Get Wise to a Weiss Deception
Genuine or a Weiss deception? If you are a collector of Vintage Costume Jewelry or interested in starting a collection with Weiss Costume Jewelry, this page will be of interest. Many of these costume jewelry counterfeits are not restricted to Weiss Vintage Costume Jewelry only. Counterfeit Eisenburg and Lisner costume jewelry are in circulation. Weiss closed it doors in 1971 and rarity has pushed the prices up ever since.
Fake Costume Jewelry along with fake Antique Jewelry continue to flood the market. There has been an increase in the volume of Vintage Costume Jewelry Questions Antique Jewelry Investor has been receiving about fake designer Costume Jewelry. Visitors are asking about how they can identify genuine costume jewelry from fake costume jewelry.
Many collectors start out with vintage costume jewelry because in general, this area is more affordable jewelry to begin a collection. However, what many collectors new to this profitable area don't know, is that the Vintage Costume Jewelry market is flooded with fakes.
Now, there's nothing sinister in purchasing a counterfeit costume jewel if you're aware that it's counterfeit costume jewelry you're buying before the transaction takes place. It's just a bitter pill to swallow, to see advertised authentic vintage costume jewelry, (signed of course!) when it is in fact, a costume jewelry deception.
Why manufacturers don't leave their jewelry unsigned or sign their own name is a mystery. Without proper disclosure they are doing a disservice to the industry and run the risk of turning the magnificent Costume Jewelry landscape into a banana republic in the process.
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How To Spot A Weiss Deception
Weiss did produce a great deal of unsigned pieces and from the late 1960's until 1971. When Weiss closed it's doors, the company produced some exceptional unsigned jewelry with finely textured backs. The photo below is not one of them.
Counterfeit Weiss Costume JewelryIt won't come as a big surprise to know that some sellers on eBay are advertising genuine Vintage designer costume jewelry that are fake designer costume jewelry, and the practice is not restricted to Weiss only. On Antique Jewelry Investor Help Central, we are flooded with questions about the amount of Schiaparelli fakes on the market.
The end result is that it's getting more difficult for honest dealers to sell authentic vintage costume jewelry. Many of the good folks who buy from eBay simply do not know the difference between fake costume and a genuine piece of vintage costume jewelry. This is why I wrote this page!
How to Identify Costume Jewelry and spot a deception:
- Never judge a book by its cover. Examine the back closely. It may look legitimate from the front but if you closely examine the back, the construction looks cheap. It looks exactly like what it is - cheap jewelry.
- Check the texture of the finish. Genuine vintage jewelry has an attractive, smooth rhodium plated back.
- A deception will have more of a contemporary looking finish, maybe an antique finish, or an oxidized look. If it looks more than a bit iffy or looks plain cheesy use your discretion regardless of the price.
There's a huge difference in the quality, texture, and overall finish of Weiss post 60's Costume Jewelry and the textured fake finishes of a Weiss deception.
The world of Vintage Costume Jewelry is littered with fakes. If the Jewelry looks too good to be true, chances are it is. Help out our Vintage Costume Jewelry community from getting ripped off in the future. If you have been the victim of a Vintage Costume Jewelry deception please let us know about it.
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