CHRISTIAN DIOR vintage perfumes and batch codes: a guide.

A complete guide to Christian Dior perfumes—from vintage classics to modern creations—covering historical periods, boxes, bottles, labels, and all the details you need to identify authentic Dior fragrances.

Introduction

Let's consider another great perfume house.

Christian Dior's are among the most famous (and counterfeited…) scents in the whole world and, unfortunately, will give you some trouble when you want to determine the manifacturing years.

Difficulties derive from the unusual batch code system - and to the fact that until 1995 Christian Dior in many cases did not carved or printed serial numbers on the box, as many other houses did, but only by printing it on the external cellophane/wrap membrane. This means that when you remove the cellophane, the batch number is lost. 
Plus, consider that printed numbers on cellophane are easily erased......
Fortunately, the " batch-code" , i.e. the serial number , was also printed on the bottom of the bottle.

As always, the most important thing in “guessing a date” on a bottle is not knowing the exact month and year , but the historical period.
Old perfumes were usually made using the best materials, and without being subject to restrictions whatsoever. 
As commonly said, "the older, the better"

An example of Batch-code written on the cellophane.
It's very easily erased or lost (year 1995, Tendre Poison) 

Are you in a hurry ? There are three immediate elements that can be used for dating a Christian Dior fragrance :

1 - Barcode/greendot

2 - Address
3- Estimated sign and/or "strange" quantities.

Plus another element, but less significant:

4 - Brand logo ("Dior" or "Christian Dior")

1- BARCODE - GREENDOT

 The most important thing to know, if you are in a hurry , it is the presence (or absence) of the traditional EAN barcode/greendot on the box : Christian Dior began to use the EAN barcode (bars plus numbers) during 1991. This fact is very important because it is precisely in those years that were introduced in the first serious IFRA "restrictions" (such as the famous/ infamous "oakmoss maximum concentration" equal to 0.6% ... ). Greendot was used since 1992. So, both barcode and greendot are almost equivalent as "markers".

So, the first important thing to know is: if the traditional barcode does NOT appear on the box, the scent is before 1991, and that is enough to establish the fact that it *could* be of best quality. Almost all perfumes from 70s, 80s are superb, if properly stored.

Tendre Poison, can you see the EAN "Barcode" 
on the side of the box ? 
This means = after 1990-91

"Poison", you can note the GreenDot symbol
on the bottom of the box
= after 1992

2 - ADDRESS 

Similarly there is another important clue to consider: the address on box or bottle.

BEFORE 1990-91 Christian Dior had the following address: 
"30 Avenue Hoche, Paris".

AFTER 1990-91, the address moved to: 
"33 Avenue Hoche, Paris" .

In other words: the number changes from 30 to 33.

If -on the box or on the bottom of the bottle- you can read the address "number 30", the scent probably is “before 1991”; 
But if you read the "number 33", it's probably is “after 1991”. 

(warning: in some cases it can happen to read on the bottle -in the same time- the number "30", and  "33" on the box: or you can read the old address on a newer bottle: these are events occurring over transition periods between the old and new) .

Eau Sauvage, old address "30 Avenue Hoche"
 + no barcode
= before 1991 .

3 - ESTIMATED SIGN (or unusual quantites)

The symbol of the Estimated Sign (it resembles a little "e": used approximately since 1980, if it is missing on the box, you can stay assured that it is before 1980. Usually bottles without Estimated Sign are also the ones  indicating an unusual amount of perfume (54 ml. , 112 ml . , 226 ml. etc.). 
Warning: when you find Estimated Sign coupled with the "unusual amounts", it means "early 80s" . 
Generically speaking, when the Estimated Sign is missing on the box, it means an ancient perfume. If properly stored, it's a treasure.

Unusual amount (112ml., instead of classic "100ml") 
+ estimated sign, 
+ no barcode
= probably beginning of the 1980s.

(And, a bit less significative... 4- The logo itself. 
Since year 2001 the logo on the front of the box, on certain perfumes, began to switch from " Christian Dior " to simply "Dior" . This happened for both boxes and bottles, but in different times. Today a few "Christian Dior" labelled perfumes still exist, so this is not a very significant element, and should be used only in desperation. When you see a "Dior" box and bottle, it was produced after the year 2000.)

And the best way to date your perfume is

 the BATCH CODE.

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Understanding the Serial numbers (Batch-Codes)

Batch codes (or batch numbers) are the "production" numbers and are very useful to date a bottle.
Let's start from the recent years.

Since 1998 Dior uses a 4-digit batch code where the first digit is always a number, and the second is always a letter .

Briefly, if we find a Dior fragrance with a four-digit batch code following this scheme:

Letters A-M

"if First digit is a number, second digit is a letter between A and M"
 this means  "years 1998-2007".
(examples: 8A01 means 1998 - 1B01 means 2001 -5D02 means 2005)

Letters N-Z

If the four-digit batch code follows this different scheme:
"if First digit is a number, second digit is a letter between N and Z"
this means "years 2008-2017".

(examples:  8P01 means 2008 - 1Q02 means 2011- 4P03 means 2014)

Examples of batch-codes.

Let's go into detail :  consider years 1998-2007 .

The first digit is a number indicating the year and the second is a letter from A to M (first half of the alphabet) , and indicates the month .

The scheme is the following :

8Axx = 1998 January

8Bxx = 1998 February

8Cxx = 1998 March

8Dxx = 1998 April

8Exx = 1998 May

8Fxx = 1998 June

8Gxx = 1998 July

8Hxx = 1998 August

8Jxx = 1998 September

8Kxx = 1998 Oct.

8Lxx = 1998 November

8Mxx = 1998 December

You then re-start with the number 9, indicating 1999:

9Axx = 1999 January

9Bxx = 1999 Feb.

9Cxx = 1999 March

9Dxx = 1999 April

9Exx = 1999 May

9Fxx = 1999 June

9Gxx = 1999 July

9Hxx = 1999 August

9Jxx = 1999 September

9Kxx = 1999 Oct.

9Lxx = 1999 November

9Mxx = 1999 December

then 0, indicating year 2000:
0Axx = 2000 January

0Bxx = 2000 Feb.

0Cxx = 2000 March

0Dxx = 2000 April

0Exx = 2000 May

0Fxx = 2000 June

0Gxx = 2000 July

0Hxx = 2000 August

0Jxx = 2000 September

0Kxx = 2000 Oct.

0Lxx = 2000 November

0Mxx = 2000 December

then number 1, indicating 2001:
1Axx = 2001 January

1Bxx = 2001 Feb.

1Cxx = 2001 March
.....
.....
.....

and so on ( letter "I " was not used, because it is too similar to the number "1")

then you will arrive to the last number : 7Mxx = 2007 December.

Four digits codes, adopted since 1998: 
2J02 (first half of the alphabet) 
= year 2002  ( not 2012! )

During 2008 a similar pattern was used but months were indicated by the second half of the alphabet (N to Z), then :

8Nxx = 2008 January

8Pxx = 2008 February

8Qxx = 2008 March

8Rxx = 2008 April

8Sxx = 2008 May

8Txx = 2008 June
8Uxx= 2008 July
8Vxx = 2008 August
8Wxx = 2008 September
8Xxx = 2008 October
8Yxx = 2008 November
8Zxx = 2008 December

and so on....

(  "O" not used, since it's too similar to zero)

four-digits codes adopted since 2008: 
0T02 = year 2010
(not 2000, since it's the second-half of the alphabet)

If we find a Dior fragrance with a four-digit batch code with "a number, then a letter of the first half of the alphabet (A to M)", we know that can be dated to 1998-2007 ;

but if the four-digit code contains a number and a letter from the second half of the alphabet (N to Z), then it is 2008-2017.

*******UPDATE YEAR 2018*******

since year 2018 the batch code returns to first half of alphabet, so after 7Z01 (december 2017) you find 8A01 (January2018)

*********************************

Vintage batch-codes : before 1998.

So far we have seen the scheme from 1998-to-date. 

And before 1998?

The situation is more confused. It happens a similar mechanism - but not identical - where the number of digits is variable: three, four or five digits. The first number you see, it is the year

And you should however receive an help with:

- Barcode and / or Greendot (remember, barcode was adopted in 1990-1991, and Greendot in 1992)

- Address

- Year of the launch of that perfume ( easily found on the web).

- Estimation Sign, or bottles with "strange"  quantities, such as 23ml. , 54 ml . , 112 ml . , 216 ml… ).

Beware: it is a very empirical method , a bit imprecise , and it helps essentially in giving us an approximate answer.

So: when we see a batch codedifferent than the previous seen 4-digits-style, the scent is definitely prior to 1998. 
As said, the first number we find indicates the year.

Examples:

8R323 ( without EAN barcode , and "30 Avenue Hoche ") = 1988

4321P ( with EAN barcode, and " 33 Avenue Hoche ") = 1994

An exception of this rule : a few (very few) bottles made in 1998 still sport the 5-digits batch code (notably, "Eau de Dolce Vita", see pictures below)

Another example, more complicate:

You read "7231R" on a bottle of Christian Dior's "Poison" , what would it be? 1957, 1967, 1977, 1987 or 1997 ? 
Well, you read that "Poison " was launched in 1985 , it is very likely that it is 1987 or 1997. 
So what? check the EAN barcode. The box is without EAN barcode.

At the end, the most likely is that batch-number refers to 1987.

Another example: we find a bottle of "Diorella". It indicates "216 ml", with no symbol, and only the address "30 Avenue Hoche ," what will it be? In this case we do not know precisely, but the absence of any symbol and the "unusual quantity" makes us definitely go back before 1980. 
If we found the same bottle with the estimation sign, we could guess the beginning of the Eighties.

(see pictures below)

In this way - a very empirical way! - a fragrance can be tracked back at least until Seventies and Eighties.

-------------------------------
UPDATE April 2016: 
a guest post describing the importance of the "Formula" written on all Dior boxes (EdT, EdP, aftershaves) since year 2005.
------------------------------

(I would want to thank to many Basenotes users: Osoblanco, Zazzy, Sims1974, nfn1983, PaulP, RoRo and many others)

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TUTORIAL PICTURES

DIOR Perfumes
year-by-year
------------------------------------------------

1977

Dior-Dior, launched in 1976
batch 740G , no barcode, no estimation sign, no EMB code
 = year 1977

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1978

Diorissimo, batch 89X = year 1978

--------------------------------------------------

1981

(from ebay) Dior-Dior, created in 1976,
no barcode, 112 ml., batch nr. 1231M
= year 1981

Unusual amount (112ml.) + estimation sign, no barcode
= probably beginning of the 1980s.

Diorissimo, no barcode, address 30 Avenue Hoche
batch 1E049 = Year 1981

Dior-Dior, batch 1203M = year 1981

A quite unusual Diorella bottle with a sticker
(provided by distributor) reporting date:
14-september-1981

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983

Diorella with EMB and batch code 3B339K = year 1983

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
1984

Diorissimo, batch 4U335 + old address
 = year 1984


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1985

"Jules", launched in 1980, old address "30 avenue Hoche",
no barcode on the box, batch number 5488K
= year 1985

Miss Dior, batch 5621K + old address
= year 1985

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1987

(from ebay)
Miss Dior,  batch nr. 7E281, no barcode.
Old address "30 avenue Hoche" = year 1987

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1988

(from Zezzy, Basenotes)
 8Y532 = year 1988
(check the old address "30 Avenue Hoche")

Poison, batch 8W31 + old address
= year 1988

(from Sims1974, Basenotes)

Fahrenheit, 8R260 on the cellophane wrap = year 1988
(note the old address "30 Avenue Hoche")

Eau Sauvage, old address + no barcode
= before 1991 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1989

Poison, batch 977F + old address
= year 1989

(thanks to Thiago Martini)
 Fahrenheit batch 9798M + old address 30 avenue Hoche
 = year 1989

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1990

Poison, Batch code 032R + no Barcode 
+ old address "30 avenue Hoche"
= year 1990

Diorissimo, new address "33 avenue Hoche" + barcode
batch code Y0806 = probably year 1990.

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1991

1P678 = year 1991

Miss Dior "Amphora"
batch 1P678 = year 1991

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1995

Fahrenheit, batch  5Nxxx = year 1995

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1996

(from ebay) "Fahrenheit", batch number 6V285
new address "33, avenue Hoche"
=year 1996

Poison, batch code 6X449 + Greendot
= year 1996 (from ebay)

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1997

Fahrenheit, new address "33 avenue Hoche" + barcode, 
batch number 7473J = year 1997 

Dune pour Homme,

7279K = year 1997  

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

year 1998: SWITCHING TO 
4 DIGITS CODES

(using the first half of alphabet: A-to-M)

-------------------------------------------------------

.....but PAY ATTENTION HERE !!!!

From Damian, Poland.
 Here is a bottle of Eau de Dolce Vita, launched in 1998.
Here you can find the last 5-digits batch code (8214P)
used in first months of 1998 only.
After this, the code switched to 4-digits batches
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

batch 8G03 = year 1998

batch 8H01 = year 1998

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1999

(From Ro.Ro, Basenotes)
batch 9M01 = year 1999

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2000

Fahrenheit, batch 0L01 = Year 2000

Jules, batch 0F01 = year 2000

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2001

(from PaulP, Basenotes)
batch 1K01 = year 2001 

1G01 = year 2001 ( not 2011 !! )

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2002

batch  2J02 = year 2002  ( not 2012! )

Lily de Dior
 batch 2A01 = year 2002

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2005

(thanks to Roberto Greco)
Fahrenheit batch 5F05 = year 2005

Tendre Poison
batch 5K01 = year 2005

Diorella batch 5A01 = year 2005
(it's one of the last boxes without the long list of ingredients)

-------------------------------------------
year 2008 :4 digits batch code

 (using the second-half of alphabet N-to-Z)
-----------------------------------------------------------

2008

8R03 = year 2008 
(switching to the second-half of the alphabet, i.e. N-to-Z)

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2009

Fahrenheit,
batch 9X02 = year 2009

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2010

0T02 = year 2010
(not 2000, since it's the second-half of the alphabet)

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2011

Dior Homme Intense
batch 1R02 = year 2011

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2012

Fahrenheit, batch 2U03 = year 2012

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....and... 

Batch-codes

Year-of-production, 

all-you-need-to-know

about vintage perfumes in the following pages:

-GUERLAIN perfumes ( here )

-YVES SAINT LAURENT perfumes ( here )

-GIORGIO ARMANI Perfumes ( here )

-VAN CLEEF et ARPELS perfumes ( here )

-CHANEL perfumes ( here )

-BVLGARI perfumes ( here )

-HERMES perfumes ( here )

-VERSACE perfumes ( here )

-GIVENCHY perfumes ( here )

-GUY LAROCHE perfumes (here) 

-CACHAREL perfumes ( here )

-ROCHAS perfumes (here) 

-JEAN PATOU perfumes (here)

-LANCOME perfumes (here)

-CARON perfumes (here)

-CALVIN KLEIN perfumes (here)

-RALPH LAUREN perfumes (here)

-JEAN PAUL GAULTIER perfumes (here)

-SERGE LUTENS perfumes (here)

-GUCCI perfumes (here)

Plus:

Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent, visual guide (here)

Fahrenheit by Christian Dior, visual guide  (here)

Azzaro pour Homme by Azzaro, visual guide (here)

Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche, visual guide (here)

Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, visual guide (here)

Samsara by Guerlain, visual guide (here) 

and others..

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