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With the black market bag industry's increasing quality and attention to detail, used Chanel bag authentication has become both an art and a science. It used to simply be a matter of a question of, "Does the bag come with an authenticity card?". But very good fakes, or "super fakes," are coming with fake but very persuasive authenticity cards.
Specialists with years of experience in Chanel authentication review everything from bag quilting, hardware, material selection, stamps and holograms, letter embossing, and more.
If you love Chanel and don't have years of authentication experience, here's a detailed guide to the science of Chanel handbag authentication that you can quickly check out at home or while traveling.
As authenticating Chanel bags is also an art that requires years of refinement, such as identifying scent, texture, weight, softness, and awareness of vintage bag aging, we highly recommend that you always have your bag authenticated by a trained professional or buy it from a trusted retailer offering a guarantee of authenticity.
Spoiler: If you' re authenticating a pre-owned Chanel bag that uses a chip instead of a hologram (year 2021 and above), skip to step 2 down below. Later on in this post, we will cover the new NFC chip technology embedded in Chanel bags produced since April 2021.
So you want to know if the purse is authentic, then what should you do first? If the bag has an authenticity card, it may not be real. There are some ways to tell if it's a real Chanel card, but for counterfeiters, it's much easier to make a persuasive card than the bag itself. Look for a sticker with the serial number on the inside of the bag.
Chanel serial numbers will vary depending on the year the bag was made. Comparing your serial number to the chart below will tell you when your bag was made :
Figure 1: Reading Chanel's serial code
The year of manufacture of the bag is determined by the number of digits in the serial number and the first digit(s) of that number. If your bag has 8 digits, it was produced between the end of 2005 and today.
For 8-digit serial numbers, the year is identified by the first two digits (for example, 24XXXXXX is late 2017-early 2018). If your bag has a 7-digit serial number, the year of production is determined by the first digit (for example, 6XXXXXX is 2000-2002).
If a bag's serial number does not conform to the Chanel formula or has more than 8 digits, it is most likely a fake. In rare cases, you can find vintage Chanel bags with a 6 digit serial number. Most bags made in 1986 had a 7-digit number starting with zero, but in the early 1986 bags, the first zero was omitted and the 6-digit number started with 1 or 2.
Chanel's 2020 date code on its handbags is 30XXXXXX. If the date code on your handbag starts with 27XXXXXX, 28XXXXXX or 29XXXXXX, it was made in mid/late 2019.
Of course, the Chanel formula is readily available information, so advanced counterfeiters could create a serial number that matches the table above. Pay attention to the font, glitter and x-cut of the hologram. You need to look more closely at the serial number sticker: it will never be a plain, boring sticker that looks out of place.
Authentic Chanel serial number stickers will contain a combination of CC logo markings, an "X" shape cut into the strip to prevent removal without damage, and small reflective spots in the strip.
Also, if you find "Chanel" printed at the top or bottom of the sticker, it is not a real Chanel bag. This is a common feature of counterfeit stickers. "Chanel" is meant to be printed on the side of the sticker.
If you've looked all over the bag and still can't find a serial number, it can also be an authentic vintage Chanel made before 1986.
Figure 2: What does a Chanel serial number look like?
Notice how they combine several unique identification and security features: iridescent flecks, CC logos, and "X" markings on the plastic. The date code stickers are usually very small and can be found either on a small leather tab, as in the example below left, or inside an interior pocket, or in a corner of the bag's interior.
When you buy a Chanel product, you not only get the highest quality materials, but also meticulous craftsmanship. The seams must be flawless, with no loose threads, dents or other irregularities.
Chanel bags are also characterized by a high stitch count: in most cases, there must be 10 or more stitches per edge of the diamond quilting. This keeps the bag strong and prevents the leather from swelling. The exact number of stitches may vary depending on the type of Chanel bag, but if you see an unusually low number of stitches, it's probably a fake.
This is not a rule of thumb, however. You will encounter authentic quilted Chanel handbags with less than 10 points per diamond edge - usually smaller bags or different styles of 2.55.
Caution: If a Chanel bag has less than 10 dots per edge of the diamond quilting, it may be a counterfeit. Get close to the bag and count the dots! Chanel bags have a very high stitch count to preserve their shape and make them more durable. You should count about 10 stitches per diamond edge, but this number can vary depending on the model.
Figure 3: Stitching of a Chanel bag
Chanel's material is in a class of its own, giving the bag an ultra-luxurious aura. This is where many counterfeiters fail because they can't replicate Chanel's quality.
Even counterfeiters who manage to use better materials and construction - counterfeit bags known as "super fakes" - often lack the attention to detail applied to authentic Chanel bags. Here's what to look for.
Figure 4: The quality of Chanel material
Unfold the flap and examine the back of the CC locking plate. If you've identified the bag as old by the serial number, you won't be confused by the flat head screws on the locking plate.
More modern Chanel bags have exclusive star-shaped screws. If you see flat head screws (the ones in the shape of an "X"), you are facing a fake. Chanel never uses phillips head screws in their hardware.
Also, make sure that the color of the bag's hardware (silver, gold) matches the CHANEL marking inside the bag.
If you see a "Made in Paris" stamp, the bag is fake. Chanel only uses France and Italy for its "Made In" stamping.
However, it is normal to see "CHANEL" and "PARIS" engraved on the material, and counterfeiters often mistake them for the "Made in" stamp. Also, if you don't see any "Made in" stamp, know that the bag is probably a counterfeit!
Figure 5: Chanel material to watch closely
Please always make sure to scrutinize the CC lock, designed by Karl Lagerfeld in the early 1980s. Check that the C's overlap correctly, that they are the same width and have flat edges.
Confirm that the right "C" overlaps the left "C" at the top, and that the left "C" overlaps the right "C" at the bottom (pictured above). Next, make sure the CC padlock is centered vertically and horizontally on its leather flap: if the placement looks wrong, it's a fake.
Another easy clue to detect is that the edges of the "C's" are flat on real Chanel bags - if you see rounded edges, it's a fake. If you see a stamp on the CC lock, the bag was made in France; if there is no stamp, the bag was made in Italy. Make sure the stamp is clear and visible. Fakes rarely have legible stamps.
Figure 6: Chanel CC Logo
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The most noticeable feature, at first glance, of the majority of fake bags you''ll encounter is the stitching pattern. Real Chanel bags are flawless in terms of shape, symmetry and alignment of the stitched diamonds.
On Chanel 2.55 Flap bags, check the back pocket of the bag: on authentic 2.55s, the quilting pattern on the back pocket aligns perfectly with the pattern on the bag itself.
It is very common for counterfeit Chanel bags to misalign the diamond quilting between the flap and the rest of the bag. If you see a blatant misalignment, you can consider the bag a fake.
Figure 7: Chanel back pocket
You can tell a real Chanel bag from a fake by looking at the quilting. On the left, a fake bag: the quilting is clearly not aligned between the pocket and the bag. On the right, a genuine bag: the stitching pattern appears seamless between the pocket and the bag.
Caution: If the quilting pattern on the bag’s back pocket doesn’t line up perfectly, the bag is highly likely to be fake.
It's also noteworthy that as the bag ages and is worn, the leather tends to soften slightly and the padding may not line up perfectly. A bag with this minor imperfection may still be real, so be sure to check the other areas!
Zippers are easily overlooked, but be sure to inspect them carefully as they often have many signs of authenticity. Chanel uses different types of zippers depending on the bag, but the most notable are the Lampo, DMC, YKK, zipper, triple "C" in a circle, and an unmarked closure for very old Chanel bags.
Be sure to open and close the zipper to get an idea of its quality. The closure should be smooth and seamless - a luxurious experience, just like every other aspect of an authentic Chanel bag.
Figure 8: What do the Chanel zippers look like?
Caution: If you see a zipper that looks like it came from a sweater on a supposedly real Chanel 2.55, this is more than likely a fake.
Lampo zippers are typically found on authentic Chanel bags of various types. Check the underside of the zipper pulley mechanism to see the mark.
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Chanel has launched a new initiative from April 2021: microchips inside a metal plate. This metal plate now replaces the self-adhesive hologram and authentication card.
The metal plate is approximately 1.2 inches wide and color matched to the bag material. An interlaced CC logo and an 8-digit alphanumeric serial code appear on the front of the plat form. A microchip is embedded in this metal plate.
The chip is usually placed inside the bag and, for WOCs, inside the zippered pocket. The alphanumeric code no longer allows you to know the year of production at a glance. All of the bag's information is now digitally encapsulated in this microchip, which includes creation, distribution, purchase and even repair dates.
Figure 9: The new Chanel microchip
With the microchip using near field communication (NFC) technology as well as blockchain technology, the data is impossible to alter. The microchip can only be scanned using chip reading machines in Chanel stores to retrieve this information.
Although criminals may be able to replicate the appearance of the metal plate to some extent, they will not be able to hack into Chanel's computer systems.
Authentication cards and holograms can be forged or misplaced. The microchip cannot be replicated.
On the resale market, we are excited that Chanel has introduced state-of-the-art technology to protect what is most valuable, authenticity. Here at WINDUP CLOSET, we are happy to say that our extensive authentication work and ability to spot super fakes is helping Chanel in its fight against counterfeits.
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