Opinions of Tiffany & Co. marked Earrings?

[mtraner]

Good morning everyone,
I'll give you a short backround. We liquidated the estate of some very close friends of ours that owned a very high end, very reputable antique/jewelry store. They closed the store in the mid 90's due to their age (they were in their late 80's at the time). They had a HUGE collection of antiques and jewelry in their home. We sold what we could over a few months and bought out the rest. I recently found this pair of sterling silver and mabe pearl clip-on earrings marked "TIFFANY & CO. STERLING", and wanted to get some other opinions on whether these are fakes. To me the mark isn't "clean" enough, but knowing these folks personally, they never bought "fakes". I took them to my local jeweler who has seem many a piece from this estate and knows the quality of the stock very well. He was, like me, unsure of the authenticity knowing the background. So if anyone who knows a lot about Tiffany could weigh in it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you very much!

[JLDoggett]

I would prefer to handle them to be certain, but if I were going just by the picture I would say they do not look good. Tiffany sterling shouldn't have that pebbly texture. While one shows an obvious repair, it should be smooth silver with perfect finish even after extensive wear.

[mtraner]

I was concerned with the quality of the backs as well. It just didn't strike me as Tiffany quality. But I've had a few other people look and depending on the age, they're just not sure why this style would be counterfeited? Seems like they aim for more pricier pieces with a higher demand, and lets face it, grandmas mabe pearl earrings haven't exactly been "in" for quite some time. Of course that all means nothing. People will counterfeit anything these days I suppose. Any idea on dating these? Also, do you know round about when they started using omega clips? There was also confusion on whether it was the 1950's or 60's (which is definitely the period style for these) or not until the 90's, (in which case this style wasn't highly desirable) when they started using omega clips. One person thought omega clips were implemented in the 50's or 60's, and omega clips with posts come along in the 90's.

I did find another pair that sold, they seem to have the same stamp, but I don't know if they were ever really authenticated or not.
(I believe posting someone else's auction listing goes against the terms of use here, J.L.D.)
Thank you for your input! I really appreciate it!

[JLDoggett]

As clip earrings omega back were used often starting in the 50's. I am unsure of the exact year Tiffany started using them without posts. I have seen them used with on much earlier pieces with posts, especially on very high end earrings. I seem to recall they were the preferred backs worn by Jacqueline Kennedy during her husband's Presidency.

[mtraner]

Wow, great info! Thank you so much J, I truly appreciate it! :)

[dragonflywink]

Doubt you'd find many who'd accuse me of dressing like a 'grandma', though I'm old enough to be one - but I do still wear the classic button earrings that I bought in the '80s, I have gold with onyx and with lapis, and I gave my mother mobe/mabe pearls. Suspect you'd find similar in any high-end jewelry or department store, David Yurman and other designers still include button earrings in their collections. Have seen quite a few omega clips on expensive French and Italian jewelry from the '60s-'70s, and seem to recall buying my first pair of 'French clip' pierced earrings in the late '80s-early '90s (18k Italian) - suspect your earrings don't have much age to them, and would also agree that their authenticity is questionable...

~Cheryl

[Vayne]

Maybe an antique dealer or another jeweler might be able to help? Did you contact the seller of the other pair. I guess that might not help though because they could be a fake set. Just a question though, when you sell items like this do you have to have a certificate of authentication?

[oel]

Hi Vayne, welcome to the forum.
If a non authorized dealer or unknown source offers anything with a certificate of authentication watch out; you are either dealing with a copy or a fake.
Always do your homework and study &learn how to distinguish real products from fakes.

Oel.