FAKES!

[expatinscotland]

A friend of mine is desperate for a Tiffany necklace. You know the ones with the heart tags?

She found some on Ebay.

Now they do say they are used, but they're relatively inexpensive compared to the full retail price (about £230).

Can these things be trusted?

I know some people who've gotten scammed on perfumes and designer bags that turned out to be fake, so I think she should just save up and get the real thing new in a shop.

hard one, can she buy one local and collect so she can see for herself?

Save up and buy one off the Tiffany website. You will know it's genuine and you'll have the box, bag and tags.

I bought a lot of Tiffany tag bracelets and necklaces for £2.50 a pop in Shanghai last year as joke presents for Xmas. They looked like the real thing - until you handled them. It was then obvious that they were cheap rubbish. These eBay ones could be the same.

If she wants the real thing then buy from Tiffany - you're right, there are so many fakes out there. If she does buy from Ebay then check sellers feedback and what else they sell it may be that they are genuine and trying to sell gifts to make money. If she pays with Paypal she can always do a claim back if it is fake.

agree, if she is desperate anything but the real deal aint going to cut the mustard

If she has to buy from eBay she must have the box, the little kidskin bag, the tags and the original gift certificate. If these are "lost" then don't bother.

IMHO part of the whole Tiffany "experience" is buying from Tiffany. I have bought a lot of these for my wife, daughter, female family members etc. They are always appreciated but TBH they are not particularly beautiful bits of jewellery for the money. It's more about brand and image - so you HAVE TO know they are genuine.

Save up and go to the store - it'll make it all the more special.

I think most of the cheap Tiffany stuff on ebay is fake. I bought a silver and gold bracelet from there in a style I particularly wanted, knowing that at the price I was paying it wasn't going to be the real deal.

However, it did come in the little light blue kidskin bag and the box, stamped with Tiffany. I guess the gold lettering on the box was a little wonky, BUT the bracelet is real silver and gold, but it is a copy, in that it wasn't made by Tiffany, (although it is a Tiffany design) as it would have been three times the price (I paid £20 I think).

Think it's probably from Asia.

BUT it is pretty and it is definitely real silver and it is an exact copy of a Tiffany design.

So I would say if she's looking for an inexpensive pretty piece of jewelry, then go for it. If she's looking for an heirloom, probably not the best investment.

Let's face it, you can't pay £59 for a £235 necklace and expect it to be the real thing.

I'm sure it probably is real silver, but seriously, a couple of months more of saving and you can have the real thing and know it's for real.

I do buy some stuff on Ebay on my DH's account, but it's never anything designer, mostly stuff like cotton tshirts for tie-dyeing or kids stuff.