A guide to Serge Lutens perfumes: from vintage classics to modern creations, covering historical periods, boxes, bottles, labels, and all the details you need to identify Serge Lutens fragrances.
Introduction
SERGE LUTENS is one of the most acclaimed "niche" perfume houses, with a cult status and a huge amount of enthusiastic followers.
During the Nineties (approx. until 1999) all scents "by Serge Lutens" were launched under the Shiseido label ("Les Salons du Palais Royal - Shiseido, Paris"), in the classic "Bell Jar" transparent bottles, with a white-purple label, stored inside a white-purple box. These early bottles are very rare nowadays.
During 1999/2000, Serge Lutens officially launched a new line signing his perfumes with his own name, and adopting a "new" traditional, rectangular bottle, alongside the old, traditional "Bell Jar" ones.
Between 2000 and 2010 all scents sported the "Palais (Palace) Royal" as a logo in front of both box and bottle. After 2010, Lutens adopted the "SL" logo instead of the "Palace".
Evolution of the Bell Jar Label
Here is the progression of the three different labels on the classic "Bell Jar" bottle ("Encens et Lavande"):
Rectangular Bottle Evolution
Below are two "new" rectangular bottles (produced since 1999) showing the transition of the logo:
Not considering the early "Shiseido" era (until 1999), there is at least another method to recognize "Serge Lutens" perfumes, other than the logo: the INGREDIENTS.
This method is adopted by those fragrance-enthusiasts who want to avoid any suspicion of "reformulations". You should check for the "list of allergens" (i.e., coumarin, linalool, limonene, geraniol, etc.), which has been mandatorily reported on all boxes since 2005.
Since some claim all SL fragrances were "reformulated" after 2006–2007, reading the ingredients is the most reliable way to verify a "vintage" production. If the allergens don't appear in the frame on the back of the box, the bottle dates to before 2005.
The main clues
- 1999–2005: "Palace" logo without allergens.
- 2005–2010: "Palace" logo with allergens.
- After 2010: "SL" logo.
Other important clues
The first one is the old address. During the early years (1999–2003), Serge Lutens used the "Symbole Luxe International" printed on the box and on the bottom of bottles. If you read this line, it's a very early bottle.
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| "Symbole Luxe International" written on box and on the sticker. These are early bottles (years 1999-2003) |
Another clue: the web-address. It's a very generic clue indeed. The web-address ( www sergelutens com ) appeared as "the last line" on the back side of the boxes between years 2008-2009 depending on perfumes. So you can roughly assume a box without web-address was produced before 2008-2009 (see pictures)
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| "Rousse", launched in 2007: the last year without the web-address |
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| "Chergui", year 2008 here you can see the web address on the last line (www sergelutens com ) |
Another clue: FDP or EDP? During early years you could read "Fond de Parfum" on certain bottles, instead of "Eau de Parfum".
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| A typical "Fond de Parfum" box. |
But if you want to date all fragrances you have to use...
The "Serge Lutens" batch code:
First letter is the year:
("Shiseido" years, not fully verified)
A = 1994
B = 1995
C = 1996
D = 1997
E = 1998
F = 1999 (since 1999/2000: "Serge Lutens" years)
G = 2000
H = 2001
J = 2002
K = 2003
L = 2004
M = 2005
N = 2006
P = 2007
Q = 2008
R = 2009
S = 2010
T = 2011
U = 2012
V = 2013
W = 2014
X = 2015
....and the second letter is the month:
A = january (B not used)
C = february (D not used)
E = march (F not used)
G = april (H not used )
J = may (K not used, etc...)
L = june
N = july
Q = august
S = september
U = october
W = november
Y = december
TUTORIAL PICS
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| "Rose de Nuit" labelled "Les salons du Palais Royal Shiseido" (until 1999) |
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| "Ambre Sultan" by "Les Salons du Palais Royal- Shiseido" (until 1999) (from ricardo. ch) |
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| "Ambre Sultan" during "Shiseido" years batch CWxxx = probably year 1996 (from: ricardo. ch) |
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| One of the first bottles ever produced: "Arabie". batch FJxxx = 1999, May |
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| "A la Nuit" batch JLxxx = 2002, June (printed on glass, unfortunately it's easy to erase) |
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| "Un Bois Vanille" (launched in 2003) batch KJxxx = 2003, May |
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| "Sa Majestè la Rose" batch MLxxx = 2005, June |
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Four different batches:
MYxxx = 2005, December --- QYxxx = 2008, December MCxxx = 2005, February --- MYxxx = 2005, December |
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| "Chypre Rouge", (launched in 2006), batch NJxxx = 2006. May |
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| "Fumerie Turque" batch NYxxx = 2006, December |
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| "Bois et Fruits" batch PQxxx = 2007, September |
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| batch RNxxx = 2009, July |
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| "Muscs Koublai Khan", batch RNxxx = 2009, July |
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| "Bois de Violette", ingredients with allergens ( = after year 2005) and batch QAxxx = 2008, January |
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| "Clair de Musc" batch RCxxx = 2009, february |
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| "Un Bois Vanille" batch RNxxx = 2009, July |
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| Batch TUxxx = 2011, October |
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| Batch TNxxx = 2011, July |
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| "Nuit de Cellophane" batch UQxxx = 2012, August |
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| "Jeux de Peau" batch VQxxx = 2013, August |
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| A modern "Bell Jar" bottle, batch UGxxx = 2012, April. |
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| Another modern "Bell Jar" bottle, batch WSxxx = 2014, September |
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| "Feminitè du Bois" batch WUxxx = 2014, October |
For a few images it was not possible to know the author or original provenience.
We are ready to add authors, or to remove pictures.)
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SPECIAL EDITIONS
And THE LAST WORD...
"Serge Lutens" playing cards: enjoy!
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Where did you get the information to date bottles and batch codes so precisely?
ReplyDeleteHi, sorry for late reply.
DeleteSpecifically related to Serge Lutens codes, two enthusiast collectors gave us all pictures we needed, and explained the SL "method" in details.
Regards,
Laura
Great work!! No words.
ReplyDeleteAmazing work! Very much appreciated, THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteWhat about the testers ones ?
ReplyDeleteFantastic article
ReplyDelete