Box of Partagas SD4 (real or fake?)
- Thread starter Chaapa'ai
- Start date
I'm assuming you turned tge one cigar around. The box and box codes are right, tge bands look good from the pics. But tge question is the source, is it from a reliable one?
My only caveat is that I'm on my phone and can't look at the pics that well.
My only caveat is that I'm on my phone and can't look at the pics that well.
StogieNinja
Derek | BoM June 2014
PM me a person whose knowledge you trust with the name of the source. Everything looks ok to me (and the vac seal is a familiar touch) but the photos are poor resolution and I can't see everything clearly. With CCs, the source is the important thing. Trust your source.
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AlohaStyle
BoM Sept '12 & Aug '13
It doesn't look like there is any upc/serial code at the bottom of the warranty sticker. It's standard that gray market vendors tear these off but yours doesn't look like it was torn off, looks too clean in the picture. Maybe give a better picture for us to see.
Also, the band doesn't match up with the current band. I know PSD4 bands have changed a few times over the years, but it's not matching up with what CCW shows.
http://cubancigarwebsite.com/brand.aspx?brand=Partag|as
As said above, trust your vendor. Feel free to PM me if you want my opinion on vendor.
Also, the band doesn't match up with the current band. I know PSD4 bands have changed a few times over the years, but it's not matching up with what CCW shows.
http://cubancigarwebsite.com/brand.aspx?brand=Partag|as
As said above, trust your vendor. Feel free to PM me if you want my opinion on vendor.
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I keep going back to this pic and (as Ryan mentioned) there is no s/n AND it also seems to cut off the printing early (on the left) when compared to the sample seal on cubancigarwebsite.com and the one on my box (this could be angle of the picture though). It looks like there may be a white sticker over the s/n and part of the printing but if it is its very well and precisley placed. I also notice your warranty seal is very precisely placed to the edge of the box top.
I have a box of the same and mine has the s/n clearly visible, is not as precisely placed (but I don't know how much that really mens if anything other than the person that placed your seal is OCD
). On a positive note... all other features between boxes are the same. Can you post a pic of the seal on the short end of the box, head on so we can see what that looks like?
Your date code puts that box at two years old. Nice! Did they just send you that or did you have to request it?
Gents -
Thanks for the feedback! I will get some more pictures tomorrow (Fri, Mar 20) when I get home from a business trip. These pictures were courtesy of my wife humoring me with her camera skills.
(link to hi-quality images)
To answer, some questions.
Cheers!
Thanks for the feedback! I will get some more pictures tomorrow (Fri, Mar 20) when I get home from a business trip. These pictures were courtesy of my wife humoring me with her camera skills.
(link to hi-quality images)
To answer, some questions.
- Yes, I will take a picture of the hinges.
- Yes, the turned cigars were from my wife handling one or two of them. They came perfectly aligned.
- They were purchased from XXXREMOVEDXXX based out of Spain.
- The labels on the cigars themselves seem legit. Crisp edges, no bleeding, correct dots and spacing.
- I agree that the stamp where the barcode/code should be located seems to have a sticker covering it.
- Not sure if the near-perfect placement of the seal is troublesome.
- The age of the cigars surprises me as well. I didn't request that. Sh1t that's worrisome too.
Cheers!
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herfdog
I am no rocket surgeon
The clasp itself seems weird, but the hardware looks otherwise OK. That's the main reason I ask to see the hinges. I heard often of companies masking the bar code, particularly when shipping to the US. Likely scared of issues from US Customs. So far it seems good. If in real doubt you could splice one open and see its guts. That'll tell you way more than the box or the labels...
I'd just smoke them, sure they will taste great.
I'd just smoke them, sure they will taste great.
StogieNinja
Derek | BoM June 2014
I think the idea is that grey market vendors want to protect their suppliers, who aren't supposed to be providing them to the grey market. I know the two most popular vendors (same warehouse) often remove barcodes, or have in the past.
herfdog
I am no rocket surgeon
Grey market is something I have very little knowledge about, thanks for the clarification.
Mr. McSquirelly
Joe Bananas
Two things jump out at me, but I would like a clearer picture. The caps do not look tripled and seem to cover too much of the head. But again, the image is blurry and I would like to see a clearer image of the caps. If they are not triple caps, then it's a dead giveaway. The other thing is the foot. It looks a little too round. I believe PSD4s have a slight box-press. But again, this could be due to the photography. When you reshoot, take clear pictures of those caps at close focus. The box looks fine. But real box, fake sticks is always a possibility. Here's what mine looked like:
Here's what the caps should always look like:
If there was no rice paper insert under cedar insert, that may be a clue. But again, we're dealing with the poor quality control of Habanos S.A., so you never know what you're going to get. Feel free to p.m. me with vendor name. And I'll tell you what I know or have heard of that vendor. The other thing that's a little troubling is the lack of microprint serial numbers on the Cuban Seal. I think by 2012 Habanos S.A. had fully transitioned over to placing those microprint serials on every box. I might be wrong though. 2012 might've been the transition year. Vendors remove main serial to protect their license and regional distributor. But definitely post closeup pictures of those caps when you have the chance. I really want to see the caps from the second, third, fourth, and fifth cigars from the left side of the box. Those caps seem to cover a little too much space over and around the head. As far as I can tell, the box looks authentic.
Here's what the caps should always look like:
If there was no rice paper insert under cedar insert, that may be a clue. But again, we're dealing with the poor quality control of Habanos S.A., so you never know what you're going to get. Feel free to p.m. me with vendor name. And I'll tell you what I know or have heard of that vendor. The other thing that's a little troubling is the lack of microprint serial numbers on the Cuban Seal. I think by 2012 Habanos S.A. had fully transitioned over to placing those microprint serials on every box. I might be wrong though. 2012 might've been the transition year. Vendors remove main serial to protect their license and regional distributor. But definitely post closeup pictures of those caps when you have the chance. I really want to see the caps from the second, third, fourth, and fifth cigars from the left side of the box. Those caps seem to cover a little too much space over and around the head. As far as I can tell, the box looks authentic.
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AlohaStyle
BoM Sept '12 & Aug '13
As said above, please delete the vendor name... we can't discuss vendors publicly here.
I'm not at home with main pc so can't look up my "lists", but I've never used that vendor and don't know anyone that has. They are currently selling Cohiba 1966's for $395 a box... that is all you should need to know about that vendor. There's a few fake vendors known to work out of the Canary Islands as this site does.
I'm not at home with main pc so can't look up my "lists", but I've never used that vendor and don't know anyone that has. They are currently selling Cohiba 1966's for $395 a box... that is all you should need to know about that vendor. There's a few fake vendors known to work out of the Canary Islands as this site does.
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
StogieNinja
Derek | BoM June 2014
If you paid via credit card, definitely file a charge-back. I doubt they'll challenge it.I've got box of cigars you can buy...