[REAL vs. FAKE] Cartier Juste Un Clou: Genuine vs. Replica | In-Depth Comparison

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At one point or another, you must have marveled with amazement at how people could easily afford designer goods. After all, luxury brand names have not been known to be the most economical purchase, especially for the average person.

Now, we’re not saying your coworker is wearing nothing but a stack of copycat jewels on her wrist, but we’re guessing you wondered how she could afford a Cartier Juste un Clou on the same paycheck as yours. You may have even stumbled upon a thrift shop item or an online shop with high fashion commodities at an insanely cheap price, raising your suspicions.

But does this mean that all inexpensive designer items are fake? It’s not always necessarily the case. Sometimes it is possible to chance upon a good bargain and still get the genuine designer piece.

Unfortunately, however, counterfeiters, these days have been reproducing designer products to a T. You can also find boxes, dust bags, tags, and gift bags that are being duplicated in the hopes of manufacturing the perfect con. And because replicas have gotten so good, sometimes even seasoned fashionistas do a double-take.

The question now is, how can you now tell if your new bougie bling is faux or not? Relax, we’ve got you covered.

Spotting a fake Juste un Clou Cartier bracelet at first glance

Dupes of clothing, shoes, and bags are pretty common and many shoppers by now, are able to spot an imitation from a mile away. But what about when it comes to jewelry? Take, for instance, the eye-catching Cartier Juste un Clou. This unique piece of jewelry is one of the most widely faked items on the market.

In order to help you and many others interested in buying the iconic nail bracelet from Cartier, here are a few points to help you differentiate an authentic Juste un Clou from a replica. Let’s get started!

Design

To the untrained eye, both bracelets we will look extremely identical. A closer inspection will however reveal otherwise. For starters, when placed side by side, you will immediately notice that the orientation of the nail bangle is different. The nail heads are facing opposite directions. Longtime fans of the Cartier brand can point out that the copy between these two pieces is the one on the right.

Of course, not all faux nail bangles make this novice mistake. On the off chance that the copy follows the correct orientation, fear not because there are more telltale signs. Impressions, grooves, and the number of stones and how it is set into the piece also differs. The authentic bangle has a well-thought-out design and placement of certain components. For example, the genuine Juste un Clou does not have diamonds completely covering the outer part of the nail head. A small gap is left free of a stone to keep it from scratching a portion of the bangle that sits on it, the copy, however, is covered fully with diamonds. Hallmark and product details are engraved legibly and smoothly. Simply put, it is flawless made.

Shape

Though the bangle is designed to be neither a perfect circle nor an oval. Rather, the Cartier Juste un Clou bracelethas a slight curve to it that allows the bangle to sit comfortably on the wrist. As opposed to copycat bracelets that tend to sit awkwardly and often get in the way of the wearer’s movements.

Color

Both samples for this comparison are Cartier nail bangles in rose gold, however, you can see that the replica doesn’t quite match the original color tone. The imitation has more of a pinkish hue, almost like 14K rose gold. While the genuine piece displays the typical 18K rose gold tone we are used to from Cartier jewelry. The reason for this color difference is likely due to the fact that Cartier uses its own gold compositions to create a color that is unique and difficult to reproduce.

Weight

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell that real gold will weigh more than surgical steel (the most common metal used to make fake jewelry). Gold is denser and is known to be twice that of steel. A quick weigh-in of both genuine and replica Juste un Clou bracelets showed that the faux one came in at 4 grams while the original weighed 9 grams.

Even without weighing, you can tell a copy based on how much more of a solid sound the Cartier bracelet has when tapped or dropped on a hard surface. Meanwhile, its opponent produces a clanging sound similar to that of a keyring being dropped on the floor.

Quality is everything

Just by looking at the photo above, you can see that the left bangle has a nail head that seems perfectly round. And a wonkier and clearly imperfect circle can be seen on the right nail head. Though the faux piece is brand-new, you can see scratches and various marks on the band. Random dimples on the surface, uneven edges, and muddy-looking settings are also visible. This is opposed to the bonafide piece which shows the diamonds set symmetrically against a clean backdrop and smooth trims.

Real diamonds (as seen above) are brilliant and have amazing clarity. Instead of separate components to hold the diamonds in place, you can also clearly see poorly mashed together parts. More importantly, the supposed diamonds leave much to be desired (see photo below), due to the not-so-well-made copys unnatural bluish-grey color.

It also goes without saying, that if you are paying for a cheap knockoff, then you can’t expect much in terms of its quality.

When it’s too good to be true

Estate sales, pawnshops, and reputable secondhand shops have been known to offer fairly priced luxury items that a lot of us cannot afford if we buy direct from the designer. The same can be said about cheap imitations being hawked on a street corner or from an online seller across the globe.

Admittedly, not everybody has a legit Cartier bangle lying around to be used for comparison. Nonetheless, the easiest way to determine authenticity is to buy from a Cartier store or from a reputable seller.

Yes, authentic Cartier Juste un Clou bracelets aren’t inexpensive. But they are investments that do not diminish in value. More importantly, when we purchase real luxury designer products we aren’t just paying for the branding. What we are getting is a showcase of artistry combined with premium materials and a celebration of craftsmanship that brings genuine enjoyment every time you use them.

This video is intended to educate and help you to identify counterfeits when shopping for pre-loved pieces.

More Real vs Fake:

   Cartier Love Bracelet

   VCA Vintage Alhambra Bracelet

   Chanel Classic Flap Bag

   Chanel Card Holder

Find Cartier Juste Un Clou’s at these reputable online stores: HERE or HERE

My Current Everyday Jewelry Stack:

   ➤   Cartier LOVE Bracelet

   ➤   Cartier Juste Un Clou Bracelet

   ➤   VanCleef&Arpels Vintage Alhambra Necklace

   ➤   Cartier LOVE Ring