Cartier love bracelets are some of the most iconic jewelry pieces of the last few decades. Undoubtedly an icon of the haute jewelry house Cartier as well, the bangles have the signature feature screw details. Each one of the bracelets come in a variety of different styles ranging in type and color of metal as well as diamond additions. As with any fine jewelry piece and luxury item out there the world of counterfeiting has been busy. The imitations and fakes run rampant but with a keen eye for detail and experience in handling the real deal you can spot the difference in a love bangle. A fake Cartier bracelet will always have missing details and lack in the magnificence of an orginal Cartier love bracelet. We will go into how to spot a fake Cartier bracelet from the Cartier love bracelet screw to the overall look of the bangle.

Now some Cartier love bracelets are inherently different from each other. Not in a big way by any means. But that does not mean that they are a fake! Cartier actually updated their Love bracelet style to adjust the screw clasp. The Cartier Love bracelet screw is rather tiny and easy to lose so they actually came out with a new style where the screw does not come out completely. This was an update to the iconic style so if you see these new bracelets it does not mean that they are fake. So we will also cover in this piece how to spot the differences between the old style and the new in the Cartier Love bracelet. So that you know what you are dealing with. A jewelry accessory staple and an icon of the luxury brand Love bangles are not going anywhere and are sure to stick around.

How to tell a real Cartier love bracelet apart from a fake replica

Now let us get down to the nitty, gritty details shall we. How do you spot a fake Cartier Love bracelet? Do you have to be a fine jewelry expert or go directly to an offical Cartier? Well while the best way to know is always to go directly to the original source. Unfortunately Cartier no longer verifies the bangles. However many of the producers of a fake Cartier Love bangle cannot replicate the fine details of this bracelet. Jewelry is very difficult to reproduce particularly when it is done with low cost materials and less than industry standard machines. Therefore there are a few ways you can tell the difference between a real and a fake Cartier bracelet. It is all in the details and the care that is taken with producing a high quality item. We’ll get into the top clues to spot a fake love bracelet.

For getting into each one of the details below we are going to assume that you are practicing common sense and pinching yourself to make sure you do not get swayed by the too good to be true ‘deals’ out there on the internet. Remember for luxury and fine jewelry items that retail at a high price a ridiculously under priced version is 99.9% of the time more likely than not a fake. It is easy to feel like you have found that 0.01% deal but unfortunately from a realistic stand point you probably did not. Next listen to your gut feeling. If it feels a bit off to you or is not quite right when it comes to the color and shaping make sure to ask questions. Someone selling you an original item should have absolutely no problem replying to all your queries and being fully transparent.

The metal

When it comes to the Cartier Love bracelet there are very specific fine metals that are used by the company. The Love bracelet are only available in 18 carat yellow, white or rose gold or in platinum. There is no sterling silver version from the original producer. So that is your first hint whether a Cartier bracelet is a true original or a fake. If they claim it is a sterling silver version or you get it checked then know that that bangle is not an original. Further when it comes to a piece of fine jewelry that you are paying a couple thousand for it does not hurt to check the quality of the metal. Further as we mentioned above if the coloration of the metal does not look right it might be a fake. Let us take a look at what to expect when it comes to color.

The color

Considering that the only metals that the Cartier Love bracelet come in are yellow, white, rose gold and platinum the color of a bracelet should look like a high quality polish of these metals. A fake love bangle may use gold plating or fake gold to mimic the colors. Therefore if you see that the gold color has a brassy or chrome like quality when it comes to the color then it is probably a Cartier replica and not the real deal. Further if you are looking at a white metal bracelet and see that there is any tarnish then know it is not an original. It is probably a plated or sterling silver bracelet instead of white gold or platinum.

The stamps

Now when it comes to the stamps inside the bracelet an original will have clean, clear and finely detailed. Each bracelet is stamped with the Cartier 750 and a serial number. Cartier only uses the 750 stamp and never an 18 carat stamp. So if you see one with the now widely known on the internet “Cartier ip 6688” you can go ahead and doubt its authenticity. Counterfeiters do not tend to put unique id’s on the bracelets and it is a dead giveaway. The bracelets are also stamped with the copyright, and a hallmark. While the counterfeits tend to be only partially and sloppily stamped. These should be crisp and easy to read.

The screws

Finally a major clue to whether a bracelet is fake or not are the screws themselves. These icons of the iconic bracelet should have perfect indentations. Also the outer shape of the screws on fakes tend to be softer and less crisp than the original. Authentic bracelets have clear lines and clean edges. Meanwhile the fakes have a smoother more rounded edge to them. The clasp screws also have a melded look and practically no give. While authentic bracelets should turn easily with the screwdriver and open effortlessly.

What is different between the new and old styles of Cartier love bracelets

Cartier updated the love bracelet style from the old style. However as we have already said above the changes were not by any measure drastic. It was a simple small change that does however make a big difference. You can tell this difference from the outside only by looking at how the Love motif blends in where the clasp meets the rest of the bracelet. Other than that the outside of the new style Love bracelet and old style bracelets are identical. To see any other differences between the two styles you would have to open the bracelet’s clasp. From the inside and by the Cartier love bracelet screws you can tell if the bracelet is a new style or old style. Below we get into how the screws differ between the two styles.

The clasp screws for more safety

Those who own a Cartier love bracelet will agree the tiny screws are easy to lose when taking the bracelet on and off as well as storing away if you do not screw them back in. That is because the original style of the love bangles feature screws that come completely out of the bracelet. Now the new style solves for this problem. Cartier has made the new style of love bracelet so that the screws only come out partially. This allows you to open and close the clasp without removing the screws fully. Therefore making it safer.

You can tell this difference obviously when openning the clasp but also by looking at the inside of the bracelet at the screw back. The old style has a more dome shape while the newer style has a more cylindrical shape. Further the old style looks similar to a bulls eye. Meanwhile the new style looks more like a half moon or smile.

Want to read more about Cartier Love bracelets?

We did a side by side example comparing an original Cartier love bracelet to a fake Cartier bracelet. It includes all of the Cartier love bracelet problems you would find in a fake love bangle. You can check out the comparison here in our blog post on “How to Spot a Fake Cartier Love Bracelet”. As we have said when buying a fine jewelry piece like the Cartier love bracelet the important things to note are the details. Also it is important to remember that if it seems to good to be true, and a bracelet that usually retails for a couple thousand US dollars is going for a mere couple hundred, it probably is too good to be true. Do not fall for scams and fakes and make sure you are purchasing from a reputable source. True jewellers and reputable businesses would not tarnish their reputations by selling fakes.

We also compared the new and old style of love bangles. Nothing is ever perfect the first time around and this is also true of fine jewelry. So throughout the years as Cartier refined the style and details on the love bangle a few details changed. Small differences and touches that make owning a real Cartier love bracelet just that much better. We did another side by side in our “New Style Love bangle vs. Old style” blog piece. This way you can guage whether a love bracelet is an updated design or one of the older original style. While the two are only slightly different we at Diamonds by Raymond Lee tend to prefer the newer design. That is simply because of the new style’s updated screw clasp system. A Cartier love bracelet screw is tiny and so easy to misplace. So we’d rather be on the safe side.

Where to buy an original preowned Cartier love bracelet in South Florida? Diamonds by Raymond Lee

You can find an 18 carat yellow gold Cartier love bracelet size 17 on our site and many other options at our shop. Also, if you would like more information on our offers including diamond set, white and rose gold Cartier love bracelets let us know in the comments or social media like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Otherwise if you prefer you can reach out to us by sending email to info@diamondsbyraymondlee.com or calling us on the phone at (561) 623-8205. Our diamond and jewelry experts are here 7 days a week to answer your questions and help you find your ideal jewelry piece. We have been working in the fine jewelry industry for the past three decades. It is our passion and expertise. Every one of us would love to welcome you into our store and walk you through fine pieces like the iconic Cartier love bracelet.

We are committed to offering superior service. As a family owned company we take special care with tailoring experiences for our clients. Each person within our South Florida community is after all a part of our Diamonds by Raymond Lee extended family. So please do not hesitate to hop on by our shops. We thrive by cultivating our strong principles of professionalism, and tradition. So although we have been growing, our expertly designed spaces and staff are all still welcoming and authentic. We strive for each and every interaction to be a personable and intimate experience. Our main concern is with understanding your preferences, and needs. So we can best guide you to a jewelry piece that sparks joy and excitement for you. Whether it is for a special occassion, loved one or no reason at all we are here to support you as you celebrate all of life’s moments.