Okay, let’s be honest, I’m a big fan of costume jewelry and pieces that look great but don’t break the bank. At the same time, certain times and occasions call for the purchase of fine quality, authentic pieces. But to the untrained eye, spotting a fake piece of jewelry can be quite a challenge. If we see a certified stamp on our gold and silver pieces, we believe that it’s the real thing, and, why wouldn’t we? Can authenticity really be faked that easily? We’d all like to think we can easily discern a fake on our own, but unfortunately, people get duped every day in the jewelry world.

For those of us who love jewelry and work hard to grow our collection with vintage and haute couture pieces, the idea alone of getting fooled by con artist is a nightmare. Let’s say you purchased a timepiece from the 2014 Cartier watches collection from a third-party dealer. When you went to get the watch insured, you learned it was a forgery. What a fool you felt! Face turning crimson, you leave your insurance agent’s office with the useless piece in hand.f

Four ways to spot a fake piece of jewelry:

Check the Stamp - Think of the stamp on a gold or silver piece of jewelry as an artist’s signature. Like an artist’s signature, the stamp authenticates the piece. For a gold piece, look for a small stamp printed at the back of the work. You’ll find stamps reading as: 14K, 18K, or 24K. When examining a silver piece, you’ll want it to be stamped with the number 925. Though a word of caution: these stamps can be forged. The best way to determine that these stamps are genuine is to take the piece to a reputable jeweler for an acid test or electronic measurement.

The Magnet Test - Precious metals like gold and silver are not magnetic. According to an article published by TerpConnect, only cobalt, nickel, iron, neodymium, gadolinium and samarium are magnetic.

Keep in mind that anything less than 24K is not pure gold. Because gold is a malleable metal, it has become a common practice among jewelry makers and craftsman to combine gold and more durable metals together in their designs. While this does lower the gold content, it makes the piece stronger. If your gold piece is magnetic, then it most likely has nickel or iron at its core. If your pure gold or silver jewelry is magnetic, then you know they’re counterfeits.

Look for Authentication - If you are purchasing a jewelry piece online from a resale platform, you’ll want to see proof of authentication before you buy that Tiffany necklace you’ve been eyeing. Resellers like TrueFacet authenticate each piece of jewelry that comes into their possession before they make it available on the market. After appraisers have given each piece their stamp of approval, they list their findings on a special card that details the material, weight, brand, designer and cut and color of the piece and its estimated worth. Reputable resellers will also include the original authentication card as given by the designer company at the piece’s first time of purchase. The next time you go to buy a Cartier watches collection piece, you won’t have to worry about getting tricked.

Gemstone Quandaries - Costume jewelry is strung together by plastic and faux glass gemstones. A real gemstone is more vulnerable than synthetic stones. Because a real gemstone is natural (meaning it was procured from the land and not made in a lab) its distinguishing features are more rough-edged and scratchy. A synthetic gemstone on the other hand is entirely flawless.

Another sure fire way to distinguish the real from the fake is the gemstone’s weight. Lab-created gemstones are heavier and sparkle more under light. It is the faux gemstone’s seeming perfection that gives away its imitation status.

Don’t be scammed ever again. Use these tips and tricks the next time you purchase a piece of jewelry.