One of the scariest things about buying jewelry is not knowing 100% whether what you have is fake or real. While there are tests for gold, silver, gemstones and rubies, what about designer brands? With the recent trend for designer jewelry, there has been a growth in the counterfeit market. So we’ve put together a list of tips to keep in mind when you’re out buying your next Tiffany, Cartier, Bvlgari or David Yurman piece:

– Beware of super shiny silver; it’s what most fakes are made of. You’re safer with gold and titanium because it’s expensive and would cost the faker more.
– Most pieces with Chinese or Far East Asian signatures are fake because these countries don’t regulate the counterfeit market much
– A new designer piece should have a box or papers. If the piece is made of finer materials and gemstones, a GIA certificate can work too but or else don’t buy new pieces without their packaging.
– Check reviews, feedbacks, warranties, return policies and anything else that might indicate that the seller may not be the upstanding guy he claims to be. TrueFacet.com verifies and guarantees the authenticity of your piece or else you can get your money back.
– Does the seller seem to have a lot of copies of the same piece? That’s suspicious.
– Finally, when in doubt – go without

Buying a designer piece can be overwhelming. Try to get as much information on both the seller and the item. Try to go to a trusted source that vouches for its items like TrueFacet.com