[Gabriel]

How's this one?
LOUIS VUITTON DAMIER GRAPHITE BELT SIZE 90/36 WITH ORIGINAL DUSTBAG 100% REAL | eBay

Or this one? (I'm not so sure about it.)
LOUIS VUITTON INITIALS DAMIER GRAPHITE MEN'S BELT | eBay

Also, how can I tell if a dust bag is fake other than the position of the print (which should be on the bottom of the bag, not the center) and the drawstrings (which there should be two of)?

I really appreciate all of your continued patience while I'm searching for the perfect belt.

(I've decided I really want to go for a damier graphite belt and I'm not that worried about the price, so now it's just a matter of finding an authentic one at the right size, *sigh*).

 

[Gabriel]

Thanks, I really appreciate the insight. I'd also really appreciate that photo, whenever you have time

 

[bluedevil87]

I'd want better pics of both .... date code pic and close up of trade mark square is missing on both items..... but whatever

jeedee, how are you sure #1 is authentic and #2 is fake?

 

[Gabriel]

Yeah I would appreciate that confirmation. Also, he claims that the store did not give him a box, which is why it is not included in the auction. Is this plausible? Does LV ever not give a customer a box under any circumstance? It all looks alright to me but I'd really hate to receive a fake item and have to waste my time with filing a claim. Also, I would appreciate it if I could get some responses quickly as the listing ends overnight. I really appreciate everyone's help

 

[LouisV]

Yeah I would appreciate that confirmation. Also, he claims that the store did not give him a box, which is why it is not included in the auction. Is this plausible? Does LV ever not give a customer a box under any circumstance? It all looks alright to me but I'd really hate to receive a fake item and have to waste my time with filing a claim. Also, I would appreciate it if I could get some responses quickly as the listing ends overnight. I really appreciate everyone's help

If you buy from the Louis Vuitton store, they will always offer a dust bag, box, and a shopping bag. Of course you can refuse them, but I don't know why someone would refuse.

I'd ask for better pictures first. Get better pictures of both Louis Vuitton stamping and the checkered pattern, especially the font.
If the seller refuses or doesn't respond, I would pass. Like you said, it's not worth the headache and the additional expense to get a professional authentication to deal with a fake. There will be another opportunity to get an authentic belt.

 

[Gabriel]

Thanks, I appreciate it. Sooner or later I should just grow the guts to visit the local Louis Vuitton store here in downtown Chicago. Chicago's tax rates have always been notoriously high, though, and I'm not sure I'm really willing to drop 11% sales tax on something that already costs $465, hah.

 

[Gabriel]

But in the meantime, would someone be willing to post some photos of the differences in the font that I should be aware of when spotting a fake? I know the general signs to look for, such as the color of the leather on the back/the proper buckle/the date codes/leading pattern squares (and the general quality of the belt, of course), but I don't know a whole lot about the fonts that Louis Vuitton uses. Would someone be willing to help me out by posting some photos of the "authentic" font on the belt and other little nuances that I should be aware of?

Thanks for everyone's time.

 

[jeedee]

Hold on a sec did you change the link for the 2nd link?

I just looked at it again and confirm its real.

1st link and 2nd link are both authentic belts

Correct heatstamps and dustbags

http://jeedeesales.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/how-to-spot-a-fake-louis-vuitton-belt/

 

[bluedevil87]

Hold on a sec did you change the link for the 2nd link?

I just looked at it again and confirm its real.

1st link and 2nd link are both authentic belts

Correct heatstamps and dustbags

How to Spot a FAKE Louis Vuitton Belt « jeedeesales

Ahh, I see.

Well, I'm going to go ahead and disagree with you there....let's take a weeee closer look, shall we?

In BOTH listings, pics of the heat stamps were either A) too blurry B) had too much flash or C) not right side up OR straight on, which CAN and DOES cause distortion in the font.

In BOTH listings, pics of the date codes AND trademark squares were absent.

While your guide is helpful, IMO in this instance you are relying too much on the characteristics of the box and dustbag and not enough on pics of the actual item.

I'm not saying the belts in either listing were not authentic - I'm saying the pics are insuffucient to make a definite call one way or the other.

Just my opinion, of course.:smoke

 

[LouisV]

Hold on a sec did you change the link for the 2nd link?

I just looked at it again and confirm its real.

1st link and 2nd link are both authentic belts

Correct heatstamps and dustbags

How to Spot a FAKE Louis Vuitton Belt « jeedeesales

Very nice tutorial!

 

[Gabriel]

Hah, believe me, I've looked over that guide more than once. I know all of the obvious things to look for, but fakes are always going to be getting better and better. I just have trouble with little nuances, like the thickness of the font in the heat stamp and such. I appreciate everyone's help, though. Rest assured I'll be taking advantage of your knowledge until I finally slap down the money for a belt

 

[miahdog]

I think first is real. The second I would need to see the other side of the buckle.

 

[Gabriel]

Miahdog, I already know what you're looking for, and it's all the obvious stuff. If, as you posted on my last inquiry, all you are looking for is whether the inside is tan or the buckle says "Louis Vuitton" on the back, then I can do without your authentications. I don't mean to be rude, but to be honest, I don't value your input if all you are going to take into account is the most atrocious of errors that counterfeiters make. Like I've already posted more than once on this thread, I'm looking for small nuances, like the font of the heat stamps and date codes, NOT something as head-bangingly obvious as "Louis Vuitton" stamped into the back of the buckle.

I'm not an admin, manager or moderator of any sort, but If I were one, I would request that you stop giving your opinion on authenticity until you've actually owned an authentic belt. If I had bought the belt I referenced in my last thread because you had "authenticated" it simply by noticing that it didn't have a tan back, I would be out $360 for a fake belt. When I come to this forum for help with authentication, I expect to receive opinions from people who are very familiar with Louis Vuitton, not just people who happened to look up how to spot a fake belt on google and checked the first two links that popped up.

 

[miahdog]

Sorry if thats what it looked like. I live in Aqua Apartments right next to Millenia Mall. I visit LV Store at least twice a week. I know the merchandise.

The reason I wanted to see inside buckle is to see how the screws were set. I also wanted to see the inside leather quality. The pattern is perfect. The edges are correct. I own this belt and another LV belt.

 

[miahdog]

Also I don't look at guides, cause countifiters make them alot of times. I know luxury goods; especially Louis Vuitton.

 

[bluedevil87]

Also I don't look at guides, cause countifiters make them alot of times. I know luxury goods; especially Louis Vuitton.

No disrespect BUT:

You obviously DON'T as well as you think you do as you called a very fake graphite belt in an earlier post authentic. And you also CANNOT determine the authenticity with blurry and/or missing pics. You will be laughed off of any respectable forum.

A one eyed monkey after 12 beers can see that that belt is fake.

Living next to a damn MALL does not make you an expert. :shake

Also? It is a very well known fact that LV SA's are not given any type of training in authentication and that having a bag "authenticated" at an LV store is laughable, not to mention many won't even do it.

 

[jeedee]

Hi Gabriel,

I stand by my opinion and say link 1 and 2 are both authentic.

Fake LV belts will have a VERY "indented/bolded" heatstamp seen here:

http://i49.tinypic.com/29wr8lk.jpg

While real LV belts are lightly stamped seen here:

I haven't added this information to my guide yet, so I'll do that right away. I've also noticed that, when you take a photo of the graphite belt with the camera flash ON, an authentic graphite belt will turn out blue as shown in the 2nd link Gabe posted.

I've seen pictures of fakes with the flash on and they turn out dark grey. This information is pretty irrelevant though lol

Let me know if you had any other questions, I hope you find the perfect belt!

How to Spot a FAKE Louis Vuitton Belt « jeedeesales

 

[LouisV]

Hi Gabriel,

I stand by my opinion and say link 1 and 2 are both authentic.

Fake LV belts will have a VERY "indented/bolded" heatstamp seen here:

http://i49.tinypic.com/29wr8lk.jpg

While real LV belts are lightly stamped seen here:

I haven't added this information to my guide yet, so I'll do that right away. I've also noticed that, when you take a photo of the graphite belt with the camera flash ON, an authentic graphite belt will turn out blue as shown in the 2nd link Gabe posted.

I've seen pictures of fakes with the flash on and they turn out dark grey. This information is pretty irrelevant though lol

Let me know if you had any other questions, I hope you find the perfect belt!

How to Spot a FAKE Louis Vuitton Belt « jeedeesales

Jeedee,

The picture you posted here shows a fake LV belt. The font on the stamping is wrong. Please be 1000% sure when you're authenticating because wrong authentications can cause someone to buy a fake.

 

[Gabriel]

Thanks, Jeedee, I appreciate it.

LouisV, are you talking about the photo that Jeedee posted in the thread, or the one he linked to? He said that the one he put visible in the thread was an example of a fake, while the one he linked to was an example of authentic print.

One of these days I might just buy myself one directly from the LV store downtown (Chicago), but I would obviously like to avoid that 11% sales tax that we have here, hah. Not sure I'm willing to pay $50 more than I have to for a new belt. In the meantime, I'll be keeping my eyes peeled and I'll be saving my pennies.

 

[LouisV]

Thanks, Jeedee, I appreciate it.

LouisV, are you talking about the photo that Jeedee posted in the thread, or the one he linked to? He said that the one he put visible in the thread was an example of a fake, while the one he linked to was an example of authentic print.

One of these days I might just buy myself one directly from the LV store downtown (Chicago), but I would obviously like to avoid that 11% sales tax that we have here, hah. Not sure I'm willing to pay $50 more than I have to for a new belt. In the meantime, I'll be keeping my eyes peeled and I'll be saving my pennies.

Both the picture in the link and the posted visible picture are examples of fake.

To be safe, you can buy from the LV store and pay the high price....but you'll sleep better at night knowing it's authentic. However, there are reputable sellers and stores that will have used, authentic belts for sale for much less. If it's worth it, you coukd always drive to the next state with lower taxes. If you're ever in Hawaii, sales tax is low...like 4%.