How Can You Tell Something Is Genuine Tiffany's Without Going to the Store

I received for my birthday, a bracelet, ring, and necklace from the
Return to Tiffany's Collection. I was extremely ecstatic but when I
went to put on the necklace, the clasp broke. I really wanted just the
necklace and I got the whole set. I don't want to go to the store and
possibly be embarassed if the jewelry is not genuine. Is there a way I
can tell if my jewelry is real Tiffany and Co?

Why not just ask the person who gave you the gift? Let them know that the
clasp broke and you would like to have it repaired.
Donna (who does not believe that someone should give another someone replica
stuff on the premise that it is real)

On 27 Nov 2004 07:07:08 –0800, gingersnap...@yahoo.com (Cindy) wrote:
I agree with Donna –– ask the person who gave it to you. If that's
not possible, you can always try the following:
A coworker bought a pin of dubious origin at auction –– someone had
labeled it "Tiffany" but there were no markings on the pin, so he
called Tiffany headquarters which keeps a record of every piece they
ever made. They charge $50 to tell you whether or not they have a
record of your piece and $500 to give you that record, which
identifies the year, the exact jeweler who made the piece, what kinds
of gems are involved, original purchase price, etc.
He spent the $50 and yes, Tiffany did have a record of his pin. He
figured that was good enough for him so he didn't spend the $500 to
find out the exact details.
–– maribeth

gingersnap...@yahoo.com (Cindy) wrote in message news:<32bc6719.0411270707.3a47d...@posting.google.com>...
Cindy –– I just purchased a silver heart necklace for an 11 year old
girl on ebay. I didn't *want* faux–Tiffany, and didn't get it. But
the seller must get a lot of people *wanting* it to say Tiffany,
because she included information on how to tell if its a *fake* (and
pointing out that a lot of people sell fakes on ebay, but she won't).
Don't know if this is true, but she claims:
(1) for the heart tag necklace, only the circle (of the toggle,
presumably) says "Tiffany & Co" –– there is no *Return to Tiffany* on
the heart tag. (She claims this only comes with a toggle or lobster
clasp in the *real* thing, BTW; toggle is 16.25"; lobster is 16")
(2) on the heart toggle necklace and bracelet, the toggle has a
concave rectangle on one side.
(3) Tiffany gift box is made of rough green paper (not smooth paper);
inside of box is green, not white.
(4) Inside of gift bag is also green, not white.
(5) For round tag, she says there is NO *REturn to Tiffany* on the
bracelet with lobster clasp OR necklace with lobster clasp.
(6) For the oval tag, she says there is *please return to Tiffany* on
the lobster clasp bracelet, but NOT the necklace (which is only 15.5
inches)
Hope this helps.
Barbara

I wouldn't be at all embarrassed to go to the store with the piece(s),
explaining that it was a gift and you'd like to know if it's authentic as it's
broken and needs repair. I wouldn't ask the giver if it's authentic. To me,
that's along the lines of asking someone what they paid for a gift they'd given
me.
Linda

In <20041127181441.11861.00001...@mb–m16.aol.com> Linda wrote:
That's a good point Linda. Sort of, I'd like to take it in for service,
but if it's hot can you just get me another one ;–)
––
Cheers
Dennis
Remove 'Elle–Kabong' to reply

On 27 Nov 2004 07:07:08 –0800, Cindy wrote:
I'm certain that even if it's a knockoff, it's not the first time
Tiffany & Co. has seen run into one.
I think they would be very discreet about the problem.
Unless they made the mistake of hiring the Walgreen's pharmacy
technician who made the mistake of announcing one too many times, "MR.
JOHNSON. PLEASE COME TO THE PHARMACY COUNTER. YOUR LITHIUM IS READY
FOR PICKUP!" <grin/duck>

Well... since I'm holding my toggle necklace right now (which I know is
real, I bought the dang thing myself in Bal Harbor), I can verify some of
that. the 16 and a quarter inches is true. The toggle does say "Tiffany &
Co." There is no "Return to Tiffany" (which greatly disappointed me...),
however on one side of the heart tag there is a tiny stamped "Tiffany and
Co. .925" The toggle does have the concave rectangle, and the bar for the
toggle has two small balls on either end. Also, even if you look real
close at the links, for the most part you can't see where they are sodered
together.
So, yep, as far as the heart tag toggle, those are all right. ^_^
patricia

mom_2_...@hotmail.com (Barbara) wrote in message news:<66e906fc.0411271413.dd4a...@posting.google.com>...
Sorry to disagree – but I have the "Return to Tiffany" bracelet that I
bought from the store (main store in NYC) – it has round tag and a
lobster clasp.
Ruby (by the way, you can go on the website and look – they have all
of them on there)

Well from all the posts the only deciding factor that really can
pertain to my gift is the fact about the gift box. The inside of my
box was white, so I guess maybe then the jewelry set I received is a
fake. I can't ask the person who gave it to me because that person is
my mom and it would crush her to even ask. The ring I got tarnished
with only a few hours of wear, the clasp on the necklace broke, the
inside of the box was white, the jewelry didn't come with the blue
pouch or care card, maybe it is fake. Guess I'm a bit dissappointed, I
asked for just the necklace *real of course* and got a possibly fake
necklace,bracelet, and ring.

I sympathize...no matter what, the gift was given to you with love.
The real problem is that fakes have become so ubiquitous that many shoppers can
no longer tell the difference. Many think they actually sell real Tiffany,
Coach, LV, etc. from a cart at the mall!
I try not consider myself a label whore, and I try not to spend too much of my
(or Mom's) money chasing logos, but I must say, at the start of the holiday
shopping season:
People, if you're gonna do it, do it! Buy the real stuff. Pay the money. If you
can't afford the $800 Marc Jacobs bag, buy the $100 Nine West bag. Not the $75
fake Marc Jacobs.
Be true.
––Anne–Marie

"Fashiondish" <fashiond...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20041128183046.21787.00001...@mb–m12.aol.com...
I agree. I used to buy fakes for myself and my kids. I still have some
fake watches I like and they work well needing only a new battery each
year. I bang my wrist around as I work like a true klutz so I don't
need a Rolex to be happy. Handbags and jewelry are a different story.
I no longer look at the fakes in the stores or on the carts. I passed
them up in Rome last winter and that was the turning point for me.
Audrey

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 14:22:28 –0500, Leigh Melton wrote:
Guess I'm a bit dissappointed, I asked for just the
necklace *real of course* and got a possibly fake
necklace,bracelet, and ring.
(reader unapologetically rolling eyes at potentially mortified writer)
No store is in the business of embarrassing a potential future
customer... if it's a fake, they'll undoubtedly be extremely discreet.
In fact, Consumer Reports has had readers write in with stories like
"I bought brand X and it failed. I sent it back with a note 'I always
buy brand X and it never failed before.' They get back a response
'Here's a new brand X... by the way, what you sent us was a fake brand
X.'"
Four words: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Cindy" <gingersnap...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:32bc6719.0411280653.7f303...@posting.google.com...
Don't hinge whether or not the gift was real or fake on the color of the
inside of the gift box. I have bought items from Tiffany's – in fact the
main store on 5th Avenue in NYC – and the inside of the gift box is white.
So is the inside of the gift bag.
The fact that the clasp broke, the ring tarnished, and no pouch or care card
was included would factor into my thought process far more than the color of
the inside of the box. The items could be fake....OR...they could be
genuine Tiffany's items that were purchased second hand, and perhaps not in
the best condition.
–stars

1. You don't have to ask your mom if the jewelry is real. You only need to
tell her that the clasp broke and ask her if she would like to bring it back to
either get it replaced or repaired. Or, if she wanted to give you the sales
slip, if she'd like you to do it. I am sure that your mom is either (a) aware
that the jewelry she gave you is fake or (b) interested in learning that she
bought defective merchandise. Having your mom take care of the
replacement/repair means you don't have to know if it is real or not.
2. If the jewelry turns out not to be real: so what. You have your mother
and she did the best she could, with the resources she had, to make you happy.
I just spent Thanksgiving at 2 households where both sons had recently lost
their beloved mothers––one a year ago, and one 2 weeks ago. I can't speak for
you, but my mother is infinitely more precious to me than any gift she could
ever give me. Give her––and yourself––a break.

"Leggy the Legume"
––
Julie P.
"MADE FOR TELEVISION."––Owen Meany

On 28 Nov 2004 06:53:52 –0800, gingersnap...@yahoo.com (Cindy) wrote:
Was it a toggle necklace or one on the ball chain? I have the latter
and can get it out and describe it if you like. The fact that yours
broke, tarnished easily and didn't come with the packaging makes it
very likely it's not genuine though.
I know what you mean about the disappointment thing – the same thing
happened to me once with a wallet that was given to me by my
grandmother. My Anne Klein wallet had been stolen (this was in the
'80s when that lion logo was a big thing) and as a surprise gift she
replaced my $100 wallet with a vinyl $10 one that looked sort of like
it, including a fake lion logo. All I could do was thank her, but I
felt disappointed and a little angry, to be honest with you. I also
felt guilty for being disappointed and angry!
Your mom might have thought that you would rather have the trend than
the real thing and if so, what better than three trendy items instead
of just one? What with rampant knock–off purses and jewelry even in
mass market retailers, she might not have realized how important
having genuine Tiffany is to you.
It's also possible she might not have even known the set was fake –
some eBay sellers, for example, make it sound like Tiffany has
overstocks and returns they are able to buy for next to nothing and
"pass the savings along to our customers". She might have been
hoodwinked by some verbiage like this.
By the way, I know Tiffany will accept pieces for repair via the mail.
If you are hesitant to take the piece in, perhaps you could mail it in
with a small note? That way you could authenticate it without having
to deal with anyone face to face.
Leigh
––
Consequences, shmonsequences, as long as I'm rich. – D. Duck

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 19:10:32 –0500, "stars" <st...@vzavenue.net>
coughed and sputtered, and managed to choke out these words:
someone on news:alt.marketing.online.ebay mentioned recently that
she tried to sell a Tiffany bracelet (or some jewelry item –
can't remember exactly what it was) on eBay and her auction was
closed down by eBay. eBay has a program called VERO (VErified
Rights Owner), that allows companies that actually hold a patent
on something to complain to eBay to get auctions shut down that
the company feels might infringe on their patent or copyright.
this person to whom you're referring might find herself in
trouble at some point with Tiffany.
david
––
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/derbarbier/
(ebay sales)
http://shops.half.com/derbarbier
ten tod labolgcbs ta reibrabred

Why not just tell your mom the clasp broke and ask her to return it to
be repaired?
Think about this, what if she purchased it as authentic and it is a
fake, doesn't she deserve to know also?
If you put the ball back in her court, so to speak, it gives her the
opportunity to either tell you, exchange it or find out what's going
on with the vendor.
Mimi
gingersnap...@yahoo.com (Cindy) wrote in message news:<32bc6719.0411270707.3a47d...@posting.google.com>...

On 28 Nov 2004 06:53:52 –0800, gingersnap...@yahoo.com
(Cindy) wrote:
I realise it would be a difficult conversation to have, and
you'd have to take great care... but if your Mum's been
ripped off full Tiffany prices for a fake, shouldn't she
know?
––
m a u d i e
Maudie's "when I feel like it" services:
Posting stats http://groups.yahoo.com/group/af_geeks/
(latest date: August 31 + total)
Lemming Lists http://uk.geocities.com/maud_silver/

I am honestly wondering if the Seller is trying to beat her eBay competition
by making up false rules that will result in potential buyers walking away
from other auctions of genuine Tiffany's stuff under the pretense the items
fake. I can tell you with certainty that #s 3, 4, and 5 above are all
false. All of my purchases from the Tiffany's store on 5th Avenue in NYC
have come in boxes with smooth turqoise paper on the outside, with white
interiors. The gift bags also have white interiors. Finally, my round tag
lobster clasp bracelet does indeed say "Return to Tiffany."
–stars

gingersnap...@yahoo.com (Cindy) wrote in message news:<32bc6719.0411280653.7f303...@posting.google.com>...
I haven't read all the answers you have gotten so far, but here are my
2 cents.
Since it's your mom who gave you the gift I would take the necklace to
Tiffany's and let them decide. They're usually very nice and although
it's a bit embarrasing to be in an uncertain position such as this, I
would rather do that than ask the person who gave me the gift. I don't
have the necklace set you're referring to so I can't comment on
identifying marks, however, I have several items from Tiffany and
their jewelry and tabletop pieces are normally top quality. My two
oldest pieces (a key ring and pen) are from the late 80s and still in
good shape. IMO it's a bad sign that the necklace clasp broke so soon
after you first got it but it's not by itself proof that the set is a
fake. The tarnish doesn't mean anything it's normal for silver (or
silverplated) items to tarnish if they're in contact with air. (I
regularyly have to polish my silver jewelry)
––Maria