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IT’S ALL IN THE TEMPLES

The temples of our sunglasses tell us so much information, and while each supplier has their own spin on placement, across all eyewear it remains relatively consistent. On one temple we have the model codes, colour codes, sizing information, and lens category. Often with replica sunglasses we will not have any of that information, or very little to none. On the other temple we will see the country of manufacture or design, The UK CA/CE compliance indicator, and sometimes a serial number (more on this below).

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DIFFERENTIATION

You’ll notice across each brand, they all are relatively streamlined in the authentication information they provide, but each with a different layout in line with the brand.

In a brand like Celine for example, customers are provided with a Celine tag that states the sunglasses adhere to the AU/NZ Sunglass Standards (as well as the UK CA, and CE logo on the temple), a unique serial number, a CELINE PARIS gold stamp on the temples, country of manufacture, and a Celine Paris booklet with a Guarantee Certificate at the back. The Guarantee Certificate includes a section to fill out the model code and colour, date of purchase, and an “Authorized Dealer” sign/stamp area. Although we don’t fill this out in store, it is there.

Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Tom Ford among others also come with an authenticity card. Compare this to a brand like Blenders which although legitimate, provides a whole lot less information, which reflects the price point and the customer. It is important that we provide the customer with as much of the original documentation as possible, having those booklets, correct cases, and branded cleaning cloths all included with their purchase.

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SERIAL NUMBER vs UPC

Some suppliers will engrave a completely unique serial number into the inner temple, you can typically see this in the temple tip, and sometimes around the center. You can see these serial numbers in Tom Ford, Celine, and Gucci, among others. This is to track every single frame that they manufacture to ensure stockist’s are pricing and presenting the product correctly.

The Below Celine has it’s serial number engraved in the temple tip – to show it off in the image we have brightened it up, but typically this is a subtle engraving.

The UPC stands for Universal Product Code, and this is unique to each colourway and size of a model. For instance, the Wayfarer RB 4340 601/58 50 POL (pid 29029) has the UPC 8053672770452 – and whether you purchase this style in NZ, Australia, USA, or China, the UPC will remain the same. However, the same glass, size and colourway with a Non-polarised lens will have a different UPC.

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REGISTERING YOUR PRODUCT

A lesser known fact about the Versace fashion house is that they have an option to register the goods on the website Versace Certilogo Authentication. The customer can do this using their unique CLG code that comes in the Versace box. You can find this on the last page of the black Versace booklet (about the size of a credit card). Note: this must be done with the CLG code – and will not work by entering the UPC.

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BRANDING & QUALITY

Most quality brands usually etch their company name or brand initials in the lenses. If it easily comes off, it’s fake. It there’s no logo at all, it’s also a fake. Beware of branded stickers, tags or even logos drawn on with a brush. Original Ray-Bans have a ‘RB’ clearly etched onto one lens and ‘Ray-Ban’ in white on the other lens.

Another giveaway is low-quality metal hinges! For instance with Ray Ban, the hinges should be of good-quality metal construction. They should be cleanly bolted to the glasses, not glued in or held in place with cheap plastic, which is a sign of a rushed, low-cost manufacturing method. Most Ray Bans have distinctive metal hinges which have several metal “teeth”, you can check these out on Wayfarers! Please note that the absence of the teeth hinges do not mean that the glass is fake, as these are not always seen on models like the Aviator and Clubmaster.

On the temples – Check the logo placement and quality! Again, logo’s should be cleanly and professionally applied, sitting flush against the temples, and no nasty glue hanging around. The material and application method varies from brand to brand of course. The Oakley logo is a raised ‘O’ embedded into the frame, while Ray Ban has a cursive ‘Ray Ban’ logo attached with a pin, flush to the temples of the glasses. (You won’t however see this on the Ray Ban’s with thin metal temples!) One aspect will always remain consistent though – the logo’s will be QUALITY.

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CASE

Going back to my other blog post all about when we can and cannot replace cases, the case the sunnies come in are super important. With our Black Eyewear customers we usually are able to replace the case if still under warranty, whilst other suppliers have strict rules around how many cases they send us due to counterfeit reasons. While most knock-off sunglasses will not have a legitimate case, there will be some counterfeit dealers that attempt to get their hands on a legitimate case in order to fool consumers. Know each brands case inside and out – for instance real Oakley sunglasses come in a soft pouch with the Oakley ‘O’ logo on the tag (occasionally with a premium quality hard case). Real Prada sunglasses are sold with a black microfiber cloth and a perfectly centered Prada logo. The lettering is well-defined, evenly spaced, and straight. The ‘R’ has a distinct notch in the lettering of the case which is a replication of the R in the Prada Logo we so often see on the sunglass temples.

Any questions regarding authenticity please do reach out! Both me (Natalie) and Cass would love to assist!