Many of you have probably asked yourself: Is the bag real? Especially if you are looking for a preloved bag, you sometimes come across such good price offers that you wonder whether it is actually a real bag,
so you are lucky with the offer or on the contrary, the price is so low because it is just not a real bag.
But please don’t get me wrong- I do not want to say anything against buying used bags. Quite the contrary, as can be seen from my last blog, I have already had good experiences with pre-loved bags. However, caution is
advised in the selection of the platform. While, for example, at Vestiaire Collective or Rebelle the products are checked beforehand by professional staff for their authenticity, this is not guaranteed at Ebay Kleinanzeigen or Kleiderkreisel. Also us, the Handbag Spa & Shop, we work together with a program called Entrupy. We use this program in order to check bags for authenticity, so that only genuine bags are sold here at Handbag Spa and never counterfeits.
But which criteria are actually decisive in order to recognize whether the bag is a fake?
You can’t say that across the board, but on the one hand the price is decisive. For example, if a new Chanel Classic Medium Flap bag, which is sold in the official Chanel store for €6,350, is offered for €500, it is probably not a genuine model.
However, the price is not the only criteria for orientation, because there are also numerous scammers who put fake bags at high
prices in order to create the impression that the bag is real. More important, therefore, is the serial number. Chanel started in the 1980s to provide all bags with serial numbers. These are on a sticker inside the lining of the bag. In addition, when you buy the bag, you get a certificate of authenticity, which resembles a credit card in appearance and especially in thickness. Bags from 2005 onwards have a grey circle symbol on the authentication card in the upper right corner, while counterfeit cards often have light colored shades.
The serial number inside the bag should match the serial number on the certificate. Furthermore, the serial number provides information about the year of manufacture of the bag. Namely, over time,
the design of the sticker, as well as the certificate have changed. The style of the numbers is different nowadays than it was 20 years ago. However, there are also bags where the sticker with the serial number has already come off
or the certificate of authenticity has been lost. But this does not automatically mean that the bag is fake.
Also the quality of the bag, as well as the material, must be considered more closely. On the one hand, the seams must be even and straight, because especially at Chanel many stitches are sewn.
For example, the typical Chanel quilting pattern (diamond) has eleven stitches per side on the Chanel Timeless. It is also essential to pay attention to the back of the pockets. The quilting must be uninterrupted and a continuous diamond pattern must emerge.
In addition, the quality of the thread is important, because counterfeits often use shiny thread and the seams look like they go through the material.
The lining must also be tight and smooth against the edges of the bag. In no case the bag should be uneven due to incorrect lining. As for the leather, Chanel usually uses very high quality leather, especially calfskin, lambskin, goatskin, and exotic leather. Therefore, overall, when checking the authenticity of a bag, the quality should be given great importance.
Further, the logo should be checked carefully before buying. In the case of Chanel, it is a CC logo. It is important that the right C above and the left C below overlap. In replicas, the lettering is often not pressed into the leather and the lettering is larger or, on the contrary, thinner. On a genuine Chanel bag, the lettering is stamped onto the center of the leather tag. With the CC lock, there must be two screws on the back, with which the metal shield is attached. For the metal tag, make sure that it has “Chanel” on the left and “Paris” on the right. The screws must be Torx screws, as Chanel does not use any other screws. Also, the “Chanel” lettering inside the bag must match the color of the hardware. Another feature to take a closer look at is the zippers. It is imperative that the zipper matches the year the bag was made, as Chanel uses different zippers depending on the year of manufacture.
As manufacturers, the main names to consider are Lampo, Riri, Opti and Ipi. The EP zipper is also popular, as well as the YKK zipper. Here, the Lampo zipper is usually used for the Chanel Timeless, and EP zippers also usually have a leather pull tag. YKK zipper is often found on vintage Chanel bags. The YKK zipper can also be equipped with a pull tag made of leather. In this context the development of the Chanel Wallet on Chain is also interesting. This bag has namely not only experienced a difference due to the price. Also, compared to its predecessor, today’s Wallet on Chain carries a metal zipper, while in the past a leather zipper was used. Wallet on Chain carries a metal zipper, while in the past a leather zipper was used.
Lastly, let’s take a look at the carrying chain.
This is characterized by a leather weave through the chain, while fake Chanel bags often have lines on the surface of the chain. So in summary attention should always be paid to the overall quality of the bag.
Be guided by the aforementioned criteria, especially the serial number and the logo. Also, be sure to look at the shape of the bag and check if high-quality materials have been used. If you are still unsure, you still have the option to check the bag for authenticity at Handbag Spa & Shop.
