authenticity
[aw-then-tis-i-tee]
noun
1. the quality of being authentic; genuineness.
Athenticity is always our number 1 obsession. When it comes to our preloved luxury each brand has it’s own way of identifying authentic pieces. Most of the brands Pretty sells regularly have specific date codes, serial numbers, or stamps. We have spent years researching, touching, and feeling both authentic and couterfeit items. It is of utmost importance that we guarantee every item’s authenticity.
Often our customers ask how we know the difference?
The best example to give is, if you worked with apples all day long you could easily tell the difference between different varieties. While handbags are not apples the example holds true.
To further protect our customers we have partnered with a 3rd party authentication service for handbags. Entropy is a small hand held device that packs a big scientific punch. The team at Entrupy has built algoryithems surrounding hundreds of handbags including both authentic and counterfeit. The device used takes 12 microscopic photos of every bag authenticated. The images are analyzed and computed through an algorithm and compared. Within moments we are printing our certificate and have a 100% money back garuntee. Authentication accuracy of over 97% and steadily climbing.
Designer jewelry such as Tiffany & Co, Cartier, Harry Winston, and David Yurman is always evaluated by our in house experts. The small details of makers mark stamp, serial numbers, and quality of craftsmanship are all things that are evaluated with a microscope and caliper.
Louis Vuitton
Every new customer always looks for the ever important Date Code. The Date Code System was originally designed for the Louis Vuitton employees to use for identify craftsman and ownership. Since the date code system is now use to identify the country of manufacture and date made, not to verify authenticity. A new Louis Vuitton admirer might suggest just simply taking the bag in question to the horses mouth, the Louis Vuitton store. Louis Vuitton employees will never authenticate a bag. After all it is their job to sell Louis not to identify counterfeits. Every Louis Vuitton handbag will have a date code excluding very early pieces from pre 1980. An Authentic Date code should consist of letters and numbers
Pre-1980 — No Codes
Early 1980s –Typically a 3 digit number which indicates year and month
Early- Late 1980s — 3-4 digits (month/year) followed by 2 letters country. In the late 80s the letters (factory country location) were moved to before the digits (manufacturing date).
1990-2006 — 2 letters (factory location) followed by 4 numbers. 1st and 3rd numbers (month) 2nd and 4th numbers (year).
2007 and newer — 2 letters (factory location) followed by 4 numbers. 1st and 3rd numbers (week) 2nd and 4th numbers (year).
Interesting LV dates
1892 Louis Vuitton Died at the time LV is a luggage company
1896 Louis Vuitton Monogram canvass is born but what you don’t know is the Damier print canvass actually came before!
1930 — The Keepall is born
1930 — The Alma is born
1932 — The Noe is born
1936 Georges Vuitton dies and leaves the company to son Gaston Louis who would ultimately transform the company to a small leather goods company.
1965 Audrey Hepburn inspires the timeless Speedy bag
1966 The Pappillion is born
1997 Marc Jacobs is anointed the LV artistic director
2007 The Neverfull and Saumur bags are born
Chanel
Whether you fall in love with the simplist “little black dress” or the timeless 2.55 quilted bag. Pretty’s owner fell in love with Chanel after reading about Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel in her biography. Chanel started her store in 1909, a hat shop, with her lover and partner on 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. The iconic brand has remained privately owned ever since.
Items such as “The Little Black Dress”, Chanel No. 5 perfume, the 2.55 flap bag (named after the month and year it was produced), and the unforgettable tweed suit. Chanel continually remained true to her belief that simple clean lines made the female form more elegant.
Unfortunately the presige of Chanel has not kept the brand out of the counterfeiters sites. They have poached years of designs and details from the luxury design house.
Chanel bags from the mid 1980s forward include a sticker serial number with matching authenticity card. The serial sticker is typically found within the major section of the lining. The sticker includes the double C logo and was adhered with clear adhesive tape and hologram. Chanel will never authenticate a bag in store.
Hermes
The most luxurious handbag brand one could ever own. Collected and coveted by housewives and champion boxers alike started as an equestrian leather goods company. Today Hermes has been family-owned for 5 generations are known for their line of small leather goods, scarfs and jewelry accessories.
The company founded in 1837 named after the founder Thierry Hermes establishes the French house of Hermes as a harness workshop. Before Thierry passes in 1878 Hermes earns several awards and recognition for the quality of their product. Between 1880 and 1919 the company is sold between the Hermes sons and the legacy of quality is maintained in saddles, bridles, and saddle carrying bags.
In 1922 the first leather handbag is introduced for Emile-Maurice’s wife and is designed based on the concept of the saddle carrying bag created in 1900. Notably in 1935 Hermes launches the Sac a depeches bag — hint hint this bag is renamed in 1956!
1937 the signature Hermes scarf is released and is instantly a hit after it is worn by Jacqueline Kennedy.
1956 actress Grace Kelly is photoed attempting to cover her pregnancy with an Hermes Sac a Depeches. Stores are flooded with women looking for the ‘Kelly Bag’. Hermes renames the bag as the Kelly.
1981 The Birkin bag is introduced based on a chance encounter then chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Jane Birkin on a flight. The contents of the singers travel bag embarrassingly dumped out from the over head bin onto the floor. Birkin and Dumas discuss Birkin’s difficulty finding a quality travel bag. Dumas set out creating the perfect bag for Birkin. Now the bag is an iconic status symbol.