answers to AUTHENTICITY questions!!!
- Thread starter kallison
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We constantly talk about the alignment of the Signature C pattern and how it can indicate a fake but it's time to show some examples.
Remember:
1- There are ALWAYS exceptions to this particular "rule" so ask at the Authenticate This Coach thread before you buy or bid.
2- This "rule" ONLY applies to the "classic" Signature C pattern! The new OpArt patterns can vary, and some Scribble styles like Hobos will NOT have the C pattern centered. A few mid-2000s styles like Scarf Prints and Optics will NOT have the Cs centered. ASK if you're not sure.
3- A few bags will have the C's centered on the front but not on the back.
4- The Cs will not necessarily be in EXACTLY the same position on every bag Coach makes in that style, and won't necessarily be in the exact same position as the bag or wallet in Coach's pictures. And on many bags especially the ones with curved shapes or seams, the C's along the side and bottom seams might NOT line up perfectly. DON'T assume it's fake if they don't! If the bag has pockets on the front, look at the fabric pattern on the MAIN body of the bag, not the pockets.
5- The same "rule also applies to wallets, with very few exceptions (a few mens' billfolds).
6- JUST BECAUSE THE PATTERN IS ALIGNED CORRECLY DOES NOT MEAN THE "COACH" IS GENUINE. Fakes can be well-made and look identical to the real thing in many of the major details.
7- And because this can't be said often enough, having zippers that say YKK does NOT prove a coach is genuine. And NOT having YKK zippers does NOT mean it's fake! Fakes almost ALWAYS use zippers stamped YKK, and Coach HAS used other brands.
First, a few of the fake bags, wallets and patterns:
Remember:
1- There are ALWAYS exceptions to this particular "rule" so ask at the Authenticate This Coach thread before you buy or bid.
2- This "rule" ONLY applies to the "classic" Signature C pattern! The new OpArt patterns can vary, and some Scribble styles like Hobos will NOT have the C pattern centered. A few mid-2000s styles like Scarf Prints and Optics will NOT have the Cs centered. ASK if you're not sure.
3- A few bags will have the C's centered on the front but not on the back.
4- The Cs will not necessarily be in EXACTLY the same position on every bag Coach makes in that style, and won't necessarily be in the exact same position as the bag or wallet in Coach's pictures. And on many bags especially the ones with curved shapes or seams, the C's along the side and bottom seams might NOT line up perfectly. DON'T assume it's fake if they don't! If the bag has pockets on the front, look at the fabric pattern on the MAIN body of the bag, not the pockets.
5- The same "rule also applies to wallets, with very few exceptions (a few mens' billfolds).
6- JUST BECAUSE THE PATTERN IS ALIGNED CORRECLY DOES NOT MEAN THE "COACH" IS GENUINE. Fakes can be well-made and look identical to the real thing in many of the major details.
7- And because this can't be said often enough, having zippers that say YKK does NOT prove a coach is genuine. And NOT having YKK zippers does NOT mean it's fake! Fakes almost ALWAYS use zippers stamped YKK, and Coach HAS used other brands.
First, a few of the fake bags, wallets and patterns:
Attachments
CORRECT C pattern alignment - again, this doesn't mean the item itself is genuine although all these examples are:
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I hope Hyacinth doesn't mind my adding another exception to the centered/aligned -- uncentered/misaligned "rule."
Style number 10483 is a signature hobo and the front is perfectly centered and aligned properly. The back looks like no effort was made to match the seam and pattern.
Yet these pictures are of authentic bags!
The black one is a bit hard to see the misaligned and uncentered back pattern but it's there.
Front black bag:
Back black bag:
The pattern on the khaki is much clearer and more readily visible.
Front:
Front:
Back:
Back:
Style number 10483 is a signature hobo and the front is perfectly centered and aligned properly. The back looks like no effort was made to match the seam and pattern.
Yet these pictures are of authentic bags!
The black one is a bit hard to see the misaligned and uncentered back pattern but it's there.
Front black bag:
Back black bag:
The pattern on the khaki is much clearer and more readily visible.
Front:
Front:
Back:
Back:
I made this to help out everyone with Authenticating Coach bags. The Fake bag used for compairison was a "mirror image" or "7 star" handbag. It was purchased by a friend that thought she bought a "Guaranteed 100% Authentic" bag as the website advertized.
I'm really glad you mentioned the zipper heads. I've always heard that fakes will not have "ykk", "riri", "Lampo", or "Talon" zippers because they are too expensive to use. Knowing this, I always look at the zipper heads, whether it's Coach, LV, Chanel, etc.
YKK zippers aren't that expensive - many manufacturers of other kinds of clothes and accessories use them. So why wouldn't someone who's making 7-star or AAA fakes?
And whoever writes those idioitic "Authenticity Guides" never seems to have the brains to ask themselves that if something as complex as a bag can be faked, why can't a zipper? How much does it take to copy their construction and stamp YKK on them? Don't put too much credence in what's stamped on a zipper pull.
The problem with those Guides is that the same nonsense is copied and repeated over and over and over again, and maybe one writer out of a thousand actually takes the time to do their own research, flawed though it sometimes is. The rest just Copy & Paste what they found in other "Guides", or they copy the list of fake serial numbers that used to be posted at Ebay and swear up and down that they've done their own "research" and think that suddenly that makes them Coach "Experts."
One poster/seller at Ebay in particular comes to mind - I'm sure many of you can fill in the name. But those bogus Guides are all over almost every purse blog on the Internet.
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BTW, before anyone starts to panic and think they bought a fake Coach -
THE PICS IN POST # 412 WERE POSTED HERE IN JUNE OF 2007 ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC FAKE AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OTHER COACHES UNLESS IT HAS EXACTLY THE SAME SERIAL NUMBER AND DETAILS. PLEASE DO NOT USE ANYTHING IN THOSE PHOTOS AS ANY KIND OF AUTHENTICITY PROOF ON ANY OTHER COACH ITEM.
I commented here on Dec 7, 2008 about why no one should use details about ONE fake to compare to any other Coach:
http://forum.purseblog.com/coach-sh...henticity-questions-94198-20.html#post8908002
The ONLY coomparisons that should ever be made are between bags that have the same style number and preferably were made in the same plant and the same year.
Maybe we should close this thread and start one with the relevant info (that we can find by a search of this thread, but not everyone knows what to search for) up front. Like exposing all the zipper and other myths right away, then the lists of known fakes numbers... It may take some work, but I think a lot of the original info in this thread worries people who start reading this like all the other guides they find online. (And, of course, sticky the newer thread instead.)
I also have something to add about general auctions. Sometimes sellers of fakes will steal pictures of real ones, so their auctions will have many pictures in different sizes, resolutions, etc. But just because a seller has pics of the same size and resolution does NOT mean the item's real. I know this is common sense, but I've seen auctions where people actually bid for auctions like that. It may be real, but I'd steer clear of auctions like those. Better safe than sorry.
There have been some items with Talon zippers, but I've found them on accessories so far.
Originally Posted by zippy14u 
I'm really glad you mentioned the zipper heads. I've always heard that fakes will not have "ykk", "riri", "Lampo", or "Talon" zippers because they are too expensive to use. Knowing this, I always look at the zipper heads, whether it's Coach, LV, Chanel, etc.
I think I may have one or two older bags in the 15 to 20-year old range with Talon zippers but I have no idea which styles they are.
I'm really glad you mentioned the zipper heads. I've always heard that fakes will not have "ykk", "riri", "Lampo", or "Talon" zippers because they are too expensive to use. Knowing this, I always look at the zipper heads, whether it's Coach, LV, Chanel, etc. I think I may have one or two older bags in the 15 to 20-year old range with Talon zippers but I have no idea which styles they are.
May I know if 2 bags of a same style/model but in different colour have the same kind of creed?
I found 2 bags of the same style in different colours (dark green C4D 9935 and Coral Red J4D 9935) but one has a "COACH LEATHERWARE" and the other just the word "COACH" on the creed. The rest of the wordings in the creed are exactly the same.
can one tell whether either one or both are authentic? Does it matter whether the word "leatherware" is there?
What kind of bags will have the word "COACH LEATHERWARE" on the creed and hang tags? Would both the words on the hang tag and the one on the creed match? (as in the words "COACH LEATHERWARE" )
thanks alot for any one's help!
I found 2 bags of the same style in different colours (dark green C4D 9935 and Coral Red J4D 9935) but one has a "COACH LEATHERWARE" and the other just the word "COACH" on the creed. The rest of the wordings in the creed are exactly the same.
can one tell whether either one or both are authentic? Does it matter whether the word "leatherware" is there?
What kind of bags will have the word "COACH LEATHERWARE" on the creed and hang tags? Would both the words on the hang tag and the one on the creed match? (as in the words "COACH LEATHERWARE" )
thanks alot for any one's help!
It's impossible to give any opinions based just on a description or a serial number. Please post photos of both bags and creed stampings in the Authenticate This Coach thread. Thanks!