Buying Genuine Butler & Wilson Products on eBay

With an ever increasing number of Butler & Wilson counterfeits being sold on eBay, it is important to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. This guide attempts to provide you with the know how to confidently identify, buy and enjoy wearing genuine Butler & Wilson products purchased on eBay.

The application of a three simple steps, outlined in this guide should hopefully ensure that all buyers will be able to verify their intended purchase before committing to buy.

1. Look for a Butler & Wilson Cartouche, Swing Tag or Stamp.
2. Look for further evidence of product authenticity and seller legitimacy.
3. Ask Butler & Wilson to verify the item or the seller.

Butler & Wilson Cartouches, Swing Tags and Stamps

While a makers mark is nice to have, it is no guarantee that the item is a genuine Butler & Wilson piece and I strongly urge you not to buy an item solely because an item bears a makers mark. I am aware of one unscrupulous Seller on eBay that has managed to replicate a very convincing Butler & Wilson cartouche. The seller attaches the counterfeit cartouche to inferior quality wholesale or imported costume jewellery and sells them on as authentic Butler & Wilson.  If you are an avid QVC UK viewer, you will most probably have heard Simon Wilson refer to this seller on occasion. While I would dearly love to identify the seller to you, I am unable to do so for legal reasons. 

Most Butler & Wilson jewellery now bears a Butler & Wilson mark in the form of a stamp, cartouche or swing tag. It is worth noting however that some silver and cubic zirconia and other high end designs are manufactured without any identifying marks whatsoever. Don't let the absence of a makers mark deter you from buying an item or missing out a bargain when there are other ways to authenticate your prospective purchase.

Cartouches

A Butler & Wilson cartouche is by far the the most popular makers mark. A cartouche is round or decorative emblem bearing information about the manufacturer. The two current examples used by B&W are shown below (see Figure 1 and 2).

The presence and legibility of the cartouches shown in Figure 1 appears to be greatly influenced by the factory making the jewellery, the size of the item, and the manufacturing process itself. If the cartouche is added to the product by the manufacturer prior to a plating or japanning process can be difficult to read and in some cases can be totally obscured by the plating or laquer. Cartouches are often applied post-manufacture and are often glued into place. This can sometimes lead to the cartouche detaching from the product, especially while cleaning. Once again, do not let this distract you from making a purchase. When Simon Wilson appeared on QVC UK just before Christmas 2006, he said, "If you have a piece of Butler & Wilson without a tag (cartouche), bring it in and we'll put one on for you".

I have yet to find a reason for this, but in my own experience I have found that the cartouche shown in Figure 2 features more prominently on Butler & Wilson's better quality products; for example, those featuring prong set crystals. I have never seen this cartouche attached post-manufacture and it would seem that it this mark is always discretely incorporated into the reverse side of product on which it features.

Swing Tags

There are three swing tags in use by B&W today. The swing tags shown in Figure 3 and 4 are most typically used on bracelets and necklaces, where it often located at the end of an extension chain or next to a clasp. The swing tag in Figure 5 also appears on some bracelets and necklaces, but more regularly appears as a decorative element on some brooches, keyrings and bag charms.  

Stamps

Rarely seen, the B&W stamp is literally stamped into the jewellery leaving an impression. To date I have only ever seen this stamp applied to smaller items of jewellery such as earrings. An example is shown below.

Once again, if the item of jewellery has been subjected to a plating or japanning process, the stamp can be difficult to read or detect as is the case with the example shown above.

Look for further evidence of product authenticity and seller legitimacy

So you have your eye on an item that looks like a Butler & Wilson piece, but is it? We now know that a makers mark is no guarantee of authenticity, so what else should one look for?

Seller Feedback
Always look for evidence of negative feedback and remember to scan the positive feedback as well. Not every upset buyer leaves negative feedback, for fear of receiving a negative feedback themselves.

Item Descriptions and Titles
Beware sellers that describe their items has "NEVER SEEN". Chances are that Butler & Wilson have probably "NEVER SEEN" it either!!

Auction Items vs eBay Stores
eBay is home to a number of legitimate businesses selling Butler & Wilson products via an eBay Store. Check if the seller has an eBay Store and if so, you should be able to confirm their legitimacy with a quick phonecall or email to Butler & Wilson.

Receipts or price tags
Nice to have. B&W price tag's can be hand written or printed.

Product Code
Some sellers provide B&W product codes (4 or 5 digits in length) in their Auction and Store Inventory listings.  The product code can be found on the products price tag or invoice and is used by Butler & Wilson for invoicing and inventory control.  With the product code, a quick phonecall or email to Butler & Wilson should be all that required to verify the item you intend to buy.

Photographs
Look for listings with plenty good quality photographs and examine them closely. If an item claims to have a B&W makers mark (cartouche, swing tag or stamp) then you should expect to have a photograph that clearly shows it "in situ" on the item that you intend to purchase. Some sellers use copyrighted images taken from websites, without the consent of the copyright owner. These can be misleading and misrepresent the item you are intending to buy. (Examples to follow).

Ask Butler & Wilson to verify the item or the seller.

Butler & Wilson are always happy to verify the authenticity of an item. This applies equally to items you may have already purchased, or items you may be about to purchase. If you happen to be in London's West End, Butler & Wilson's Head Office and store may be found at 20 South Molton Street, located just off of Oxford Street.  If however you wish to verify the authenticity of an item you are about to purchase, or wish to confirm the legitimacy of a seller then then an email or phone call is the best solution. Butler & Wilson's phone number is 020 7409 2955. Unfortunately, I can not provide the email address owing to the formatting contraints imposed by eBay. The email address can easily be found by visiting Butler & Wilson's website.

I only hope this guide provides some help to any prospective buyer of Butler & Wilson fine costume jewellery. Don't fall victim an unscrupulous seller. Meanwhile, if you have any questions or improvement suggestions for this guide, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Best regards

Nadine
Simply Sparkles