Chanel Bag Authenticating In 2022

10 STEPS TO AUTHENTICATING A CHANEL BAG IN 2022

With so many fakes and super fakes flooding the market, having the ability to spot small differences and determine whether or not a Chanel bag is genuine is an important skill. Although there is no one single way to authenticate a Chanel bag, there are various tell-tale signs that you can look out for. To help you feel more confident in being able to spot the obvious and not so obvious signs of an authentic Chanel bag, we’ve compiled these 10 steps which are used by our authentication team when verifying the authenticity of Chanel bags.

The leather of choice on many Chanel bags is lambskin which should feel soft to the touch and have a visibly smooth appearance. The superior quality of leather used by Chanel should be easy to distinguish from the feel and appearance of a counterfeit. If you are inspecting a lambskin leather bag, ensure it feels extremely soft to the touch.

Another popular leather used by Chanel is caviar skin which is made from pebbled calf leather. This type of leather has a bubbly appearance and is more textured to the touch. It is less likely to scratch and mark and is a more durable leather than lambskin. When you run your hands over genuine caviar leather you should feel raised dimples.

2. CHECK THE QUILTING

The quilting pattern is synonymous with Chanel and can be a good indicator of whether a bag is genuine or not. A good place to check the quilting is the back of the bag where the pocket lies. The stitching should maintain the consistent diamond pattern and line up perfectly. However, if you are purchasing a pre-loved Chanel bag it is possible that wear or the stretching of the leather has led to the lines becoming slightly out of place so this is only a valid indicator if purchasing a new Chanel bag.

3. COUNT THE STITCHING/LINING

This can be a very good indicator as Chanel use a high number or stitches to help maintain the bag’s original shape. A genuine Chanel bag will feature up to eleven stitches per panel (that is the distance of one side of the diamond shape). However, a replica bag will generally feature a lower number of stitches per panel.

Lining is another feature which varies between genuine bags and replicas. Lining on a genuine bag lies flat against the material without any visible lumps or bumps. However, counterfeit bags will usually skimp on his detail and use inferior leather which can crease easily and even be a little loose.

4. CHECK THE CC LOCK

One of the most famous and recognizable features on Chanel bags is the CC lock. The original 2.55 lock is rectangular without any logo or Chanel stamping. Chanel make bags with both styles of locks so if your back features the rectangular lock it may still be authentic. The CC lock can feature either raised or flat finishes with the right C overlapping the left C at the top and the left C overlapping the right C at the bottom. Replica locks generally feature minor mistakes such as the shape of the Cs, the placement of additional metal above the lock, and even the style of the interlocking Cs.

The lock stem itself is another feature worth checking. Authentic lock stems are made from 24K gold and even when used for a lengthy period of time will still maintain its condition. Replicas, however, are generally plated with gold which will peel off after use. Also inspect the press studs for quality and feel. Genuine press studs will also maintain their appearance after use, whereas replicas will peel and fade quickly.

5. CHECK THE BACK OF THE LOCK

Stamping marks vary according to when the bag was made and the style of the bag. Some CC locks have a stamping mark whereas others have no mark at all, so even if your bag doesn’t feature a stamp don’t fret! If the lock has a stamp it means it was made in France whereas if it doesn’t feature a stamp it means it was made in Italy. The real giveaway is the stamping mark on the back plate. If you open the bag and look at the back of the turnstile lock you will see the back plate. Chanel attach this using flat had screws only alongside a clear font with even spacing. Replicas may use different type of screws and various other styles of lettering and font on the back plate.

6. VERIFY THE BRANDING OR LOGOS

The brand stamp is another way to confirm the authenticity of a Chanel bag. Check the font and quality of the stamp. Many replicas use a thinner font and rush the branding so that it sits on the leather rather than being embossed into it. The position of the embossed Chanel logo is another feature worth checking. It should sit one and a half centimeters below the quilted C with the width of the Cs and the gap between them remaining consistent at 0.9cm. The width of a genuine Chanel logo is 3.3cm.

7. AUTHENTICITY CARDS

Not all authenticity cards are genuine! A quick way to see if the authenticity card is genuine is to see how many numbers make up the code. If the bag was made between 1984 and 1986 it will feature 6 digits, if it was made between 1986 and 2004 it will feature 7 digits, and if was made from 2005 onwards it will feature 8 digits. Currently Chanel do not issue authenticity cards with 9 digits or more.

 CHECK THE SERIAL NUMBERS/DATE CODES:

You want to know if the bag is the real deal, so what should you do first? If the bag has an authenticity card, skip it. It could very well be fake--there are ways to tell if it’s a real Chanel-issued card, but for counterfeiters it is much easier to make a convincing card than the handbag itself. 

Chanel started using the date code system in the mid 1980's. Look inside the bag for a sticker with the serial number. The location of the serial number varies depending on the style of handbag and the year, but unless the bag is very vintage you should always find the date code inside. 

It will either look like a sticker on the inside lining of the handbag, or it might be sitting atop a small leather tag sewn into the bag’s interior. Like everything else Chanel does, the date code needs to look the part - if you see a cheaply put-together date code with funky writing, this is a red flag. 

Chanel serial numbers vary based on the year the bag was made. Check your serial number against the table below to see when your bag was made:

 Caution: Presence of an authenticity card does not guarantee that the Chanel bag is authentic. Cards can be easily counterfeited.

The year the bag was made is determined by the amount of digits in the serial number, and the first digit(s) in that serial number. If your bag has 8 digits, it was produced between late 2005-current. 

For 8 digit serial numbers, the year is determined by the first two digits (i.e. 24XXXXXX corresponds to late 2017-early 2018). If your bag has a 7 digit serial number, the year of production is determined by the first digit (i.e. 6XXXXXX corresponds to 2000-2002.) 

If the serial number on a bag does not follow the Chanel formula or has more than 8 digits it is most certainly 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 very early 1986 bags the leading zero was skipped where a 6-digit number started with a 1 or 2.

Chanel’s 2020 date code on their handbags is 30XXXXXX. If your handbag’s date code starts with 27XXXXXX, 28XXXXXX or 29XXXXXX, then 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 fits the table above. You need to examine the serial number sticker more carefully: 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 tape to prevent removal without damage, and little reflective speckles in the tape. 

Caution: If Chanel serial number sticker doesn’t contain either CC logo markings, an ‘X’ shape cut into the tape or iridescent speckles, it could very well be fake.

Look below for some examples of what Chanel serial number stickers should look like. 

If you looked everywhere inside the bag and still find no serial number, it's not the end of the world! Remember, these are stickers that are constantly rubbing against the bag's contents, and they can fall off and fade with use. It could also be a vintage authentic Chanel crafted prior to 1986.

8. CHECK THE CHAIN STRAPS

The famous chain and leather straps are a signature feature of Chanel bags and also a great way to spot a fake. Vintage Chanel bags feature a link without the leather threaded through it whereas replica straps often don’t have a link without the leather threaded through it. However, contemporary Chanel bags feature leather straps folded back on themselves and stitched through each link, so it is important to inspect the detail up close!

9. OBSERVE THE BAG'S SHAPE

Replica Chanel bags are usually constructed poorly and feature a boxy shape in comparison to genuine Chanel bags. Look out for rounded corners on replicas compared to the more square shape of genuine bags. This is a sign of the bag not being turned out properly and of poor quality material used on the bag.

There are a variety of zippers used on genuine Chanel bags. These include the lampo zipper which is always used on metal teeth, the EP zipper which generally features a pull tag made of leather, the three Cs in a circle zipper, the OPTI DMC zipper, the éclair zipper, the DMC zipper, the YKK zipper, and the no mark zipper which is usually found on vintage Chanel Bags