for I had tried to sell some of the higher end Tiffany jewelry packaging and my listings were removed. Now, I know you are going to say, well, I have seen packaging listed and even sold...well, this may be true, but often it is removed before the listing is scheduled to end. Below are photos of Authentic and Fake Tiffany Packaging.
Authentic Tiffany boxes & pouches
Fake Packaging
If you examine these you will notice that the print is off center, the pouches even visually look stiff and it is interesting that these photograph blue when in fact the boxes are a green/blue (more green than blue) and the pouches are even a muddy blue/green. However, when you receive your order in this type of packaging and particularly if you have purchased directly from a Tiffany's store in the past you will immediately know that you have been sold a reproduction.
The item you are interested in is 18K Gold...can this be a reproduction?
Absolutely, yes! In visiting other auction sites I am seeing a lot of 925 sterling silver/ 18K gold plated Tiffany merchandise. I believe these items are easy to identify for they have an orangey appearance rather than a true soft golden glow. This is where I would definitely insist on actual photos of the item and not accept stock photos. Also the packaging of higher end items such as these are packaged in the Dark Blue lined Cases with the Logo in Gold and then placed in a "Tiffany Blue" box. Again, the packaging reveals much truth regarding authenticity. Below are photos of high end Tiffany Packaging.
Should you buy from sellers with much, little, or no feedback?
Personally the only sellers I would refrain from doing business with would be those with "private" feedback. Additionally I would choose not to sell to these members as well. Nautrally if they have a number of negatives it would not be advisable to conduct business with a seller of this status. However I review any negative feedback to determine whether it is actually valid or simply petty and/or vindictive in nature.
I am of the opinion that if the item I am interested in is described accurately, the seller has quality photos of the item listed, the seller has a fair return policy, the seller accepts paypal for remittance and is paypal verified...I would have no issue doing business with this person. Definitely avoid sellers who want remittance made via unsecured gateways such as Western Union.
Tiffany & CO. does not ever have "Sales."
This is an American Designer CO. that has been in business since 1837 and they do not need to offer their items at reduced prices.
Tiffany's do not have wholesale distributors and this is according to Tiffany & CO.
The only way to purchase Tiffany merchandise is via their web site, an Authorized Tiffany Retailer, or from an person who has bought it from a Tiffany's store.
No comments:
Post a Comment