Louis Vuitton,
verified before it is listed.

Handbags first, plus a smaller run of watches, small leather goods and ready to wear. The most counterfeited house in the world, so every piece gets checked.

Currently holding handbags, with some small leather goods, watches and ready to wear. Browsing opens San Diego Jewelry Buyers, my own store, which is where the listings live.

Louis Vuitton is the most counterfeited brand on the planet, and the fakes got good. Stitch counts, hardware weight and heat stamps are all reproduced now, and the tells that worked five years ago mostly do not.

It got harder in 2021 when the house dropped date codes for embedded microchips. A missing date code used to be a red flag. On a recent bag it is now normal, and knowing which era you are holding is half the job.

How we check it

What we look at on a Louis Vuitton.

01

Date code or chip, by era

Bags up to 2021 carry a date code whose format has to match the factory and year. Later ones carry a chip instead. Judging a new bag by the old rule gets it wrong in both directions.

02

Canvas, alignment and hardware

Monogram and Damier have to align correctly across seams and the pattern has to be symmetrical where the model calls for it. Hardware has weight and a finish that fakes rarely match.

03

Vachetta and wear

Untreated vachetta leather patinas from pale to honey in a way that is very hard to fake convincingly. Wear that does not agree with the claimed age is worth a second look.

If you have a Louis Vuitton piece and you are not sure what it is, bring it to 907 Sixth Ave. We will tell you either way, free, whether or not you want to sell it.

What holds its value

Straight, not flattering.

  • Classic shapes hold. Speedy, Neverfull, Alma and Keepall resell predictably because demand never really moves.
  • Seasonal and collaboration pieces are volatile. Some go up a lot and some fall off entirely.
  • Condition matters more here than on jewelry. Corners, handles and vachetta drive most of the number.

Browse the category instead

Questions

The ones I get asked.

Do you buy Louis Vuitton bags in San Diego?
Yes, designer goods are one of our active buy lanes. Send photos first or bring the bag to 907 6th Ave for a free evaluation.
Can you tell me if my Louis Vuitton is authentic?
Bring it in and we will tell you what it is, free and with no obligation, whether or not you want to sell it.
My LV has no date code. Is it fake?
Not necessarily. Louis Vuitton replaced date codes with embedded microchips in 2021, so a newer bag is not supposed to have one. The era of the bag decides which applies.
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