Cartier love inspired. Too embarrassing to wear?

fashion16

fashion16

O.G.
Apr 15, 2007
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#1
I am traveling for work in the Middle East and saw this bracelet and fell in love. 14k rose gold, .54 carats of diamonds. It was made by a family jeweler of one of my coworkers. He knew I wanted to buy jewelry while here and he took me to see his family jeweler.

My best friend has a real love and I see her panic when it scratches given how much she paid for it. I got this at a much more reasonable price.

It is a bangle. It slides on and doesn’t screw on. It is non branded except for the jewelers own stamp. I only wear authentic items and carry authentic bags. Does this look like a knock off? I really hope not. Just love the design but prefer $1100 to $10k for this style of bracelet in real gold and diamonds.

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#2
Tbh it looks like it is trying to be a Love Bracelet. If the screw design wasn’t there or was all diamond filled then I would say inspired. I’m assuming the diamonds are in raised bezels, right? From the angle of the picture they have a similar feel to the raised screw portion of the bracelet. IMHO the Love design/ screw design is just so iconic to the Cartier brand that anything similar feels like a copy (even if it is not an exact replica).
 
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#5
Thanks for the opinions ladies. Sounds like it will be going back (he offered a 5 day return, money back).

The reason I was okay paying $1,100 is that it is pure gold (not plated) and natural diamonds. It isn’t a plated and cubic zirconia bracelet. I liken it to buying a Tiffany setting e ring (not Tiffany) at a diamond wholesaler (real platinum, real diamond) at a fraction of the cost and Take exception to calling it a mathematical miscount...which seems a little skewed. Either way, I get the point. Thanks for the advice
 
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#6
I’m glad that you will be able to return it and get something that is unique. Do they have any other bangles that you would consider?
fashion16 said:
Thanks for the opinions ladies. Sounds like it will be going back (he offered a 5 day return, money back).

The reason I was okay paying $1,100 is that it is pure gold (not plated) and natural diamonds. It isn’t a plated and cubic zirconia bracelet. I liken it to buying a Tiffany setting e ring (not Tiffany) at a diamond wholesaler (real platinum, real diamond) at a fraction of the cost and Take exception to calling it a mathematical miscount...which seems a little skewed. Either way, I get the point. Thanks for the advice
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#7
^^^ they have a lot of original pieces but most of them are very very ornate with a lot of filigree type design, scrolling or delicate almost “lace” like detail. Not my style
 
#9
I’m in the minority here but If you love the look and cannot justify paying designer prices then why not keep it? Why let yourself be “embarrassed” over being a savvy shopper. Think about what you can do with the savings! Now if the bracelet is meant as a knock-off then that’s another story...it’s not right to support counterfeiting. If it’s different enough that it’s just similar then wear it with pride if you like the look.
 
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#10
Gourmetgal said:
I’m in the minority here but If you love the look and cannot justify paying designer prices then why not keep it? Why let yourself be “embarrassed” over being a savvy shopper. Think about what you can do with the savings! Now if the bracelet is meant as a knock-off then that’s another story...it’s not right to support counterfeiting. If it’s different enough that it’s just similar then wear it with pride if you like the look.
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I agree. You are wearing it and have to be comfortable wearing it. Quite honestly, does the average person really study a piece of jewelry on a stranger to determine if it is a “real designer” piece.
For the price, full gold and natural diamonds, I would keep it.
 
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#11
If you like it, keep it. My DBTY necklace isn’t from Tiffany but it is by no means a knockoff. It is however a higher carat weight at half the price. No one ever walks up and asks to see the makers stamp on the clasp lol. If they stamped Cartier on it, I would call it a knockoff/ counterfeit, but inspired by covers a range of things.
 
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#12
aerinha said:
If you like it, keep it. My DBTY necklace isn’t from Tiffany but it is by no means a knockoff.

If they stamped Cartier on it, I would call it a knockoff/ counterfeit, but inspired by covers a range of things.
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Au contraire. You're confusing a knockoff, which both the bracelet and very likely the DBTY necklace are, with fakes or replicas. Nobody says that bracelet or your necklace is a fake, but it certainly is a knockoff--an inspired piece in the style of [x], but without branding or marketing that aims to deceive buyers that they're getting the source brand. (Fakes/replicas do aim to deceive and imitate proprietary logos etc.)

OP asked if the bracelet is a knockoff; it is. Your necklace also is if it closely imitates the registered and trademarked Tiffany design, which is very specific in details. Simple facts.

Note that this doesn't address its material quality, just its nature in the marketplace. It can be made of gold and diamonds and fairy dust yet still be a knockoff.
 
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#13
fashion16 said:
I am traveling for work in the Middle East and saw this bracelet and fell in love. 14k rose gold, .54 carats of diamonds. It was made by a family jeweler of one of my coworkers. He knew I wanted to buy jewelry while here and he took me to see his family jeweler.

My best friend has a real love and I see her panic when it scratches given how much she paid for it. I got this at a much more reasonable price.

It is a bangle. It slides on and doesn’t screw on. It is non branded except for the jewelers own stamp. I only wear authentic items and carry authentic bags. Does this look like a knock off? I really hope not. Just love the design but prefer $1100 to $10k for this style of bracelet in real gold and diamonds.

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Buy it if you like, wear it and enjoy it. Next time just keep it to yourself. Don’t bother asking anyone on any forum or social media. Everyone deserves an opinion and so do you. These days, so many things are inspired and people are so judgmental. Just my two cents.
 
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#14
I’m genuinely curious why people get so upset about “knock offs” and why is “inspired by” ok, same thing no? Eg. I have Lisa Eldridge rings and there’s this company Urban Carats which sells almost identical ones, and so what?
Don’t get me wrong, I categorically oppose counterfeits but these days there’s no way one brand of jewellery won’t be inspired by another brand! There’s simply so much stuff around that ‘original’ is no longer applicable. Also, why a design should be pantented for time indefinite and one company have monopoly over it forever?
Wear the bracelet if you want to, exchange if you want to. But do what pleases you.
 
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#15
B4gl4dy said:
I’m genuinely curious why people get so upset about “knock offs” and why is “inspired by” ok, same thing no?

Don’t get me wrong, I categorically oppose counterfeits but.
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There’s no upset in this thread, just response to OP’s sincere question in the first post. (Or are you scolding her for raising the question?) we all know that everyone does whatever they like in their shopping and wardrobe choices.

Designs are proprietary because of intellectual property trade practices, laws, and custom going back centuries, literally.
 
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