The material
Chanel offers a wide range of leathers, but the most popular and most counterfeited are Kaviar leather and lambskin. Classic smooth lambskin is softer than Kaviar leather, with a smooth, even finish. Kaviar leather, on the other hand, is grained and is often described as more durable and more scratch-resistant. Kaviar leather is distinguished by its fine raised texture, reminiscent of black Kaviar. It should also be noted that Chanel also offers fabric bags.

The stitching
All seams on a Chanel-Bag are extremely precise and consistent in appearance. The stitches in a single seam are an indicator of whether it is authentic. As a rule, a seam consists of 11 stitches. A seamless transition can be seen both on the back of a Bag at the patch pocket and on the front of the flap.

The interior
The lining fits the Bag perfectly. It sits neatly and does not form folds or any 'loose' areas. Like the entire Chanel-Bag, the lining is crafted from the finest, high-quality leather.

The Chanel chain
The chain on a Chanel-Bag has a substantial weight and is made of metal. On vintage models before 2008, the metal was plated with 24-carat gold. The leather in the chain is woven through the links and is also made from high-quality leather. The leather threaded through the Chanel chain is stitched at one point, creating a small gap.

The counterpart to the clasp on a Chanel-Bag
The counterpart to the clasp on a Chanel-Bag is always secured with two flat screws, which form a flush surface together with the clasp plaque. The inscription CHANEL is on the left side of the clasp plaque and PARIS on the right. These two words are evenly written and easy to read.

The classic CC clasp on the front
With the classic Chanel clasp as well as the CC sign itself, the left C in the lower section always sits above the right C. In the upper section, the left C is beneath the right C. The classic CC clasp can be either flat or curved. Some classic CC clasps have a kind of 'stamped embossing' on one of the Cs. Its position and appearance vary depending on the year of manufacture. This 'embossing' also indicates that the Bag was made in France. On classic Chanel bags made in Italy, this 'embossing' is completely absent.

The Chanel serial number
At Chanel, the serial number and the corresponding authenticity card were introduced in 1984. The length of the serial numbers and their starting number vary depending on the year of production. From 2005 onwards, the authenticity card was marked with a grey/white circle at the top right.

Grained calfskin (also known as Kaviar) or fine lambskin.

This refers to the flaps with which the Bag can be closed. In a «single flap» there is only one outer flap to close the Bag. In a «double flap» there are two flaps, an inner and an outer one. 

This is the abbreviation for the Chanel Grand Shopper Tote, which is no longer produced. The more compact, smaller version is the PST, which stands for Petite Shopping Tote.

No, they come in all kinds of colours and also in different materials. With its new collections, Chanel also releases entirely new variations.

Yes, Chanel also carries out repairs on older and vintage models. This is at perfectly acceptable prices. For advice, it is best to visit the Chanel store on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich.