Dior Saddle QC: the CD on the flap, the D charm and the embroidered strap

Bags QC & Legit Check
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TL;DR: the Saddle’s tells are its shape and its metal, more than the print.

The Saddle has an unusual curved, kidney-like shape, a CD initial on the flap, and a dangling D charm on the side. Often in Oblique jacquard, often with a wide embroidered strap. More on this in the thread on Dior Book Tote QC. What’s worth checking, and in what order?

Related threads: Lady Dior: God factory or Angel factory and Mini bags magnify every flaw.

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Shape first, because it’s the hardest to fix and the easiest to see:

  • The curve should be smooth and asymmetric like the reference, not a generic half-moon.
  • Measure width and height straight on against the reference; a few millimetres is normal, a centimetre isn’t.
  • The flap tip, where the CD sits, should have the reference’s shape and angle.

Stitching along the curve: count the stitches on a 2 cm section at the top and at the bottom of the curve. They should be about the same. Uneven spacing on a curve is a classic shortcut.

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The CD on the flap
Proportions of the C and the D, and how they sit on the flap tip. Straight on, against a reference.

The D charm

  • Shape of the D and its thickness.
  • How it hangs: it should swing freely from its ring, not be fixed in place.
  • Plating tone matching the CD.

Why it matters
These are the parts people look at from a step away. The jacquard is only checked up close.

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Pros and cons of Oblique jacquard Saddles in the QC threads:

Pros: the jacquard pattern is usually well reproduced.
Cons: alignment across the curve. The pattern has to follow the curve without looking cut off at the seams, and that’s where flaws show. :slightly_smiling_face:

What does everyone check on the strap?

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The strap is the part others miss. The wide embroidered strap with the lettering is often judged on the embroidery alone. Look at the edges: the leather or binding along the strap, and how the strap attaches to the bag. That’s where wear shows first, and where a strap gives itself away even when the lettering is right.

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On the embroidery itself: letter spacing even, letters fully filled with no gaps, and the lettering centred on the strap width. The Dior Book Tote QC thread has good detail on judging embroidered lettering.

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Common false alarm
The Saddle looks lopsided in almost every photo taken at an angle. That’s the design. Judge the shape only in a straight-on shot.

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Saddle-style QC in order:

  1. Shape (straight on, against a reference): smooth asymmetric curve, flap tip shape and angle, width and height within a few mm. Batch-level.
  2. Stitching along the curve: similar stitch count per 2 cm at the top and bottom of the curve.
  3. CD on the flap: proportions of C and D and their position on the tip.
  4. D charm: shape, thickness, hangs freely from its ring, same plating tone as the CD.
  5. Oblique jacquard (if present): follows the curve without looking cut off at the seams.
  6. Strap: embroidery spacing, fill and centring; then the edges and attachment points.

False alarm: lopsided-looking shape in angled photos. Always judge shape straight on.

Pics straight on next to a reference at the same scale, plus close-ups of the CD flap tip and the D charm, would make QC calls much easier.

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Pros: order is clear. Cons: none. Bookmarking this. :+1: