HOW TO SPOT A FAKE CARTIER LOVE BRACELET
Cartier LOVE Bracelets are one of Cartier’s most iconic pieces of jewelry. They were first introduced in the 1970s and have become one of today’s most desirable pieces of everyday jewelry for both men and women.
The bracelet is a universal symbol of love and commitment. The LOVE bracelet is a flat bangle studded with screws that locks to the wrist. Opened and fastened with a screwdriver, the piece serves to sanctify inseparable love.
Due to the Cartier LOVE bracelet’s iconic nature and global reach, it is a continuous focus of unauthorized duplication. When figuring out the authentic of a Cartier LOVE bangle, it’s important to note that not all LOVE bangles are made the same, since over the years, there have been changes in the design and style.
We at Brilliance Jewels are very firm when it comes to authenticity. We do not buy or sell counterfeit goods. We guarantee 100% authenticity of all our inventory. Most of our Cartier items contain original certificates and boxes.
Here are a few tips to help you identify the main differences between a real LOVE bangle and a fake:
CLOSELY READ THE HALLMARKS AND LOGOS
Every Cartier Love bracelet is stamped with a “hallmark” that indicates the metal quality. Love Bracelets made out of 18K gold are stamped with 18K, 750 or sometimes both numbers. Platinum Love Bracelets, meanwhile, are marked with the numerals 950. If those hallmarks are not impressed on your bracelet, it’s definitely a warning sign.
That being said, when Aldo Cipullo first designed the Cartier Love bracelets in the 1970’s, the bracelets did not include these hallmarks nor did they include serial numbers. This made it easy for counterfeiters to go ahead and flood the market with fakes. It is likely that almost 50% of the Love bracelets from the 70’s are fakes.
These replicas only loosely resemble the Cartier stamps. Below is the first example of how to spot a counterfeited Cartier Love bracelet.
Real
Fake
When you look at the stamps, these are not the same, the fake often has a smudged Cartier logo and uses an 18kt stamp rather than the Cartier’s “750”. Also, the fake’s stamp is not precise and is done quite carelessly. The real Cartier love bracelet’s markings should be readable, even, and smooth.
Take a look at this example of a white gold 6 diamond love bangle:
Real
Fake
The 6 diamond white gold Love Bangle Has a different Cartier S.A. stamp.
Another tip is to take a look at the spelling and font of the Cartier name and other hallmarks. If you catch a misspelling or it’s not in the cursive font, the Love bracelet is definitely a fake.
Real
Fake
Here you can see that the engravings on the diamond bangle are in the wrong place.
Each of these knock-offs have a different font from the next – and from the authentic bracelet – for the “750” stamp.
Fake
Real
Fake
Feel the weight and evaluate the quality
Cartier’s brand was built on using only the highest quality of gold and platinum so one of the biggest hints of a fake is the weight of the bracelet. The bracelet should weigh between 30-38 grams (about five to six US quarters), this of course depends on the exact model you’ve selected. When you compare the genuine Love bracelet to a forgery, the fake will be lighter.
You must also be aware of the color of the metal. Obvious issues are chipping or discoloration.
Real
Fake
Look at the screws
When looking at the screws, there have been recent updates to the design. The screws are now attached to the bracelet.
Real
Fake
Real Cartier Love bracelets are very precise and the screws perfectly stamped into the metal. The screw stamps on the replicas are not properly aligned, uneven, and not a smooth surface.
Fake
On this fake love bangle, the screws slightly overlap into the other side – remember that any sign of the smallest imperfection means you very well might be looking at a fake. Also, the all diamond bangle’s screw axes are too wide. Notice how much thinner they are on the authentic Love bangle below.
Real
Fake
Since Cartier is known for their quality, the screws will always be flawless.
Real
Fake
When you review the authentic Cartier Love bangle, the edges are crisp and precise. The screws should turn easily with the screwdriver. When you see a fake Cartier Love bracelet, the sides have a curvature that makes it appear more round. The screws are also much more difficult to open.
Price compare
Another notable difference is the price. If you seem to be getting a too good to be true deal, you’re probably right. A new gold Cartier Love Bracelet retails for $6,300 and hold their value so the price you’re paying shouldn’t be too far off from this figure. One exception is the Charles Revson Love Bracelet that was made in the 1970’s.
This was a special edition that Cartier partnered with the founder of Revlon Cosmetics, with the enscription of “Carles Revson”. This was a less expensive model and the bracelets were electroplated and unscrewed only on one side. These vintage pieces are still on the market, but you should be notified and the bracelet be priced properly.
- Make sure to do your homework on the seller. Take a look at their website and their customer reviews to make sure they are genuine. Sellers should list where they conduct business.
- Don’t just look at photos online
- Since fakes are so well done, it’s important that you don’t solely rely on photos of the Love bracelet. With your Love bangle in hand, you’ll need to have it authenticated in person. It’s getting more difficult to do this – the Cartier store no longer authenticates LOVE bracelets. Occasionally, you can catch a sales associate in a good mood and show them your purchase and receive a wink & a nod that you’ve got the real deal, but they don’t officially authenticate Love bangles anymore.
- We at Brilliance Jewels are very firm when it comes to authenticity. We do not buy or sell counterfeit goods. We guarantee 100% authenticity of all our inventory. Most of our Cartier items contain original certificates and boxes.
- Once you’re in possession of your Cartier Love bracelet, be sure to have it appraised by professions to ensure that your bracelet is authentic. If you want to check the authenticity of you Cartier Love bracelet, visit us in Downtown Miami.
- Some replicas though are very very close to the real Cartier Love bracelets; this is why it is important to have your bracelet authenticated.
ARE THEY ALWAYS STAMPED THE GOLD KT ON THE BRACELET?
Hello Ken,
Yes, they always hav the 750 stamp as hallmark.
Sophia
Ken, most hallmarks are distinct as they are similar. Can you please send me some photos? info@brilliancejewels.com
Hi I have a ring that I brought at garage sale. It has 750 but no size number next to it. Now would that be considered fake?
Is there any reason it would slightly pull to a magnet? I’ve never had real 18k jewelry attract to a magnet at all except at a clasp from the spring. This one was supposed to be white gold but had a slight pull on the magnet, a passing look at the markings looked legit but that magnetism made me think I was dealing with a fake
After a local music festival, I found what I think is a ‘real’ diamond Love bracelet while metal detecting. After reading your article on detecting fakes, I think this one is the real deal. Is there any way to authenticate through the serial number? Thank you.
Hi Vickie,
Thank you for your message. Unfortunately, there is no way to authenticate 100 percent a Cartier Love Bracelet unless you bring the piece into Cartier yourself and have them service it.
This is what we do when we purchase any of our items, unless the item already has a Certificate of Authenticity.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Sophia
Can I send a photo of a love bangle I may purchase to see what you think?
Justin,
Are you looking to purchase the bangle through our store?
Looking forward to your response.
All the best,
Sophia
I have a white gold bracelet all the screws are perfect and all the hallmarks are perfect too, except there is no size marked on it does that mean its fake.
Hi Charles,
Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your bracelet. When determining authenticity with Cartier items, it is very difficult to determine whether it is in fact authentic or not. The best way to proceed would be to bring it in to Cartier and have it service/polished. If Cartier proceeds with service and polish, this means that the bracelet is definitely authentic.
Sophia
Hi there Sophia- I’ve been given a Cartier “love bracelet”made of white gold. I strongly doubt about his autenticity tho. Here is what is written inside the package: 750 18 Cartier
IP6688. There’s also a little square containing a little star and a 001, then an alpha. Can you please help me to understand if this is a fake?
Many Thanks
Cinzia,
Thank you for reaching out to us and I hope you are having a wonderful New Year so far.
Regarding authenticity, I am unable to tell you whether or not your bracelet is real. My best suggestion would be to take the bracelet in to a Cartier store and ask for a service/polish. If bracelet is authentic, they will take it in – if not, they will not service or polish it.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Best,
Sophia
Did you have this done? I have the same and wondering also. 🙂
Hi Jessica,
What do you mean?
Hi. I have a love bracelet, could you tell me if it’s real or fake please rather than taking it into a shop? Thanks
Hi Lee,
Thank you for reaching out to us and I hope you are having a wonderful New Year so far.
Regarding authenticity, I am unable to tell you whether or not your bracelet is real. My best suggestion would be to take the bracelet in to a Cartier store and ask for a service/polish. If bracelet is authentic, they will take it in – if not, they will not service or polish it.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Best,
Sophia
Hi Sophia.
Did Cartier ever make a gold plated on silver love bracelet? I heard that they did at first in 1969 and then went to solid gold. Let me know your thoughts and if this bracelet looks authentic. Thanks so much! Jorge
Can’t add a photo here. How can I send you the photo?
Jorge,
That’s a great question! Unfortunately I do not know the correct answer to that question. The best would be to email any Cartier ambassador and they would be more than likely to let you know.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Sophia