No Box, No Papers, a Natural Diamond: Why We Still Could Not Call It Genuine

A Bulgari Divas' Dream small mother-of-pearl necklace came to us for purchase. It was the necklace only, with no box and no papers. The owner told us they had bought it themselves some time ago and were certain it was genuine, and that certainty did not waver even after we told them it might not be. They said they would bring the purchase invoice to prove it, but the invoice never came. An invoice normally lists the item's serial number, so it can be checked against the piece right away. Had we seen it, the verification would have been much faster.

The owner sincerely believed the necklace was genuine. But what we found was different. This case shows that “I'm certain it's genuine” and “it is genuine” are two different things, and that passing one test does not mean passing them all.

1. The diamonds were natural

In the previous case we wrote about, the diamonds turned out to be lab-grown. On this necklace, the diamonds tested as natural diamonds. If we had judged by the stones alone, nothing would have looked wrong. But the stones are only one part of the picture.

2. The engraving did not match a genuine piece

When we compared the hallmark with a genuine piece under the same magnification, the letter “A” in the engraving was badly smudged. This hallmark has changed slightly over the years, but in no version is the “A” smudged like this. A different hallmark format can be explained. A smudged letter cannot.

3. The finish between the mother-of-pearl and the metal rim was different

On a genuine piece, the mother-of-pearl and the metal rim join smoothly. On this necklace, there was a noticeable gap between the mother-of-pearl and the rim, and under magnification we could clearly see where the gap had opened up and where glue had hardened.

4. The weight was off

We also compared the weight with genuine reference values for the same small size.

2026 model: 5.15 g

2023 model: 5.43 g

The necklace we examined: 4.75 g

That is roughly 8% to 12% lighter than the genuine pieces. Weight is one of the hardest things for a counterfeiter to get exactly right, and a gap this size is not a rounding error.

What this case shows

The diamonds passed, but the engraving, the mother-of-pearl finish, and the weight did not. No single check decides authenticity, and no single pass proves it. That is why we look at the engraving, the finish, the weight, the metal, and the stones together before reaching a conclusion.

Our verification process

We compare the hallmark and engraving with a genuine piece at the same magnification, inspect fine finishing such as the join between mother-of-pearl and metal, compare the weight with genuine reference values for the same model and size, test the precious metal, and examine the diamonds with testing equipment to confirm whether the stones are natural.

When a piece cannot be confirmed as genuine, the cost of the authentication is billed separately.

Want to sell a genuine piece?

If it's genuine, you have nothing to worry about. We will verify it carefully and pay promptly.

We're at 336 Apgujeong-ro, Unit 109, Seoul. Please contact us at +82 10-8995-7062.