How do you tell apart a genuine antique from a repro?

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

This is just out of curiosity, no specific piece in mind. How does one tell apart antiques from modern reproductions - especially in the case of a lack of hallmarks etc (though I suppose hallmarks can also be faked)? And is there any advantage to a seller in doing so - ie, does old jewelry sell at a significant premium to reproductions?

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I believe there is a premium for genuine antiques, so it would seem that if a seller could produce a convincing reproduction, they would stand to reap a financial benefit.

As far as telling repro from genuine antique, I have a rough time with this sometimes. Try to look at wear, is it consistent with the age of the piece or does it look a little too good to be true. Milgrain in antique pieces is usually very fine and again will show signs of wear. Does the metal fit with the expected time period for the design? Platinum was less common during certain periods because of war so that could be another indication.

I just buy what I love at a price I feel is fair, if you do that then you are always winning. If you desire a guaranteed antique then I would stick with reputable sellers and possibly hallmarked items. Hallmarks could be faked as well of course but if you take everything else into account (wear, design and metal consistent with timer period etc) then that will decrease your chances of getting a repro and paying antique premium.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I believe there is a premium for genuine antiques, so it would seem that if a seller could produce a convincing reproduction, they would stand to reap a financial benefit.

As far as telling repro from genuine antique, I have a rough time with this sometimes. Try to look at wear, is it consistent with the age of the piece or does it look a little too good to be true. Milgrain in antique pieces is usually very fine and again will show signs of wear. Does the metal fit with the expected time period for the design? Platinum was less common during certain periods because of war so that could be another indication.

I just buy what I love at a price I feel is fair, if you do that then you are always winning. If you desire a guaranteed antique then I would stick with reputable sellers and possibly hallmarked items. Hallmarks could be faked as well of course but if you take everything else into account (wear, design and metal consistent with timer period etc) then that will decrease your chances of getting a repro and paying antique premium.

Thank you so much for weighing in! I actually have never thought about it before but I had a conversation the other day about “heirlooms” and how, if someone were to sell them, would they be able to prove the age of the piece. I realised I had zero idea so I thought I would ask here! My mom always says that the best way to prove something is old is to see the craftsmanship - the finer it is, the older it is (referring to traditional Indian jewelry) - but this is obviously not a “test” when it comes to selling.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Oh okay, yes that is quite the conundrum with heirlooms, unless the buyer kept a record of some sort, it would be hard prove.

Maybe an appraiser specializing in antiques would be the way to go. That way there is documented proof that would be reassuring to the buyer.

 

[LadyGoodman]

@YadaYadaYada gave really great advice already! And ultimately buying what you love at a fair price sets you up for a happy jewelry purchase. It has become increasingly difficult to wade through the land of repros vs genuine antiques. Even more so since there are many diamonds being cut in antique styles so even if the stone cuts look period they may have been newly cut to look that way. Sometimes sellers are knowingly selling a repro as genuine antique and other times they just don’t know themselves it’s a repro. There is a catalog of pictures showing common Georgian/Victorian repros that is helpful. It’s online, you can find it on Instagram’s EstateJewelryMama profile. Also, JewelryNerd on IG started offering courses to help consumers circa date jewelry. Reading and learning about the jewelry time periods helped me, knowing proper purity marks for time periods can be helpful too. It takes time and sometimes mistakes to learn what to look for. Also helpful when you can see final stuff in real life, which isn’t always possible. If a seller has multiple Georgian pieces inconsistent with wear that should be rare that can be a red flag OR maybe a plethora of truly unbelievable Art Deco pieces - things like that make me stop and think. I hope some of this was helpful haha. Happy Jewelry Hunting!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Thank you so much for weighing in @YadaYadaYada and @LadyGoodman! Super valuable info! I think I’m a bit lucky in that I don’t really intend on paying the antique premium, so if I like something I’d only pay what I consider a fair price. But this is definitely super useful for others or in case I change my mind!

And the advice of hiring an appraiser makes a lot of sense, especially in the case of high value pieces!