How to Spot a Fake Balenciaga

[jag]

Please share your tips for authenticating bags, including comparison pictures, and any information you can share about Bales, Rivets, and Tags.

This is NOT a thread to ask questions, but rather an informative reference thread. All chatter and authenticity posts will be deleted.

Authenticity questions can be posted here: Authenticate This Balenciaga

Thank you!

[sunshine_73]

Metal Tags..

Underscore or dot?
for City/First the underscore between Balenciaga and Paris has turned into a dot since 2005- any bags with a later production date would have a dot.
I would therefore always ask a seller when the bag was bought.

I would love to uplad some pics, but am not sure how to do it?
Perhaps someone could help,
Cheers

[lothlorien14]

Fake metal tag

The 'Y' indicates s/s 06, so the underscore between the Balenciaga and city should be a dot. Also the N and the degree sign should be close together and the writing is too close, almost overlapping.



Real metal tag

The 'Y' indicates s/s 06, therefore the dot between Balenciaga and city is correct.

The N and the degree sign are close together, and all authentic tags should be like this.

[Bags4Bubbles]

Letters denoting the season:

D = F/W 03
C = S/S 04
B = F/W 04
A = S/S 05
Z = F/W 05
Y = S/S 06
W = F/W 06
V = S/S 07
U = F/W 07

(Thanks to Deana for putting together! Resource: http://forum.purseblog.com/balenciag...ga-144151.html )

Metal Tag vs. Leather Tag
First - Metal
City RH - Metal
Work RH - Metal
Twiggy - Leather
Part-Time - Leather
Day - Leather
Mini-Bowling - Leather
Box - Leather
Purse - Leather

[tlp2107]

2005 (Z) has an underscore.

[powderpuff100]

Often the bales are one of the first ways to spot a fake. The bales should be thick and rounded not thin or square. Here are pictures of the bales on a fake caramel and white City. Following that are pictures of the bales on an authentic caramel and white City. Notice the rounded shoulders of the real bales and the square appearance of the fake bales. Always ask for clear, closeup pictures of the bales.

Bales on good quality *fake* bags:






Bales on authentic bags:

[lothlorien14]

An example of a really good FAKE bale (below): It is rounded like an authentic bale but comparing to powderpuff's authentic bale you will see the authentic bale will have dips on each side.

[lothlorien14]

The rivet are on the back of the studs on the handle. Balenciaga has only ever used 2 types of rivets. upto 2002(?) the rivets were flat solid round studs. no notches.

Since 2002 the rivets have two long notches on either side of the stud.

Fake rivet: notches are curved 'C'.






Real rivet: long notches in the stud

[powderpuff100]

[/quote]
Note the black thread at the top of the tag and matching thread on the sides and bottom. VERY often fakes will have the same color thread at the top. It should always be black and is often a very quick way to spot a fake bag.

[monsoon88]

Check out the following fake 'Rouge City' --



Brand new Bbags NEVER come with plastic-wrapped handles, a fob-shaped leather sample, nor spare tassels rolled up into a circle.

Also, any serial number on a leather tag ending with '3555' or '3666' are, generally, known to be fakes



Authentic tags, extra tassels, mirror --

[esiders]

Originally Posted by lothlorien14

The rivet are on the back of the studs on the handle. Balenciaga has only ever used 2 types of rivets. upto 2002(?) the rivets were flat solid round studs. no notches. Since 2002 the rivets have two long notches on either side of the stud.

CORRECTION: Balenciaga used round rivets on the back of the studs up until S/S 2005. They switched over to notched rivets with the A/W 2005 bags.

Weekenders and Work bags have 4 "feet" on the bottom; have a center stitch running from the bottom of the exterior pocket to the bottom of the bag; and do not have shoulder straps. The Weekender has 1 stud at the base of each handle and 3 studs underneath it. The Work has 1 stud on the handle and 2 studs underneath.

The Day bag was introduced in S/S 2005 and always has a leather interior tag. The exterior and interior pockets of the Day bags are much deeper than the pockets on the City, Work and Weekender.

*The interior of a motorcycle B-bag is ALWAYS lined in black canvas. The front pocket is partially lined in leather the same color as the bag. If the pocket is open, you should be able to see leather, not black canvas (but this may differ from the older bags pre-2005)
** A B-bag should always "collapse" when it is set down on its base. No matter how full the bag is, the top should always slouch down.

[ilovemylife]

The handles of the fake are smaller and narrower and the stitches are too close together unlike the real one.

[ilovemylife]

The code number and the letters stamped in the leather on the inside tag of the fake is not as sharp and not as deep as the real one. Some fake bags have some glue stains on some part of the bag.

[ilovemylife]

The fabric of the fake dust bag is thicker with bad "Balenciaga" print in poor quality.

[kymara]

Here's another handles comparison, hope it is helpful.