Buying Well
How to spot a counterfeit flacon before you buy
October 2026 · Join CT Journal
The price tells, the packaging tells, and the batch-code check that fakes cannot survive — a practical buyer’s guide.
The price tells you first
A famous extrait at a fraction of its everywhere-else price is not a bargain; it is the pitch. Counterfeits cluster around the most-wanted scents — Baccarat Rouge 540, Aventus, Oud for Greatness — at prices real stock never reaches. Deep discounts happen; too-deep discounts on the exact same edition do not.
Packaging and glass
Genuine flacons have crisp engraving, perfectly aligned sprayers and cellophane that is tight but not glued. Fakes show soft lettering, loose caps, watery colour and cardboard that feels thin. Hold the box at an angle: print quality is expensive to fake well.
The batch code check
Every genuine bottle carries a batch code on the base and on the box, and the two must match. A matching code helps you spot careless counterfeits, but it is not conclusive authentication on its own — codes can be copied. Treat it as one signal among many, alongside a traceable supply chain and an authorised source.
Buy where the chain is traceable
The only reliable protection is the seller. Buy from houses that purchase through authorised distributors, state the edition and EAN openly, and verify batches on request. If a listing cannot tell you where its stock came from, walk away.
