How to Authenticate a Cartier Love Bracelet: 9 Checks (2026)

The Love bracelet — designed by Aldo Cipullo for Cartier New York in 1969 — is an oval bangle that locks onto the wrist with a screwdriver, built as a symbol of love you can't simply take off. It is also, by a wide margin, the most counterfeited piece of fine jewelry on the resale market. The fakes copy the silhouette and the screw motif easily; what they get wrong is the small print on the inside of the band, the weight of solid 18k gold, and a screw system that actually works. This guide goes through the checks in the order that matters most.

Quick note: no single check proves a bracelet is real. Authenticators weigh all of these together. If several checks fail, walk away.

Short answer

An authentic Cartier Love bracelet is solid 18k gold (yellow, rose, or white) or platinum, in the classic model (6.1 mm wide) or the small model (about 3.6 mm wide), in one of the real sizes (15–21 cm). Inside the band it carries a specific set of engravings: the Cartier signature, the metal hallmark — 750 for 18k gold, PT950/950 for platinum — often the French eagle's-head assay mark and a maker's mark, a unique serial number, and the size number. The bracelet is two rigid halves joined by a hinge and functional screws that open with the matching Cartier screwdriver, and it has real heft: roughly 30–38 g for most classic-model sizes. Fakes most often fail on shallow or wrongly ordered engravings, missing or copied serials, plated or hollow metal that weighs too little, and decorative screws that don't actually work.

1. Model, Shape, and Size

Start by identifying exactly which bracelet you are holding:

• The Love is a rigid oval bangle — two C-shaped halves that follow the wrist closely, joined by a hinge on one side and the screw closure on the other. A round, floppy, or hinged-all-the-way-around bangle is not a Love.
• The current line has two widths: the classic model at 6.1 mm and the small model at about 3.6 mm. Measure the band: a "classic" that measures 5 mm, or a width that matches neither model, is a fail.
• Sizes run 15 to 21 cm (seven sizes), and the size is engraved inside the band. A size outside that range, or proportions that don't match the engraved size, is a warning.
• Versions include plain, diamond-set, and paved models in yellow, rose, and white gold, plus platinum. Authenticate the details below against the specific version — but the engravings, hallmarks, and screw system should be present on all of them.

2. Metal and Weight

The Love is solid precious metal, and it should feel like it:

• Modern bracelets are solid 18k gold (750/1000) or platinum — never silver, steel, or gold-plated base metal. Plating that has worn to a different-colored metal at the edges settles the question immediately.
• Weight is one of the fastest screens. A classic-model bracelet in the common sizes weighs roughly 30–38 g; across sizes and versions the accepted range is about 28–42 g. The RealReal's authenticated examples land right in this band — a size 17 classic at 28.8 g, size 18 diamond versions at 31.0 g and 34.2 g. A "gold" Love that weighs in the low 20s is hollow or plated, whatever its stamps say.
• The small model is thinner and lighter, so weigh it against the small model's expectations, not the classic's — but it should still feel dense for its size.
• Gold color should be rich and even, with no fading, flaking, or brassy patches.

(Vintage caveat: the very earliest 1970s bracelets were reportedly gold-plated before the design moved to solid gold. Era matters — a 1970s piece needs a specialist, not this checklist alone.)

3. The Screw System

The screws are the design's signature — and its hardest-working authentication point:

• The bracelet closes with functional screws: Cartier lists the classic model's fastening as a "functional screw and hinge." The screw must actually turn with the Cartier screwdriver and open the bracelet. Screws that are glued, painted on, or won't turn are decorative — and the bracelet is fake.
• On current versions the functional screw is captive — it stays attached to the band as it loosens rather than coming out completely. On older versions the screws remove fully. Either way, the action should be smooth, with clean threads and no scratching, forcing, or wiggle.
• Every screw head — functional and motif alike — should sit perfectly flush with the band, with a clean, centered slot. Proud, sunken, crooked, or unevenly sized screw heads are a classic counterfeit tell, because the screw mechanism is the hardest part of the bracelet to replicate.
• The screw motifs are evenly spaced and identical in size and finish around the band. Soft, stamped-looking, or irregular motifs point the wrong way.

4. The Inside Engravings, in Order

Turn the bracelet over. The inside of the band carries a specific cluster of engravings, and authenticators check them as a set:

• The "Cartier" signature, in the house's script lettering.
• The metal mark: "750" for 18k gold (see Check 5).
• The serial number — a unique alphanumeric code (see Check 6).
• The size number (e.g., 17, 18), matching the bracelet's actual size.
• On many pieces, a © Cartier mark and a maker's mark appear alongside.

The engravings sit on the inside of one half of the bracelet, in a consistent, fine style. A bracelet with no inside engravings, engravings scattered randomly, or a jumble that doesn't match this set is not authentic. Missing elements are as telling as wrong ones.

5. Hallmarks: 750, PT950, and the Eagle's Head

The purity marks are legal stamps, and fakes routinely get them wrong or skip them:

• 18k gold pieces are stamped "750" (750 parts per thousand gold). Platinum pieces are stamped "PT950" or "950." A gold-colored bracelet stamped with anything else — or with no purity mark at all — fails.
• French-assayed pieces typically also carry the eagle's head hallmark (the French assay mark for gold) and a maker's mark in a lozenge (diamond-shaped) punch. These small stamps are easy to overlook and hard to fake crisply.
• Hallmarks should be struck cleanly, with sharp edges and correct proportions — not soft, doubled, or half-stamped.
• (Marks vary somewhat by era and market of sale, so judge the set as a whole rather than demanding one specific stamp — but 750/950 is non-negotiable for a modern bracelet.)

6. The Serial Number

Cartier has stamped a unique serial number on Love bracelets since 1974, and its format follows the era:

• Documented formats include five digits + one letter (e.g., 12345 A), two letters + four digits (e.g., AB 1234), and three letters + three digits (e.g., ABC 123) — generally six to eight characters in total. The format changed over the decades (notably around 2010 and 2018), so the format should match the bracelet's claimed era.
• The serial is unique to the piece. Counterfeiters recycle a small pool of serials across thousands of fakes, so a serial that turns up on multiple listings is a red flag in itself.
• Cartier offers no public serial-number lookup — there is no website where a matching serial proves authenticity. A plausible serial is supporting evidence only; it has to agree with the hallmarks, engravings, weight, and construction.
• Be wary of sellers who "decode" a production date or guarantee authenticity from the serial alone. That is not a service Cartier provides to buyers.

7. Engraving Quality and Lettering

Under magnification, genuine Cartier engraving gives itself away by its consistency:

• Stamps and engravings should be crisp, evenly deep, and evenly spaced, with clean letterforms in the correct fonts — the Cartier script signature is fine and cursive, not blocky.
• Fakes often show shallow, blurry, or laser-printed-looking marks, letters that vary in depth or alignment within the same line, or outright misspellings.
• Font weight matters: lettering that is visibly too thick or too thin against a genuine example is a counterfeit sign.
• Check every mark against the others. The signature, serial, size, and hallmarks on a real bracelet share the same disciplined standard; one sloppy mark among clean ones deserves a second look, and several sloppy marks end the discussion.

8. Diamonds and Finishing

On diamond-set versions, the stones and the finish carry their own tells:

• The stones are real diamonds (or the version's specified precious stones) — glassy, cloudy, or unevenly bright stones are wrong. On the four-diamond classic versions, total weight is 0.42 ct; paved versions run far higher. Stone count and setting style should match the exact version on Cartier's site.
• Settings should be even and secure, with no tilting, gaps, or rough prongs/bezel edges.
• The overall polish is flawless: mirror finish with no rough edges, seams, casting pits, or tool marks anywhere, inside or out. The inner band of a genuine bracelet is finished to the same standard as the outer — counterfeiters cut corners where they think no one looks.

9. Screwdriver, Certificate, and Packaging — Supporting Evidence Only

A genuine purchase normally comes with its kit, but treat all of it as corroboration, never proof:

• The bracelet is supplied with a matching Cartier screwdriver, which should fit the functional screw slots exactly and turn them smoothly. A screwdriver that doesn't fit the bracelet it came with undermines both.
• The certificate of authenticity from a recognized retailer records the materials and the place and date of original purchase. Check it for correct spelling, correct logo, and details that match the bracelet in hand (metal, size).
• Packaging should be Cartier-standard, with correct logos inside and out; cheap materials, logo mismatches, or spelling errors in the paperwork are counterfeit signs.
• The caveat cuts both ways: boxes, screwdrivers, and certificates are faked and traded separately, and a genuine pre-owned bracelet may have lost every accessory. A full set proves nothing by itself — Checks 1–8 decide.

At a glance: authentic vs. fake

| Check | Authentic | Common fake tell | |---|---|---| | Model & size | Oval rigid bangle; classic 6.1 mm or small ~3.6 mm; sizes 15–21 cm | Wrong width, round/floppy shape, size outside range | | Metal & weight | Solid 18k gold or platinum; ~30–38 g (classic, common sizes) | Plated, hollow, steel; weighs in the low 20s | | Screw system | Functional screws, flush heads, centered slots, smooth action | Decorative/glued screws, proud or crooked heads, gritty threads | | Inside engravings | Cartier signature + metal mark + serial + size, as a set | Missing, scattered, or wrong elements | | Hallmarks | "750" (gold) / "PT950" (platinum); eagle's head + maker's mark on French pieces | No purity mark, wrong stamp, soft half-struck marks | | Serial number | Unique, era-correct format (6–8 characters) | Recycled serial, era-wrong format, "decoded date" claims | | Engraving quality | Crisp, even depth and spacing, correct fonts | Shallow, blurry, misaligned, misspelled | | Diamonds & finish | Real stones, even settings, flawless polish inside and out | Cloudy stones, rough edges, casting pits | | Kit & papers | Fitting screwdriver, matching certificate, correct packaging | Ill-fitting screwdriver, mismatched or misspelled papers |

FAQ

Where are the hallmarks and serial number on a Cartier Love bracelet? Engraved on the inside of the band, as a set: the Cartier signature, the purity mark (750 for 18k gold, PT950/950 for platinum), the serial number, and the size — often with a © Cartier mark, a maker's mark, and the French eagle's-head assay stamp alongside.

What does "750" mean on a Cartier bracelet? It is the legal purity stamp for 18-karat gold: 750 parts per thousand pure gold. Every modern gold Love bracelet carries it. Platinum versions are stamped PT950 or 950 instead.

How much should a Cartier Love bracelet weigh? Most classic-model sizes land around 30–38 g, with an accepted range of roughly 28–42 g across sizes and versions (authenticated examples run from 28.8 g for a size 17 classic to 34.2 g for a size 18 diamond version). The small model weighs less. A full-size "gold" bracelet in the low 20 g range is hollow or plated.

Can I verify a Love bracelet by its serial number? Not online — Cartier publishes no public serial lookup. The serial should be unique and in an era-correct format (documented formats run six to eight characters, such as two letters + four digits), but a good-looking serial is supporting evidence only. Fakes often reuse real serials.

Were any real Love bracelets gold-plated? Reportedly, the very earliest 1970s examples were gold-plated before the design settled into solid gold. That makes era the deciding factor for vintage pieces — have an early bracelet assessed by a specialist rather than by weight and hallmark checks alone. Any modern bracelet that is plated, silver, or steel is fake.

Bottom line

Authenticating a Cartier Love bracelet is a small-print exercise: identify the exact model and size first, then read the inside of the band as a set — signature, 750/PT950 hallmark, serial, size — before weighing it and putting the screwdriver to the functional screws. One failed check is a warning; two or more is a walk-away. For a purchase at this level, a professional authentication or a jeweler's in-hand inspection is cheap insurance — and any seller who refuses one is telling you something.

Related reading: How to Authenticate a Prada Galleria Bag · How to Authenticate a Gucci Marmont Bag · How to Authenticate a Saint Laurent Loulou · How to Authenticate a Dior Saddle Bag · How to Authenticate a Chanel Classic Flap · How to Authenticate a Louis Vuitton Neverfull · How to Authenticate a Hermès Birkin

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked against the following public sources:

• Classic model specifications (18K gold 750/1000, width 6.1 mm, "functional screw and hinge" fastening), collection created in New York in 1969 — Cartier, official product page, LOVE bracelet classic model: https://www.cartier.com/en-ca/jewellery/bracelets/love-hinge/love-bracelet-classic-model-paved-N6726817.html
• Size range (15–21 cm, seven sizes), small model width (3.65 mm) and classic width (6.1 mm) — Rebag, "Which Size Cartier Love Bracelet Should You Buy": https://www.rebag.com/thevault/which-size-cartier-love-bracelet-should-you-buy/page/31/?et_blog
• Serial numbers since 1974 and era formats (five digits + one letter; two letters + four digits; three letters + three digits), 750 for 18k gold and PT950 for platinum, weight range 28–42 g, certificate contents (materials, place and date of purchase), real diamonds in stone-set versions — Dover Jewelry, "How Do I Know If My Cartier Love Bracelet Is Real or Fake?": https://www.doverjewelry.com/blog/how-do-i-know-if-my-cartier-love-bracelet-is-real-or-fake/
• Weight for standard sizes (~30–38 g in 18k gold), screws flush and uniform, hallmark set (750, signature, serial, size) — The Gem Press, "Cartier Love Bracelet Guide: New, Pre-Owned & Fake": https://thegem.press/guides/cartier-love-bracelet-guide
• Engraving set and order (Cartier signature, material mark, serial of six to eight characters with format changes in 2010 and 2018, size mark), French eagle's-head assay hallmark and lozenge maker's mark, screws sitting flush and turning smoothly — Libas Collective, "Cartier Love Bracelet vs Juste un Clou: Buying Guide": https://www.libascollective.com/thecrypt/cartier-love-bracelet-vs-juste-un-clou-buying-guide-dubai-2026/
• Authenticated examples and their recorded marks and weights (size 18, 34.2 g, marks "750, Designer Signature, Maker's Mark, Serial Number, © Cartier size signature," four diamonds totaling 0.42 ct; size 18 rose gold diamond version, 31.0 g) — The RealReal valuation reports: https://www.therealreal.com/products/23050572/appraisal_report and https://www.therealreal.com/products/7603399/appraisal_report
• Authenticated classic-model example (size 17 rose gold, 28.8 g, marks including "© Cartier" and serial) — The RealReal valuation report: https://www.therealreal.com/products/102733898/appraisal_report
• Designed in 1969 in New York by Aldo Cipullo, two C-shaped halves secured with screws, supplied gold screwdriver, earliest versions reportedly gold-plated — Tatler Asia, "10 Things You Didn't Know About the Cartier Love Bracelet": https://www.tatlerasia.com/style/jewellery/10-things-you-didn-t-know-about-the-cartier-love-bracelet