Alright, alright, let’s dive in. First off, and this is HUGE, look for the stamping. Like, *really* look. A real Van Cleef *anything* will have a proper hallmark. We’re talkin’ “Van Cleef & Arpels” or just “VCA.” If it just says “Van Cleef,” alarm bells should be ringing, big time. It’s like, they couldn’t even be bothered to copy the whole thing? Come on, guys. And if there’s *no* hallmark at all? Fuggedaboutit. It’s faker than a politician’s promise.
Then there’s the metal. They’re gonna stamp it with something like “Au750” or just “750.” This means it’s 18k gold, which is kinda the standard for fancy stuff. If it’s missing, or says something weird… yeah, you know the drill.
Okay, here’s where it gets tricky. Shininess. Now, I know, you’re thinking “duh, of course it should be shiny!” But it’s more than that. A *real* Van Cleef piece has a certain *quality* to the shine. It’s hard to describe, like… it’s rich, not just, y’know, cheap glittery. Plus, the fakes sometimes look *too* shiny, if you catch my drift. Like they dipped it in a vat of industrial-strength sparkle juice. It looks, in my opinion, tacky.
And let’s talk about the overall quality. Look close. Are the edges clean? Is the enamel smooth? Are the stones set properly? Fakes often have sloppy workmanship. Little gaps, uneven surfaces, that kinda thing. It’s like, the people making them just don’t care enough to get it right. Which, honestly, I get. It’s still annoying if you’re paying good money, though, innit?
Speaking of paying money… if the price seems too good to be true? It probably is. I mean, Van Cleef ain’t exactly giving stuff away. If you’re finding a “Van Cleef” watch for, like, $50 on some random website… c’mon. Use your brain. It’s a scam.
One last thing, and this is just my opinion, but the “dupes” are kinda insulting, aren’t they? Like, yeah, I get it, not everyone can afford the real thing. But buying a blatant knock-off just feels… sad. Maybe it’s better to save up for something real, even if it takes a while. Or, you know, just find something else entirely that you genuinely love.
