How do I know if a Murano glass item is genuine?

This question is by far the most common one among those we receive. And this does not come as a surprise to us, since so many counterfeits have flooded the market in recent years, especially with the advent of the World Wide Web. Most Murano glass lovers appreciate this glass not only for its beauty but also for its historic, artistic, and sometimes sentimental value. So understandably they want to be sure they are buying the real thing rather than some cheap imitation. Here are the things to look for:

1) Look at the item itself (or its photos if buying online)
Does the item appear to be hand-made with slightly uneven surface or texture, or perhaps tiny bubbles inside the glass? Are the photos clear and professional showing the surface and texture of the glass? Can the photos be enlarged so you can clearly see the patterns? Are the colors bright and rich? Does the item seem to glow from within? Does the description say “Murano Glass” (and not “Murano-style” or similar)? Does it talk about real gold or silver being used during production of the glass? You want to be able to answer YES to ALL of these questions when you are looking for a genuine article. Always look for the evidence of the hand-crafted nature of the items, good photos, rich colors and specific descriptions.

2) Look at what else comes with the item
Does the seller offer a certificate of authenticity stating the origin and the production process of the item? Does the certificate display any text in Italian language? Is special packaging offered with the item? Does the packaging look attractive and is it of good quality? Again if the answer is always YES you are on the right track.

3) Look at the seller
Is the seller reputable? Does it share information about itself? Does it specialize only in Murano glass? Does the seller demonstrate good knowledge of Murano glass industry, techniques, production process, and history? Does it possess Italian background, education, or extensive travel experience to Italy? Does it offer a generous Return/Exchange policy? If it’s a website, is it professional-looking? Is there a real business address and phone number listed on the site? Look out for the addresses in Asia or in developing countries as this often is a counterfeit warning sign. Is it merely a large web portal selling lots of items from all sorts of sellers? Are any client testimonials or product reviews readily available on the site? Answering YES to these questions indicates the the seller is likely to sell genuine Murano glass. On the flip-side, if the seller also sells lots of other cheap-looking jewelry and accessories, is known as a large seller of cheap household names, can’t tell you much about Murano or Murano glass, does not seem to have any links to Italy, or has a shady website, you are probably looking at counterfeits.

4) Look at the assortment of Murano glass products the seller offers
Does the seller offer a wide range of Murano glass products that includes jewelry, home decor items and high-end Murano glass items such as vases, chandeliers, or art glass? Does it offer any Millefiori items? If so, is there a large variety of them and are they of good quality, displaying intricate patterns with many mosaic pieces in them, and rich colors? Millefiori is one of the most difficult Murano glass techniques and is harder to fake than some other ones. Does the seller offer to work with you on procuring any custom items or items not in their inventory? Again, if you answered YES to these questions you can be reasonably sure you are dealing with the seller who offers genuine Murano glass.

In general, trust your instinct and common sense when buying Murano glass. If something tells you “beware”, try to find out as much information as possible from the seller, and if you are still not satisfied, just steer clear from it and look elsewhere.