How to Identify a Counterfeit Chanel No. 5

Chanel No. 5 is one of the most frequently counterfeited fragrances due to its iconic status and popularity. When you purchase Chanel No. 5 from anyone other than an authorised dealer, you run the risk of purchasing a counterfeit bottle of the fragrance. Make sure that your are able to examine the product thoroughly before committing to buy it so that you can be sure that what you are purchasing is the real thing.

Examine the Chanel No. 5 packaging. Chanel never packages its fragrances in plastic or cellophane. Many counterfeit fragrances often come packaged. Instead, it will come in a Chanel-stamped box, and the bar code on the bottom of the box will begin with a 3 or a 00-09 number. This number indicates the production location of the fragrance, in either Europe or the U.S., which are the only two places that produce Chanel No. 5.

Take the bottle out of the packaging, and look it over carefully. Real Chanel No. 5 is packaged in a square, glass bottle. The bottle has only one simple label on the front and will have the real Chanel logo on it. The letters should spell out "Chanel" all in capitalised letters. The bottle should be clear and smooth, not cloudy in any way.

Remove the stopper from the bottle, and examine it. Real Chanel No. 5 will have a glass stopper, with a plastic bottom where the stopper touches the perfume. Often, counterfeiters will use gold for a stopper, immediately denoting a fake. Metal can alter the scent, and Chanel never uses it as the stopper for a bottle of perfume.

Consider the price. In 2009, the retail value of authentic Chanel No. 5 is around £65. If you find a bottle of Chanel No. 5 for £19, you can be sure that it is a fake. You are not only paying for the fragrance; you also are paying for the iconic name and luxury of the Chanel brand.

Ask to see the receipt if you are buying the bottle of Chanel No. 5 second-hand from a private seller. A receipt showing where the seller purchased the perfume should give you peace of mind. A bottle purchased from Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales or any other fine department store proves that your perfume is the real thing.