A Brief Guide to Authenticating Your Gucci Bag

If you are planning to buy your first Gucci bag, or wish to self-authenticate a bag you have had for years, then you came to the right place. Here's a brief authentication guide to get you started.

THE SERIAL NUMBER

The first thing you should look at is the serial number. Found inside the bag, it is a sequence of numbers heat-stamped on a squarish piece of leather. The numbers should be reasonably centered and shouldn't include any letters. You will often see two rows with six digits each, but older styles may have shorter serial numbers with fewer digits.

The front of a Gucci serial number tag.

The back of a Gucci serial number tag.

Serial numbers on smaller items like wallets are typically heat-stamped directly onto the leather, usually near a seam or the opening of a pocket.

A Gucci serial number stamped directly onto the interior leather.

CRAFTSMANSHIP

Like most luxury brands, Gucci uses high-quality materials in the construction of its products. The canvases, leathers, and fabrics should be luxe in appearance. The hardware should be solid and firm. If something seems cheap or flimsy, it may be a cause for concern.

Gucci's Supreme canvas, a kind of coated canvas resistant to scratching and water.

Gucci's original canvas. Being uncoated, it is more prone to wear and tear compared to Gucci's Supreme canvas.

Gucci's monogram-embossed leather.

Stitching should be uniformed, clean, and even. Almost always, the colour of the stitching will be tonally similar (if not identical) to the colour of the bag.

Tone-on-tone leather and stitching.

Metal zippers are often engraved with the GUCCI logotype. The lettering should be capitalized and there should not be any noticeable differences in the proportional spacing between the characters.

THE QR CODE

Newer (post 2016/17) Gucci bags may include a Quick Response code. Found on a small black tag inside the bag, this code offers insight into a bag's authenticity. Simply scan the code with your smartphone.

A Gucci QR code found inside a bag.