Van Cleef & Arpels Authentication Service
Expert Van Cleef & Arpels authentication by independent specialists. Consistent, reliable results with over 99.89% accuracy
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The Alhambra is a frequent target for counterfeiters, and fakes now copy the clover shape, beaded edge and stamps. A real piece is signed VCA or Van Cleef & Arpels, never Van Cleef alone. Our authenticators review the signature, hallmark, bead work, chain and clasp, giving you an independent verdict without sending the piece to the Maison for months.
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Van Cleef & Arpels Authentication Service
Price
$15.00
Authentication certificate with final outcome
Receive a certificate with the final authentication result for your
Van Cleef & Arpels
item
How it works: start your authentication
Step 1
Upload photos
Begin by uploading images of your item
Step 2
We handle it
Our expert team reviews your item thoroughly
Step 3
Receive your certificate
You’ll receive the results via email, including a unique certificate of authenticity
What we check on Van Cleef & Arpels
How to tell a real Van Cleef & Arpels from a fake
A real piece is signed VCA or Van Cleef & Arpels, so the signature is the first thing we check. The hallmark, the serial and the bead work around each motif follow, so close, sharp photos of the back matter most.
01
Signature
VCA or Van Cleef & Arpels in the right font and depth. A piece signed only Van Cleef is a strong warning sign.
02
Gold hallmark
750 or Au750 for 18k gold, deeply struck. A thin, narrow font or uneven circles at its edges are warning signs.
03
Serial engraving
On the clasp plate, a motif back, the earring clip or the ring shank. Engraving quality, and a match with the certificate.
04
Beaded edge
Round, even gold beads around each motif, with no gaps or merged beads.
05
Motif and stone
Smooth, symmetrical clover curves and a stone that sits firmly in its frame.
06
Chain and links
Link size, finish and how the chain joins each motif.
07
Clasp
Clasp shape, engravings and how cleanly it closes.
08
Box and certificate
Sage green inner box with a black interior and the name inside the lid, and a certificate whose serial matches the piece.
Real vs fake Van Cleef & Arpels, model by model
Free Code Checker
Read your Van Cleef Serial Number
On Alhambra necklaces and bracelets, Van Cleef & Arpels engraves the serial on the small plate by the clasp, often a J, a letter and six digits. It should match the certificate, but the house publishes no decode or lookup, so send photos for a full expert authentication.
Authenticated. For Charity.
To celebrate ten years of British Red Cross second-hand fashion on eBay UK, pre-loved designer pieces will be auctioned, each one authenticated by LegitGrails
Van Cleef & Arpels has no public lookup and publishes no way to decode its numbers. Our free serial number check tells you whether a number has a known Van Cleef & Arpels shape. The serial should match the certificate, but counterfeiters engrave plausible serials, so it is one checkpoint, never proof.
On Alhambra necklaces and bracelets it sits on the small plate by the clasp, with VCA Au750 on the other face. Some bracelets and long necklaces repeat it on the back of a motif. Earrings carry it on the clip back, and rings on the shank, inside or outside, so check both.
Yes. The Maison says each creation comes with a certificate, and its serial should match the piece. Certificates and boxes are copied too, so the certificate is one checkpoint, never proof. We check it alongside the signature, the hallmark and the craftsmanship.
The Maison's own authentication, arranged through a boutique, includes archival research and a technical study and may take up to six months. We are an independent service that works from your photos, so you keep the piece and get a verdict and a shareable certificate.
Check the signature first: VCA or Van Cleef & Arpels, never Van Cleef alone. Then the 750 hallmark, deep and evenly cut rather than thin and narrow, the gold beads, round and evenly spaced, and the clover, with smooth symmetrical curves. Our Sweet Alhambra guide shows each tell.
Yes. Ask the seller for sharp close-ups of the signature, the hallmark, the serial, the beads around a motif, the clasp and the certificate, and upload them before you pay. A professional authenticator compares them with verified Van Cleef & Arpels references.
For the most accurate and quick authentication process, we advise you to upload clear photos of the areas visible when clicking 'Upload photos' on this page. We quickly determine if the uploaded photo meets our criteria. If your photos do not meet the criteria, you will receive a request for more and/or clearer photos. Check out Photo Instructions to find clear examples for each detail.
