For collectors such as myself, the emergence of the internet, and in particular certain global auction sites has been simultanteously a blessing and a curse. Initially, the availability of specialist items and the ease of sourcing were tremendous, however as increasing numbers of people realise how great the demand is, so too the number of those willing to swindle and deceive has increased.

We regularly receive emails from concerned parties requesting our advice and help, so for the benefit of all here are a few tips to avoid the pitfalls of online jewellery purchasing.

1. Always check for the term "style". Many so called antique dealers hide this term amongst their descriptions, thus covering themselves legally whilst misleading an unsuspecting buyer into thinking their two month old reproduction ring is a genuine 19th Century bargain.

2. Don't be fooled by antique boxes, we have seen these interchanged between items, new insides made for original leather boxes and then aged, and even new items made to fit an old box and sold as genuine. Never assume an item has any age purely as it has been advertised as having the "original box." Always check the item separately.

3. Beware of Georgian/Victorian jewellery set in platinum as this simply was not available. Late Victorian jewellery which does have a platinum setting will be a rare find and more than likely a very expensive item.

4. Until 1854 only 18 carat and 22 carat were available. A 9 or even 15 carat stamp on an alleged earlier piece will either be a reproduction item or incorrect dating.

5. Just because a 15ct stamp is present, this does not necessarily make the piece a genuine antique. Unscrupulous dealers (many based around the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham) appear to have found or created an old 15ct stamp and are happily using it on any 18ct reproduction item they choose simply because 15ct is rare and therefore sought after. Check the piece for wear; unless it has been stored in a drawer for 90 years it should be fairly smooth or have some indication of a "previous life". Also check for black shoe polish on the settings as this has been used to "age" items.

6. Check necklaces for a larger jump ring around 2" away from the clasp as this is indicative of a particular reproduction designer based in the Midlands. As they have begun making and using barrel clasps, which were mainly used in the 19th Century these can occassionally be mistaken for antique.

7. Check for signs that the piece has been cast rather than handmade. Modern cast pieces generally have a flimsy, slightly rough feel to them.

8. Price is a major give away. If in doubt, check another leading antique jewellery specialist (Hirschfields/Christies) for comparative items and see what prices genuine pieces reach. If it seems too good to be true it usually is.

9. Be careful with antique bracelets as they are often far too short for today's women. It is well known that women in the 19th Century were much smaller than we are today, and it can sometimes be costly or even impossible to lengthen an antique bracelet.

10. Early pieces in particular may not be marked as gold and testing often leaves damaging scratch marks where the metal is gouged in order to judge its reaction with acids. Reputable jewellers will know if a piece is gold and should offer a guarantee although they may not know the exact carat. However, the less experienced may mistake pinchbeck, rolled gold, platings and front-back lockets as solid gold which can have an enormous effect on value.

11. Diamonds pre-1919 should be of old cut form as brilliant cuts were invented after this point. Some may feature lower crowns and be more typical of the brilliant cut but will generally feature flat cullets.

12. So many techniques can be used to enhance the colour and clarity of diamonds it is good practice to be aware of the following: Laser drilling, fracture filling, irradiation, coatings and temperature-pressure enhancement. Glass rods are visible in diamonds from certain angles under 10x magnification and colour enhancements are usually used to produce a fancy hue.

13. Beware of Moissanite. It has been known to fool even diamond testing equipment and could easily mislead the inexperienced. Look for double rather than single refraction. Moissanite will be flawless, diamonds of perfect clarity are immensely expensive. Again the too good to be true rule applies.

14. The Rose cut was developed in the 1600's but remained fashionable until the end of the Victorian period, therefore is not necessarily indicative of rare or early jewellery.

15. Jewellery manufacturing in England has altered vastly over the past 20 years, and most modern items which bear a UK hallmark were actually manufactured in the Far East. These are regularly sold in areas such as the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham as handmade and for vastly inflated prices. Unfortunately respected areas such as this are increasingly relying on their historical reputation to coax unsuspecting buyers into spending huge amounts of money for very little quality, and although a handful of genuine jewellers remain they are becoming fewer and farther between.