Vintage FAHRENHEIT: marvelous memories from the past (Christian Dior, 1988)

[Andrè Moreau]

VINTAGE FAHRENHEIT ("Burning red planet version"), by Christian Dior

I found an old bottle of vintage Fahrenheit "After Shave" in a store ("No one wants it, no one use aftershaves anymore..") and I bought it at very good price, because it was in a mint condition after so many years.
I am very fond to old Fahrenheit, it was one of the most famous perfumes in my school and university days, and it's still one of the best box ever created IMO, full of science-fiction rememberings...
What a memories!

Let's go and examine thoroughly this old gem!!

Vintage Fahrenheit is easily spotted because you can clearly see the "Red Planet" on the box, and the old letterings "Christian Dior", instead of "Dior" .Modern versions miss the "Red planet", sporting a generic red color.










NOTE: you can see the bar-code, this means "produced after 1996" (this is year 1997 bottle)


Ingredient list (brief and concise, still no restrictions/regulations at the time)


The opening


The internal brochure, in almost all the existent languages.




The bottom of the box


NOTE: the "After Shave" (or "Eau de Toilette") and "contents" are always in GOLDEN LETTERS; "Cristian Dior" always in white ones.




The beautiful "double surface" (dark red VS light red) of the Red Planet (it's a painting)



Note: the "Black part of the box" ...is not really black: it's a dark blue painting of the night sky!


Here's to you the famous "vintage bottle"






The Cap: upper part is ROUND, lower part is STRAIGHT



Screwing the cap.


Without the cap.


Bottom of the bottle (no address "avenue Hoch, etc.." is reported)


NOTE: the bottle is RED-ish in the upper part, YELLOW-ish in the lower part.
IMPORTANT: you can notice it only if the background is clear white



HOW TO SPOT FAKES?

The word "Fahrenheit" is always EMBOSSED: you can feel it with your finger.



the words "Aftershave/Eau de toilette" on the contrary are CARVED in the box


Batch code on box and bottle should be the same:

[hednic]

A True classic IMO.

[Spoombung]

Cool. Gret info.

I know where an indentical vintage version is displayed in a chemist's cabinet in south London. I haven't bought it because I think the modern version is just as good, if not better...

[David Ruskin]

There were IFRA restrictions and guidelines when Fahrenheit was launched, it just wasn't obligatory to print them on the side of the bottle. When this fragrance was launched it contained more Methyl Octine Carbonate than IFRA recommended. I still don't know how IFF got away with it for so long.

[alexwagner]

Nice find! Congrats

[Jack Hunter]

Great find as I think the current one is wonderful and long lasting so I can only imagine how good the vintage is. Enjoy!

[Odorloader]

That was so well done it should be sticky'd.

[Bigsly]

From what I understand, if the box has an "e" symbol, usually next to where the amount is listed in ml, that means it is from early to mid 90s or later. If anyone knows if that estimate symbol came to be used by all companies during a particular year, please let us know.

[Andrè Moreau]

The Estimation Symbol -at least in Europe- became mandatory in 1976. This is a formidable way to date very old perfumes

From what I understand, if the box has an "e" symbol, usually next to where the amount is listed in ml, that means it is from early to mid 90s or later. If anyone knows if that estimate symbol came to be used by all companies during a particular year, please let us know.

[Bigsly]

The Estimation Symbol -at least in Europe- became mandatory in 1976. This is a formidable way to date very old perfumes

Good to know but quite confusing. Does this mean that only scents marketed to both US and European markets would get the symbol printed on the box by the early to mid 90s? I have a bottle of Rochas Moustache, for example, with no "e" symbol and yet it doesn't look 1975 or earlier.

[sjg3839]

Great catch. Enjoy!

[Andrè Moreau]

Good to know but quite confusing. Does this mean that only scents marketed to both US and European markets would get the symbol printed on the box by the early to mid 90s? I have a bottle of Rochas Moustache, for example, with no "e" symbol and yet it doesn't look 1975 or earlier.

If it's the cylindrical glass bottle with small round silver cap, I had too, and it exists since 1955

[Ken_Russell]

Congrats on a great find and thanks for the extensive post, perfectly combining insightful, informative, detailed knowledge with an extensive, aesthetically enjoyable and equally detailed photo coverage.

[Surfacing]

Congrats on a great find and thanks for the extensive post, perfectly combining insightful, informative, detailed knowledge with an extensive, aesthetically enjoyable and equally detailed photo coverage.

^ What Ken said. Thank you Andre. I really want to give Fahrenheit another chance. I swapped away my bottle before, but quite enjoy the random wafts I sometimes encounter in public.

[MonkeyBars]

So thorough. The counterfeiters hate you. Good job homey.

[Bobster]

thank you for posting and reminding us of a true classic.

[mdclx]

Hi Andrè,
Today I bought my Fahrenheit Vintage After Shave, this stuff in wonderful!!







and now the family is complete...

[osoblanco]

Hi Andrè,
Today I bought my Fahrenheit Vintage After Shave, this stuff in wonderful!!

Your pictures provide some useful information! Now I know that the change from old style box and white batch codes to the second style box and black batch codes happened from 2001 to 2002.

[mdclx]

Sorry, but how do you arrive at that conclusion?

Your pictures provide some useful information! Now I know that the change from old style box and white batch codes to the second style box and black batch codes happened from 2001 to 2002.

[perfaddict]

Brilliant!

[osoblanco]

Sorry, but how do you arrive at that conclusion?

Because I know that the 2002 version came in the second box design (blue top, red bottom) and has black batch codes. I recently bought one from eBay, just in case you're wondering.

[Andrè Moreau]

Hi Andrè,
Today I bought my Fahrenheit Vintage After Shave, this stuff in wonderful!!

BRAVO !!

[nfn1983]

Hi Andrè,
Today I bought my Fahrenheit Vintage After Shave, this stuff in wonderful!!







and now the family is complete...

GREATTTTTTT!
Congratulation man!
Enjoy them from top to bottom...

[RoRo]

VINTAGE FAHRENHEIT ("Burning red planet version"), by Christian Dior

HOW TO SPOT FAKES?

The word "Fahrenheit" is always EMBOSSED: you can feel it with your finger.


the words "Aftershave/Eau de toilette" on the contrary are CARVED in the box

This is a wonderfully informative post, and I can definitely feel the love you have for Fahrenheit . That said, I am not sure the printing is always embossed and engraved on the "burning-red-planet" boxes. I have two bottles of "vintage" Fahrenheit EDT: a 50ml and a 100ml. On the 50ml box, the printing is as you describe, but the 100ml box is adorned with just simple printing with no embossing/engraving. And I can find nothing on the 100ml box or bottle (whose batch codes match, by the way) to indicate the product is counterfeit.

One more thing -- isn't your bottle older than 1997? Are you dating it based on something other than the bar code? I have reason to believe that all boxes* have had bar codes on them from the earliest batches.

rob

*10ml minis excepted, probably because they were not intended for sale.

[Attila]

Not enough pics

[RoRo]

Not enough pics

I just reposted smaller versions of the OP's pics for reference. Your comment was directed at me, I assume?
What is it you want to see more pics of?

[Attila]

I just reposted smaller versions of the OP's pics for reference. Your comment was directed at me, I assume?
What is it you want to see more pics of?

I was just being sarcastic, lol
It took me 5 minutes to be able to scroll down
Great post. lots of info.

[RoRo]

I was just being sarcastic, lol
It took me 5 minutes to be able to scroll down
Great post. lots of info.

lol! I thought that might be the case.
I should take pics of the 100ml bottle and box I'm talking about. I just got it, and would like to figure out when it was produced. Batch code is 9M01.

rob

[Andrè Moreau]

lol! I thought that might be the case.
Batch code is 9M01.
rob

Which color is the batch number printed on bottle? White or black?
Anyway, bar-codes were used since 1995-1996. Finding a box without bar-code is usually the most easy sign of vintage (any perfume)

[RoRo]

Well, I thought the batch code (100ml bottle) was white, but upon close inspection in good light with a magnifying glass, I see it actually silver. lol



And here are the 100ml and 50ml boxes together. The printing on the 50ml box is as you describe (embossed & engraved). But it has a bar code.

[Andrè Moreau]

BTW this is a magazine from February 1995. How the bottle appeared, in that year.

2013-04-29-1238.jpg

[Matheau]

Great post, I remember getting a Dior mini pack of fragrances a few years ago and I loved using Fahrenheit so much in the cold winters that I went out and purchased it.

A true classic.

[Andrè Moreau]

Really sorry to read this.... http://www.basenotes.net/threads/364...lling-expert-(

[RoRo]

Really sorry to read this.... http://www.basenotes.net/threads/364...lling-expert-(

My original point was simply to say that there seem to be inconsistencies -- in boxes and batch codes (i.e. reuse of old codes, etc.) as well. And I wanted to suggest to others that if they are looking at a burning-red-planet box printed with simple, flat text, they should not assume that the product is counterfeit based on that alone.

R

[Schilling]

Andre Moreau, That was great! Thank you so much for taking the time to photograph, label and post this for us, along with the history lessons.
I love Fahrenheit and will now need to start scouring sleepy, little drug stores for a good deal in its After-shave.

[Curly11]

Usually I don't frequent the men's forum, but I saw the words 'vintage Fahrenheit' and couldn't resist. Sometime around 1990, I was shopping and saw a bottle at a men's cosmetic counter. I opened the cap, took a good sniff, and considered buying it for myself because it smelled so good.

Thanks for the thorough tutorial!

[RoRo]

RoRo, That was great! Thank you so much for taking the time to photograph, label and post this for us, along with the history lessons.
I love Fahrenheit and will now need to start scouring sleepy, little drug stores for a good deal in its After-shave.

No, no, no! Credit Andrè for the great photos . He has done us all a service. My contribution was small, and specifically about the boxes.

Rob

[Schilling]

No, no, no! Credit Andrè for the great photos . He has done us all a service. My contribution was small, and specifically about the boxes.

Rob

Done. Thanks.

[osoblanco]

Well, I thought the batch code (100ml bottle) was white, but upon close inspection in good light with a magnifying glass, I see it actually silver. lol

9M01 in silver/white/grey (whatever you call it) printing = 1999

One more thing -- isn't your bottle older than 1997? Are you dating it based on something other than the bar code? I have reason to believe that all boxes* have had bar codes on them from the earliest batches.

No, his bottle really is from 1997. 7473J in silver printing = 1997

Regarding the barcode: I have one bottle from 1990 without a barcode, while another bottle from 1991 does have the barcode. So I assume that all boxes from 1991 onwards have barcodes.

[RoRo]

Interesting. It really is getting too much to keep track of all the packaging oddities.

But 1999? In the original design bottle and box? *sigh* I am rapidly becoming a convert -- convinced by those who suggest it's best to simply wear the stuff and enjoy it. lol

My 50ml bottle has a batch code of 4440V... at least I know what's in that one!

[osoblanco]

Interesting. It really is getting too much to keep track of all the packaging oddities.

But 1999? In the original design bottle and box? *sigh*

The box design appearently changed in 2002. mdclx posted an old box design from 2001 (see above) and I have two boxes from 2002, which are the follow up design (red bottom, blue top). Strangely enough, the bach code color on the bottle seems to have changed within the year 2002, as one of my bottles has a silver batch code while the other one has a black batch code.

My 50ml bottle has a batch code of 4440V... at least I know what's in that one!

That would be from 1994.

By the way, two things are strange about your 100 ml bottle.

1. "Fahrenheit" on the box is not embossed - All other old style boxes I've seen have the letters embossed, only the newer boxes (those two from 2002 I have) have it only printed rather than embossed.

2. Your bottle seems to go yellow towards the bottom. I thought they had changed that design by 1999, because I have a 50 ml bottle from 1999 that is red all the way through.

I really can't explain this, but it doesn't really matter ...

[Andrè Moreau]

Anyway, all perfumes (all brands) since 1950 should have a batch code printed/carved/painted somewhere.....
Anyway, remember to check the so-called "Green Dot Symbol" on the box. It was adopted through 1994-1996.
If it's missing, your bottle is surely 1988 to 1994

[osoblanco]

Anyway, remember to check the so-called "Green Dot Symbol" on the box. It was adopted through 1994-1996.
If it's missing, your bottle is surely 1988 to 1994

True, my 1994 bottle does not have the Green Dot yet.

By the way, when did they start engraving the batch code into the bottom of the box instead of printing it onto the plastic wrap? The earliest box I have that has the batchcode engraved directly into the box is from 1997. In 1994 it was only printed on the plastic.

[döfä91]

I remember when Fahrenheit was launched in the 80's it immidiately made me curious but after trying it to my skin, i immidiately realized this is not my cup of coffee. Don't like it nowadays a bit better. Yet i admit it's a well made fragrance and suits to some.

[nfn1983]

I just feel nostalgic viewing these pictures!
and of course regret not buying those precious bottles sooner when they were widely available...!

[nfn1983]

again thanks Andre for your great efforts...