Journal

The Journal

Field notes from inside the antique and estate jewelry trade — what to look for, what to walk away from.

Signed Tiffany & Co. Return to Tiffany heart tag chain bracelet in 18k yellow gold, the tag engraved Please Return to Tiffany & Co. New York.
October 2026

How to Tell If Tiffany Jewelry Is Real: Return to Tiffany, Tiffany T and Elsa Peretti

How to tell if Tiffany jewelry is real: the marks to look for, Return to Tiffany engraving and tag checks, Tiffany T...

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Hands inspecting the hallmarks inside a gold ring with a jeweler's loupe, beside calipers and a sketchbook.
October 2026

How to Tell If David Yurman Jewelry Is Real

How to tell if David Yurman jewelry is real: the D.Y. and 925, 585 and 750 marks, what a genuine cable twist...

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Hands holding a jeweler's loupe over the stamped marks inside a gold ring, with calipers and an open sketchbook on the workbench.
October 2026

How to Tell If Hermès Jewelry Is Real: Clic H, Kelly and Chaîne d'Ancre

How to tell if Hermès jewelry is real: fashion vs fine jewelry, the HERMES stamp and metal marks, Clic H enamel and...

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Hands examining the hallmarks inside an antique gold ring through a jeweler's loupe, with calipers and a sketchbook on the table.
October 2026

How to Tell If a Cartier Juste un Clou Is Real

How to tell if a Cartier Juste un Clou is real: Aldo Cipullo's 1970s nail design and its 2012 relaunch, nail head...

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Antique jewelry on green velvet in a gilt tray: a star-set gold locket, diamond cluster brooch, pear drop earrings, emerald ring, cameo and a brass loupe.
October 2026

Signed vs Unsigned Jewelry: Why a Maker's Mark Changes the Price

What a signature on jewelry really means: maker's marks vs retailer marks, signed vs attributed vs in the manner of, added signatures...

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Hands inspecting the hallmarks inside an antique gold ring with a jeweler's loupe, beside calipers and a sketchbook.
September 2026

Cartier Love Bracelet: History, Serial Numbers, and How to Spot a Fake

Cartier Love bracelet real vs fake: Aldo Cipullo's 1969 design, where the serial number and hallmarks sit, screw and motif alignment, weight...

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Hands inspecting the hallmarks inside an antique gold ring with a jeweler's loupe, beside calipers and a sketchbook.
September 2026

How to Tell If a Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Is Real

How to tell if a Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra is real: the perlée border, stone fit, clasp, serial number and hallmarks,...

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Vintage Tiffany & Co. Return to Tiffany heart tag bracelet in 18k yellow gold
September 2026

Vintage Tiffany & Co. Jewelry: How to Date It, Authenticate It, and What's Worth Buying

How to read vintage Tiffany jewelry marks, tell real from fake (including Return to Tiffany), why gold pieces are so much rarer...

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