“How to Authenticate Gucci Handbags?”
Why buy Gucci secondhand? The secondhand market is fun but tricky to navigate.
We remember an anecdote of a fresh, out-of-uni lady who had loved a stored Gucci clutch in her closet. After seeing an editorial or an advertisement, it was only then that the name Gucci rang a dusty bell in her mind.
The beautiful GG monogram, trimmed with luscious leather from that glossy page reminded her of that old purse from her closet.
She grabbed this pouch from the bowels of her closet and marveled at the monogram design. She used it everyday for 5 months straight. The pouch on its own, the pouch inside a bigger bag, the pouch kept under her arm while merely buying bread from the boulangerie across the street – name it, she carried it everywhere.
One Isn’t Enough, Buy a Bag!
On the 6th month, she thought why not buy a bag from eBay? But as she barely had a lot in her bank account, the pre-loved market crossed her mind. She looked around for hours.
She asked us to check the item she was wishing to purchase. It was a vintage Gucci Tom Ford era frame handbag that turned out to be authentic.
She then thought of having us check the Gucci clutch she dug out of her closet. She later on found out it was fake. THE PURSE SHE’S BEEN LOVINGLY USING FOR THE PAST 5 MONTHS WAS FAKE. The dead giveaway was its material and the shady serial number/code.
She was gobsmacked. Right there and then, she stopped carrying that fake vintage Gucci for good.
The serial number tag is considered as one of the best way to distinguish a real Gucci from a fake one. The Gucci serial number is typically located on a leather patch sewn usually by the zipped inside pocket of the bag, or stamped directly on a leather part by the seams among other possible locations.
The Devil is in the Details
But not all bags are created equal. Even some fake bags look convincingly authentic with an untrained eye.
That’s the reason why we compiled this useful ‘Ultimate Real vs. Fake Gucci Bag Guide’ in buying Gucci purses, whether on Ebay or other online platforms, where we rely mostly on images. From material, hardware, zipper and even seams, we have created this series to see the devil in the details when looking for authentic Gucci bags.
We have also included an especially long section for Gucci leather tags and serial number — because sometimes a close Gucci bag serial number check does a significant amount of the legit check.
We have also added special topics dedicated to know what to look for on commonly-searched authentic vintage Gucci bags, the vague “Gucci Plus” bags, as well as case studies of comparing real vs. fake Gucci bags.
The aim of this ‘Ultimate Real vs. Fake Gucci Bag Guide’ is to help the Gucci newcomers be informed, the same our out-of-uni lady in the story above could have stopped carrying that fake Gucci pouch. Oh, the foolishness of youth! =)
A picture paints a thousand words. That’s why this whole endeavor of how to tell if a Gucci bag is real or fake is accompanied by hundreds of clear photos of fake and, of course, authentic Gucci bag details.
This is especially helpful for those who find “How to Spot Fake Gucci Bags” guide (wiki/wikiHow) especially frustrating because they are so sparse with details. So before a buying spree for Gucci on Valentine’s Day or Gucci in Christmas or any Gucci on sale, read away!
You can thank us later, after you evaded your potentially fake bag.
Let us start with the Gucci bag material.
| Jump to any section of this ‘Ultimate Real vs. Fake Gucci Bag Guide’ below: introduction | material | vintage serial number | rounded tag serial number | rectangular tag serial number | exterior | hardware | zipper | lining | seams | vintage gucci & gucci accessory collection | gucci outlet | gucci plus | case study 1: gucci abbey bag | case study 2 : gucci soho bag | case study 3 : gucci dionysus bag |