How Old Is Your Chanel Bag? Learn to Read the Date Code

Chanel is best known for its timeless designs and superior craftsmanship. Throughout the years, Chanel has changed small details to evolve with the times, but for the most part the brand has stayed consistent in terms of quality, construction, and materials. Many of Chanel's pieces take thousands of hours to create, making sure each bag is perfect from the smallest stitch to the largest piece of leather. This acute attention to detail helps ensure the longevity of each bag. For this reason, vintage Chanel bags are just as popular, if not more popular than the brand's current season pieces—and often why they can be hard to tell apart. Thankfully, dating a Chanel bag is actually quite simple, and a skill that will surely come in handy when hunting for the perfect bag for yourself.

All Chanel bags (after 1984) contain serial numbers, and these serial numbers are your key to identifying the year the bag was made. Scroll down to the Serial Number Dating Chart below for the breakdown.

Chanel Serial Number Dating Chart: Here's how to date your Chanel bag.