Sautoir is a French word meaning “long necklace” and no one does them better than Chanel.

Of course many a gal has had her heart broken after grabbing a lovely piece of Chanel jewelry at an estate sale or flea market only to find out later that her fabulous find was really just a great knock-off.

So before you go treasure hunting, study A. Elizabeth Lindsey’s Guide to Authenticating Chanel Jewelry. You’ll learn how to use the Chanel signature not only to authenticate Chanel jewelry but also to help you determine when it was produced.

Or, if your study days are long over, start compiling a list of reputable dealers who do all your homework for you.

Today’s featured site, for example, specializes in vintage Chanel jewelry and regularly turns up goodies like today’s VPOD, a gorgeous crystal sautoir from the 1980s in an amazing — and rare — sapphire blue.

It’s a breathtaking, authentic Chanel find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Vineyard Vintage.