Van Cleef & Arpels How to Spot REAL and FAKE
Founded in 1896, Van Cleef & Arpels has become one of the world’s most renowned fine jewellery maisons.
The Alhambra collection, born in 1968, has established itself as a lucky charm and emblem of Van Cleef & Arpels. This collection has been worn by fashion icons, celebrities and royalty such as Grace Kelly and Diana, Princess of Wales. You can easily spot this collection at royal events and on Hollywood red carpets.
But because of the outstanding success and the premium prices, the maison’s designs, especially the Alhambra collection, are frequently copied and there are countless fake Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra copies in the market.
If you are looking to build up your own Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra collection, we are here to share our tips for spotting fake Alhambra jewellery, so that you can shop with confidence.
This is Van Cleef Arpels’s official brand logo, please pay attention to the circled details. Remember the style and character of the logo font.
- The font of VCA in the diamond box is a double line font
- In the second line letters V, C, A are uneven in thickness
1. Clasp
Van Cleef Arpels have changed their clasp, signatures, hallmarks and trademark over time.
New version clasp:
- GENUINE: VCA double line font in the logo, and the little tower in the stamp is very sharp and neat
- FAKE: some of the fake piece’s mark is single line font and the stamp is messy and not neat at all
Old version clasp:
- GENUINE: there is always a 750 stamp
- FAKE: old version clasps sometimes don’t have stamp 750
2. Brand logo font Style
- GENUINE: the font of letters V, C, A is artistic and uneven in thickness
- FAKE: the font of letters V, C, A is even thickness, Au750’s font is too narrow
3. Hallmark
Van Cleef Arpels is a French jewellery maker so their collections use the French 18k gold mark: eagle head / dog head.
French 18k gold mark: eagle head
French 18k gold mark: dog head
- GENUINE: 18k gold eagle head and dog head
- FAKE: they used VCA logo and wrong stamp as gold mark. Also the stamps are very messy and difficult to make out under a 10x loupe.
4. Serial Number
- GENUINE: Even spacing between characters, clear and crisp engraving
- FAKE: Uneven spacing between letters and numbers, narrow font
We will have more blog articles to share further details and examples of Van Cleef Alhambra authentication features.
Being aware of these detailed signs of authenticity, you can buy any pre-owned or limited edition/discontinued Alhambra piece with confidence.
Shop our curated collection for authentic Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra pieces.
Is the serial# etched around the perimeter of the pendant or on the chain necklace
Thank you Thank you Thank you for posting such a comprehensive comparison. There are so many good fakes out there & your blog helped me determine that the one I bought was indeed fake!!
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