For style minded women everywhere in the world, owning a Gucci purse, Gucci wallet, or a pair of Gucci sunglasses is the ultimate pize in the fashion industry. Gucci has been the leading designer and the "holy grail" of handbag collectors since 1921 in Florence, Italy. So why would you not trust Gucci over any other handbag designer, to make your fashion statements?

They have so many wonderfully made bags to choose from. But with the height of all of Gucci`s sales, comes knock-off handbags, or Gucci replicas. Be sure you are getting an authentic Gucci purse and not an imposter. There are many replica purse dealers that use "crappy" materials and quick shortcuts, leaving you in the dust with a fake bag, that will last you about as long as your drive home from the crook that sold it to you. Read the rest of this entry »

This is the nitty-gritty of collecting. The real Sam Spade work that is required of a good collector in order to set that person apart from the casual consumer or the amateur. A real collector can authenticate every item in his or her collection, showing it's a real Gucci and often detailing where it's been and the story behind the item.

As an example, you're a collector considering a Jackie O bag that is being sold at auction. The price is right, the item appears authentic, and the seller seems honest. So how do you proceed?

First, ask for a serial number (engraved in most Gucci handbag's interior), if an authenticity card (or controllato card) and care card is included, and any provenance that might go with the bag, such as what outlet it was purchased from originally and who's owned it besides the seller.

Often one or more of these can be the only answer you'll need to authenticate the item, but the more of them you can obtain, the better your collectible will be when you purchase it. At the very least, the serial number should not be a problem for the seller to give you and is your biggest key to the item's authentication.

Once you have a serial number for this Jackie O handbag, you can call Gucci directly to find out if the serial number is authentic and what records they have on it. There are two Gucci offices in America, both in New York, that you can call for this information. On Fifth Avenue, their number is (212) 826-2600 and on Madison Avenue, their number is (212) 717-7619.

Besides authenticating the serial number, which they will gladly do, you can also obtain sales records for a collectible item and other provenance you may wish to have with the item. This will likely come with a fee, of course, but for the serious collector, it's worth it. Make sure they know it's for a collectible and you wish to have the information certified by them (a letter of certification will accompany the information).

Finally, purchase with the knowledge that you've not only collected a great Jackie O bag for your collection, but that you've done your homework to authenticate and prove provenance on the Gucci as well.

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Whether you're purchasing online or off, there are some simple clues that can trigger your suspicion and tell you to stay away from a Gucci you might be considering. These are the “red flags” that should warn you about the Gucci purse, wallet, shoes, belt, etc. that you're looking at and possibly the person selling it to you as well.

First, where are you purchasing this Gucci? If it's from a “street vendor” or a badly-made, dubious website then that's your first clue that it's likely not the real thing.

Next, what is the price? If you're looking at a Gucci 102G watch for only $200, it's not the real thing. I don't care what kind of sob story or excuse the seller might have for why it's so cheap, a watch like that doesn't sell that low. My rule of thumb is that if the price is within 30% of retail, it's probably safe to consider the item. If it's lower than that, be wary.

Read the listing carefully. If the listing is at an auction or online somewhere, read every word in it. Watch for phrases like “inspired by” and “similar to” as clues that, while the sale itself might be legal (if it's not a direct knockoff, it's not illegal), the item isn't what you might think it is. This is common on online auction sites, especially if the seller is international.

We've talked about price, but what about the item itself? If it looks cheap, it probably is and therefore it's not a Gucci. That's not always obvious, though, because these counterfeiters are getting sophisticated. Often, they use the same leathers, hardware, etc. as the real thing, but maybe don't process them quite as well or put them together with as good a quality of workmanship. Even faux leather like some vinyls are getting so close to the real thing, it's almost impossible to tell without cutting out a sample. So be aware that cheap doesn't always look that way.

In my next installment, we'll talk about authenticating Gucci items—how to do it, what to insist on, etc. If you're a collector, then it's vitally important that you know what you're getting and have it authenticated so you can properly value it.

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