Do you think you know it all when it comes to Cartier jewelery and watches? Test your knowledge and learn something new about the famous French jeweler!

Here are five ways to determine if your Cartier Love Bracelet is real—or just a really good fake.

1. 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.

And double-check the spelling and typography of the Cartier logo. It the brand name is misspelled or not in the iconic cursive font, your bracelet is—sorry to say—a forgery.

2. Feel its weight and evaluate its quality.

Across its entire collection, Cartier uses only high-quality and durable gold and platinum metals. In turn, an immediate giveaway is the weight of the bracelet. Depending on their size and metal, a Cartier Love Bracelet should weigh between 30 and 38 grams (roughly the equivalent of five to six US quarter coins). Fake bracelets oftentimes are comparatively much lighter than authentic Love Bracelets.

Also areas of discoloration or chipping metal—even more so if there is another color underneath it—are indicators that the piece is not genuine.

Cartier is also very meticulous with their quality control. Therefore, the screws of the Love Bracelet should always be in perfect alignment.

3. Price compare.

Brand new standard yellow gold Cartier Love Bracelets retail for $6,300 USD and, because they are highly coveted and made of the finest materials by skilled craftsmen, they do not significantly depreciate in value. So keep that $6,300 figure in mind as you price compare; the quoted resale price should not waver too far from the original ticket price. So if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

But one notable outlier here is the Charles Revson Love Bracelet. In the 1970s, Cartier partnered with Charles Revson, founder of Revlon Cosmetics, to release a special edition Love Bracelet. Stamped with “Charles Revson” on the inside, this iteration was a less expensive version of the original. To keep costs low, the Revson Love Bracelets were electroplated and unscrewed only on one side.

These vintage Revson Love Bracelets are in circulation but should be advertised and priced accordingly. Some vendors may not disclose that you are looking at a Revson Love Bracelet and tag it as simply a Love Bracelet and pricing it as if it was a solid Love Bracelet. So beware if the price of the Love Bracelet you’re eyeing seems unusually inexpensive.

4. Verify the seller’s reputation.
Scrutinize the seller’s website and research any customer reviews that can provide insight into the seller’s legitimacy. Be wary of sellers who do not list where they’re headquartered or do not indicate where their product is being shipped from.

5. Get an official appraisal.
After you receive your Cartier Love Bracelet—even if you’re confident it’s 100% authentic—you should have it independently appraised as proof positive you’re in possession of the real thing. If you have further questions regarding TrueFacet’s authentication process, contact our concierge representative here.

The latest accessories and trends have just hit the runway at New York Fashion Week. Now, we just need to find out how to get the look! We’ve made a list of the biggest trends and best accessories from fashion week and how to get each look at any price point! Click on the images below to learn more about the piece.

1. Bold and Blue Earrings

The Show: Kate Spade
Get the Look:
1. Tacori Quartz Drop Earrings ($620)
2. YG Pearl Drop Earrings ($1200)
3. Judith Ripka Drop Earrings ($8500)

2. Black Leather Cuffs

The Show: Alexander Wang
Get the Look:
1. Michael ors Double Wrap Leather Bracelet ($225)
2. Hermes Collier de Chien Leather Bracelet ($1493)
3. Versace Medusa Bracelet ($2930)

3. White Florals

The Show: Marchesa
Get the Look:
1. Chanel Camellia Earrings ($340)
2. YG Pearl and Ruby Earrings ($499)
3. Van Cleef & Arpels Pearl and Diamond Earrings ($13,500)

4. Charm Necklace

The Show: Rodarte
Get the Look:
1. Emporio Armani Charm Necklace ($371)
2. Chanel Medallion Charm Necklace ($1995)
3. Louis Vuitton Idylle Blossom Charm Necklace ($2100)

Today, New York Fashion Week is the biannual must-attend event of the year. Although now designers show off their newest collections to the fashion elite, it wasn’t always in its present form. Keep reading to find out about the history of New York Fashion Week!

Before there was Fashion Week, the couture and high fashion world was exclusive to very few. Fashion shows, before they became a social and cultural event, were private events for exclusive clients to view the latest designs on live models. In 1903, a brand in New York City wanted to generate interest in their clothing, so they held an event which is now thought to be the first runway show in the United States.

Forty years later, during World War II, fashion designers and press publishers were unable to travel to Paris, the epicenter of high fashion. So, to draw attention to American fashion instead, publicist Eleanor Lambert founded the very first version of Fashion Week that was originally called “Press Week.” The event happened twice a year and was a loosely organized version of the fashion shows happening at shops and department stores already.

The shows were only coordinated to time and not a place before, but in 1993, they were brought together at a single location. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), founded by Eleanor Lambert, organized the events of Press Week into one location and called the event “7th on Sixth,” named after the events management company of the same name that was founded by the CFDA.

In 2004, after 7th on Sixth was sold to ING and then to Olympus, the name changed to Olympus Fashion Week. Similarly, in 2007, Mercedes-Benz gained primary sponsorship and the name changed to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Today, there is not a single location or event management company. The shows are still held within the same week, twice a year based on the fashion seasons, but are produced by several events management companies.

As Fashion Week in cities across the world became more about celebrity, combined with the proliferation of social media and internet influencers, the event is changing every year. This year, Fashion Week is finally accommodating the mass consumption of social media. Traditionally, the fashion shows presented collections that would be available in the following season, but this proved a problem as more and more people have become exposed the show’s content. Now, many designers are offering items for sale immediately following the show and pop-up shops offering the latest styles have surrounded the event.

In the face of a changing fashion scene, Fashion Week struggled, but with introspection and creative problem-solving, the event is adapting to the new media surrounding it. In a way, Fashion Week has reverted back to the old model without a central organizational model, allowing the event more flexibility and imagination. At the same time, it has evolved to embrace the new attention and excitement. With these changes bringing promise to the event, each season may be more successful than the last!

Photo Credit: notjustalabel.com / wnyc.org / cochicstyling.com

New York Fashion Week is under way and the newest jewelry trends are starting to emerge. These accessories are paired for springtime looks, but still wearable for the fall and winter season. We’ve kept our eye on the catwalk and streets for the up-and-coming trends. Keep reading to check out five of our favorite emerging jewelry trends.

1. Button Earrings

This season, trends are finally evolving. While last season was all about the statement — earrings and necklaces alike — this season we are seeing a more toned down version of our favorites. Button earrings popped up on the Kate Spade and Hellessy runways where large drop earrings were before.

2. Hammered Metal

Hammered metal was spotted throughout the shows, with Tom Ford the biggest proponent of the look. Creatures of the Wind followed suit with oversized hammered metal earrings to compliment flowing designs.

3. Golden Pendants

Simple, golden pendants are always a fashion fixture. We saw the look layered on the streets, and solo on the Yeezy runway.

4. Simple Collar Necklaces

While the choker ruled 2016, spring 2017 might loosen up a bit with collar necklaces. We spotted simple collar necklaces at Carolina Herrera and Dianne Von Furstenberg.

5. Tribal Necklaces

We spotted these large, tribal-inspired statement necklaces on the street and at the Tom Ford runway show. The Tom Ford show was filled with opulent, oversized, metal-heavy necklaces made from golden hoops, hammered metal and roughly cut-shapes.

Photo Credit: nymag.com / vogue.com / elle.com

Investing in a vintage watch is a smart way to put your money towards an item that you can immediately enjoy (and wear) and still has the potential to actually appreciate in value. However, we always caution: a return on your fine mechanical watch investment is never a given. Although some luxury watches may appreciate in value, it’s not a guarantee that you’ll be able to resell your watch for a premium.

Therefore, you want to purchase a watch that you will love regardless of whether or not it fetches a higher resale value. However, to hedge your bets, look for simple, classic, and conservative designs from well-established and legacy brands which are most likely to hold their value and accuracy over time.

To help you navigate the vast world of vintage and antique watches, our experts break down two key brands—Patek Philippe and Rolex—and which models will hold their value over time.

Vintage Patek Philippe

Vintage Patek Philippe watches retain their value better and appreciate more than any other watch brand. Fewer than one million Patek Philippe watches have been made since the brand was established in 1839. (To compare: Rolex makes nearly 1 million watches every year.) Patek Philippe watches are beautifully handcrafted; it can take up to nine months to produce a basic Patek Philippe watch and up to two years to manufacture a more complicated model. Therefore, the incredible scarcity and brand prestige add to the value of any Patek Philippe watch.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava is one of the safest watches to invest in. The Calatrava is a signature model for Patek Philippe and is considered prototypical of the Patek Philippe style and design. The model has also greatly appreciated in value; to wit, the Patek Philippe Calatrava retailed for $300 in 1950 ($3,121.58 in 2017 dollars). Today, the Patek Philippe Calatrava retails for roughly $20,000.

Similarly, the Patek Philippe Nautilus is another reliable investment, particularly if you can source a model from the 1970s and 80s. The Nautilus watch has largely outpaced inflation; the watch retailed for $3,000 in the 1980s (roughly $9,500 in today’s dollars), but now the model retails for $50,000.

Vintage Rolex

While Patek Philippe is a smart investment, their watches are still significant investments and can fall far outside of your budget. Therefore, Rolex is a more accessible investment opportunity.

Within its price range, Rolex has the best resale value of any of its competitors. Rolex is largely recognized as the quintessential status symbol and certain models have garnered an incredibly loyal following making them a particularly attractive investment.

The Rolex GMT-Master, Submariner and Daytona all have their devoted fan base and are likely to be easier to resell than other Rolex watch models. Rolex typically only makes inconspicuous updates to their watch models. Therefore, watches that are in the first release of a significant update can turn into a collectible item for Rolex devotees.

For more information about how to start a vintage watch collection, read our full post on the topic here.

The history of the watch industry within the 20th century is displayed in the vintage watch advertisements throughout the decades. We took a look back at watch ads from the 1900s to the 2000s to witness the rise, fall and rise again of mechanical timepieces. Keep reading to learn about the watch styles and innovations throughout the decades.

1900 & 1910

At the beginning of the 20th century, American watchmaking was at its peak. Companies like Waltham and Hamilton had applied industrialization to watchmaking, using machines to mass-produce intricate watch parts with accuracy and speed. While pocket watches were the timepiece of choice, the beginning of the century saw the rise in wristwatches which would continue to gain popularity over the next two decades.

’20s & ’30s

During the ’20s and ’30s, the wristwatch truly departed from the pocket watch. In early wristwatches, lugs were merely soldered onto a pocket watch case, but slowly the wristwatch took a shape of its own. Stylistically, during the Art Deco period of the 1920s, tonneau, rectangle and square-shaped cases were the dominant shapes, though circular cases were still fairly common. During this time, major technical advances were made as well, including the development of the self-winding movement and water resistance.

’40s & ’50s

The effect of World War II was apparent throughout every facet of American and international culture, including the watchmaking industry. During the 1940s, wristwatches were mostly produced for the armed forces, and the pieces were simple and well constructed in steel cases. The Swiss watch industry was especially successful during this time since Switzerland is a historically neutral nation that was able to produce watches for the Allied and German forces. Wartime efforts also led to an improvement in machining parts post-war. In the ’50s, movements became even more accurate thanks to better tools and practices. Many important watches were released in the ’50s as well, including the Omega Constellation and Breitling Navitmer.

’60s & ’70s

The 1960s was mostly a transition period in the watch industry — Rolex surpassed Omega for market share, watch movements continued to gradually improve, and electronic watches started to threaten the mechanical watch industry. In the early 1960s, Bulova released the Accutron, a precursor to the quartz watch. By the 1970s, the mechanical watch was viewed as an inaccurate relic of the past. Now, battery-powered quartz watches were more accurate for a fraction of the price of mechanical watches. This time is known as the quartz crisis in the watch industry. The more prestigious and established watchmakers managed to make it through the transition, but many small Swiss watchmakers were forced to shut down.

’80s & ’90s

The ’80s saw yet another shift in the watchmaking industry. The savviest Swiss companies saw an opportunity arise from the quartz crisis and decimation of the industry. Mechanical watchmakers began to market their product as a luxury item, handcrafted by professional craftsman. At this time, people began seeing vintage mechanical timepieces as collectibles, with new watch enthusiasts searching for their ultimate watch. The ’90s saw the continuation of this new era in Swiss watchmaking, with subtle changes and advancements to watch designs and movements.

Photo Credit: vintageadbrowser.com

Many timepieces, especially from the oldest and most prestigious brands, have quite the history of their own, with amazing stories behind the most innovative watch models. It comes as no surprise that these famous watches are used in famous films with spectacular roles in their own right. Keep reading to read about 3 of the most memorable watch models in famous films.

1. Apollo 13 – Omega Speedmaster

The Omega Speedmaster was the only wristwatch approved by NASA for use in space and its first journey was on the wrist of Walter Schirra in 1962. In 1965, the watch was officially approved for use during all manned missions into space. The Speedmaster made history as it accompanied by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin when the astronauts stepped foot on the moon for the first time. If these accomplishments weren’t impressive enough for a wristwatch, in 1970 the watch would secure its place in history.

During the Apollo 13 mission to the moon, an oxygen tank exploded causing damage to vital modules. Before attempting to re-enter Earth’s orbit, the crew was informed that they were off course. As the crew’s spacecraft was only meant to keep two people alive for two days instead of three people alive for four days, the crew needed to cut power everything non-vital, including the clocks. The pilots determined they would need to burn fuel for exactly 14 seconds in order to readjust the flight path and safely re-enter Earth’s orbit. As the clocks were not powered, the pilot had to rely on his Omega Speedmaster to time the maneuver.

The maneuver worked and the astronauts returned safely to Earth in an unprecedented fashion. Omega was later awarded NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award honoring NASA employees or contractors for achievements in flight safety and mission success. In the 1995 film, “Apollo 13,” depicting the events of the famous mission, it’s no surprise that the Omega Speedmaster was chosen for the fateful 14 seconds.

2. Le Mans – TAG Heuer Monaco

The TAG Heuer Monaco, originally the Heuer Monaco before the company merged with TAG, was originally released in 1969. The piece was inspired by the Monaco Grand Prix, an annual Formula One car race considered one of the most prestigious in the world. The watch was originally noted for its unique square case shape which made the Monaco the first square-shaped automatic watch and the first square-shaped chronograph.

The watch didn’t take long to gain popularity as legendary actor Steve McQueen chose the watch for his film “Le Mans.” The film is about the 24-hour Le Mans car race, one of the most prestigious along with the Monaco Grand Prix for which the watch was named. McQueen consulted a friend, Formula One race car driver Jo Siffert, for advice to more accurately portray his role in “Le Mans.” Siffert then loaned McQueen his racing suit which had “Chronograph HEUER” embroidered as Heuer was a sponsor. McQueen complimented the racing suit with the blue dial Heuer Monaco.

It is believed there are multiple Monaco watches worn by McQueen on set during filming — between four and six are thought to exist. In 2009, one of the models believed to be worn by McQueen appeared at an online auction and sold for $87,600. Then, in 2012, another McQueen Monaco appeared at auction. Perhaps this was deemed more authentic because the piece sold for $600,000, in addition to the buyers premium, totaling $799,500 for the piece. The specific model, regardless if it was ever worn by McQueen is now a sought after vintage collector’s piece.

3. Rolex Submariner and Omega Seamaster – James Bond

In the James Bond books, written by Ian Fleming, he describes Bond as wearing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, but the movie franchise hasn’t entirely remained on course with the spy novels. Agent 007 may be known for his taste in drink and ability to save the world, but he’s also known as a style icon and the watch is always important. James Bond made his first appearance, along with his timepiece of choice in 1962, and was last seen in 2015.

The original James Bond, played by Sean Connery, wore a Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538. During the time of the film (1962), diving and diving watches were extremely popular, making the Submariner an obvious choice. Throughout Connery’s time as Bond, he always wore a Submariner and ref. 6538 became known as James Bond Submariner. Connery’s Bond also made a change to the Rolex — a nylon strap, which is know associated with Bond. After Connery, the new Bond actors would choose for more modern quartz watches, passing over the classic Rolex.

When a new era of Bond has emerged in the ’90s, with Bond played by Pierce Brosnan, a new Bond watch emerged as well. By the ’90s the Submariner had become a status symbol of luxury, which was against the utility nature of the watch before. The costume designer, considering the Omega Seamaster’s history with the British Royal Navy, chose a new model. Omega has been the Bond watch of choice ever since, with several models used through the years. Brosnan wore a blue dial Seamaster Professional on a steel bracelet, and the most recent Bond, Daniel Craig, wears a Seamaster Planet Ocean, Seamaster Professional, Seamaster Aqua Terra and special edition Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial.

Photo Credit: watchesinmovies.info / calibre11.com / oracleoftime.com