Preloved VCA

I have bought several pieces (probably about 6) preloved, but they are all pieces that were limited and are no longer produced. I will say that you do develop a pretty good eye for discerning authentic pieces from non-authentic pieces by looking at tons and tons of photos :whut: However, if you are not that familiar with the brand, I would suggest “studying” some pieces first. I would also generally advise against purchasing items secondhand that are still readily available from VCA just to save a few dollars. As others have said, VCA holds its value very well so the savings that you are going to get buying secondhand typically aren’t that great. I actually have to laugh at Fashionphile a lot - they post pieces without COAs or boxes for just a few hundred dollars less than VCA charges.
 
Alhambra and many other VCA lines are widely copied, and deals that seem to good to be true sometimes are just that. For this reason, I would buy most modern VCA from the VCA boutique

having said that, I would not hesitate to buy something vintage from certain dealers or ateliers that specialize in vintage VCA, Cartier etc etc. so long as the provenance was there and/or certain safeguards and assurances were made. YMMV

BTW, VCA itself has a heritage counter where they sell their own vintage pieces (it’s not inexpensive).
 
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Less than half price is a bit suspicious to be frank. VCA pieces normally maintain the value.
Although sometimes there are such lucky finds but they are extremely rare.

I sourced a lot of pre loved VCA pieces with and without the documents. To be completely frank, I have never seen a perfect replica. One can always tell a difference (in my experience only!) but you really have to have quite a bit of experience and it is impossible to write a complete guide here.

Just this week I acquired a 20 motif onyx vintage Alhambra necklace without box and docs a little bit above half price in perfect condition. So it is possible. This was 1000% authentic but as was mentioned above you really need to trust the seller or be very experienced yourself.
Also you may ask the seller whether they would accept return if the item is found not to be authentic. After the purchase, send it for cleaning or chain extension to VCA and if they service it, it is authentic. Otherwise it is just impossible to give a complete advice here unfortunately...
 
Would you buy frivole mini yg with travel pouch and box but no papers? Would that be hard to resell if I wanted to in time?

It’s at such a low price point that I can’t imagine there’s any deal that’s worth the hassle of selling if you change your mind, even if it is real. You’ll lose money trying to sell it since anyone can just walk in and buy it.

Also, if you’re already thinking if selling it, why buy it? While a low price, it’s also an expensive mistake if you don’t love it. Seems like you should take more time to consider it.
 
What’s your thoughts on buying preloved IF there’s a certificate of authenticity and is in excellent/like new condition? From reputable places like FashionPhile, Fortrove, TheRealReal, etc.
Do NOT buy from TheRealReal. They've been known to let a lot of things slip through the authentication cracks. Chanel sued them at one point for selling fakes.