Raiders of the Lost Scent: How to recognize CARON perfumes (1965-2015)

Dear Sirs,
we are a couple of avid scent collectors, and we stumbled upon your magnificent blog. What a surprise to be able to "decode" so many perfumes at last!
However, we noticed a big void: Perfumes CARON.
Hence here's a short guide for dating most CARON fragrances from 1965 to 2015. Please note this has to be intended as a tribute to Caron, one of the finest perfume brands ever created, and not for commercial purpose. Caron suffered many highs and downs during its history, but succeeded in maintaining an high standard of quality. Many Carons are really masterpiece of perfumery.
Unfortunately, the huge amount of different boxes and bottles produced for the same scent make the "dating" a bit difficult. Just as an example, more than fifteen different boxes/bottles of "Infini de Caron" were produced! Put simply, you can't rely on shape of the bottle (or textures on the boxes) only.
Here you will learn how to "decode" the batchcodes: not so easy at first sight, but you will soon understand the "pattern". A lot of tutorial pics will help you.
Anyway, please keep this guide free, and without commercial purposes.
Sincerely,
Alessandro C.
Gisella B.

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A brief historical summary...

- Year 1962: The owners of Parfums Caron sold the company to a group of French bankers and entrepreneurs (Hottinger/Elkann). They tried to modernize the brand, reorganizing all aspects from marketing to production, and in 1965 moved to new offices in "104, Rue de Richelieu, Paris". You can read this address on vintage leaflets (old addresses, before 1965, were: "Rue de la Paix"/"Place Vendome")

-Year 1967: A.H. Robins, an U.S. pharmaceutical firm, acquires Parfums Caron.
1970: launch of Infini
1976: launch of Yatagan

- End 1970s/ Early 1980s: Parfums Caron begin to suffer a decline in sellings, partially due to A.H Robins financial issues.
1980: launch of Eau de Caron
1981: launch of Nocturnes
1985: launch of Le 3eme Homme
1986: launch of Montaigne

- Year 1987: A.H Robins sells "Parfums Caron" to RevillonLuxe (group Cora-Revillon). Unfortunately, steady decline continues....
1990: launch of Parfum Sacre
1993: launch of Fleur de Rocaille
1994: launch of Eau de Cologne de Caron
1996: launch of AimezMoi

- Year 1997: After many years of poor sellings, Parfums Caron is sold to L.T. Piver.
1997: launch of Eau Pure de Caron and Eau Fraiche de Caron

- Year 1998: After just a few months, Ales Group (formerly Phyto-Lierac) acquires Parfums Caron (it's the current owner), trying to revamp the brand.
1999: launch of Eau Forte de Caron
2000: launch of L'Anarchiste and Lady Caron
2001: launch of Pour une Femme
2004: launch of Miss Rocaille and Tubereuse
2005: launch of Impact pour un Homme
2006: launch of Reglisse
2008: launch of Le Plus Belles Lavandes de Caron
2010: launch of Parfum Sacre Intense
2011: launch of Yuzu Man, Delire de Roses, Secret Oud, and Accord 119.

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If you want to identify your Caron.....
REMEMBER the CLUES!
(valid for european-made bottles only)

-EMB code on the box: appeared around 1977
-Barcode on the box: since 1990-1991
-Greendot on ther box: since 1992
-ADDRESS (paper inside the box) :
since 1965 until end of 1970s you will find a paper inside the box with the address: "104, Rue de Richelieu, Paris". No address on the box until 1992.

This is the paper you can find inside all Caron Perfumes since 1965
Check the address "104 Rue de Richelieu Paris".

then in 1992....
there is an ADDRESS printed on the BOX:
years 1992 - 1998 : "3, Avenue Percier, 75008 Paris"
years 1998 -1999: "40, Rue la Boetie, 75008 Paris" (very rare)
Since 1999: "99, Faubourg St. Honore Paris"
...and more specifically:
-between 1999 and 2001: "99, Faubourg St. Honore, Paris, Made in France"
-after year 2002: "99, Faubourg St. Honore, Paris, Made in France, Bezons."

and finally.....
-List of ALLERGENS: since 2004-2005

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The BATCH CODE :

the YEAR of production

is the last number, but......

Usually you will find a batch code of this type: "xxxxxx3" (it's an example)
You have to take in consideration the last number, because that is the "year of production". In this case could be 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003, or 2013. By adding other clues (addresses, EMB code, list of allergens, etc...) you will able to determine the correct date......

.....but BE CAREFUL:

....because batch codes were reported in different ways:

during 1960 until 1980: usually 6-7 digits batch code (numbers).

Typical batch code from 1960s to late 1970s
Just consider the last number (in this case, 7)

between 1980 and 1984/5 : there was a long batch code on the boxes with mixed letters and numbers. You have to check the FOURTH number. (Please note that these first four numbers on the BOX are the same on the bottom of the BOTTLE)

Just consider the fourth number:
this is the year of production (in this case, number 1, i.e. year 1981)

....and first four numbers on the box
are the same on the bottom of the bottle.

Between 1984/5 and 2001: one or two-rows batchcode (no letters, numbers only). You will find them on the bottom of the bottle, too.
You have to consider, again, the LAST number in the second row

A typical two-rows batch code: consider the last number in the second row:
in this case, 6 (it could be year 1986 or year 1996.
Actually it's 1986 because there is no address on the box. Addresses appeared in 1992)

An example of one-row batch code: "24590 118 1"
Consider the last number (1). It could be 1991 or 2001, actually it's year 2001,
because there is an address on the box.

Since 2002: 6 or 7 digits batch code, and you have to consider the last one. You can find these numbers etched on the back of the bottle, too.
(notable exception during years 2002-2003-2004-2005.....
there was a 5-digits code with letter "B" in the middle, i.e. Bezons, although it was seldom used. The year is always the last number)

Batch 011047: consider the last number (7), so it's year 2007

An example of the rare "Bezons" batch code (early 2000s):
in this case 44B02 = year 2002

The batch code on the back of the bottle

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BEWARE.....

the REF. is NOT the batch code!

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.....and, very roughly.....
boxes before and after 1975

"Muguet de Bonheur" before/after 1975

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IN A NUTSHELL.....

check for the clues (EMB code -barcode- address on the box -list of allergens)
-then check for the batchcode.

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TUTORIAL PICS

year-by-year

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YEAR 1970

Infini, launched in 1970, batch code: 011460 = last number is "0"
This is year 1970

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YEAR 1973

Infini, launched in 1970, batch 032493 . Last number is "3"
It is year 1973

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YEAR 1974

batch 013254 = year 1974
(ATTENTION: number 4 missing on the box! you could be fooled....)

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YEAR 1977

Fleurs de Rocaille, still without EMB code,
batch 010707 = year 1977

Batch 010707 = year 1977

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YEAR 1981

Yatagan, launched in 1976, batch 3151-YTVJ-152
you have to consider the fourth number on the box
or the last on the bottle (it's the same)
= year 1981

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YEAR 1982

Fleurs de Rocaille, EMB code on the box (since 1977)
batch "1692-RTRF-259", simply 1692 on the bottle,
you have to consider the fourth number. So it's year 1982

Yatagan, batch 3112 -YANG- 307
Fourth number it's 2, so it's year 1982

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YEAR 1983

Nocturnes de Caron
batch 2273-NTNJ-348 on the box, simply 2273 on ther bottle
you have to consider the fourth number = year 1983

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YEAR 1984

batch 3284 on the bottle = year 1984

Muguet du Bonheur, two rows batch 144560- 163- 4
you have to consoider the last number; it's 4 .
So, it's year 1984

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YEAR 1985

Le 3e homme, batch 2675 on the bottle = year 1985

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YEAR 1986

batch 174300 -227 -6, no barcode, no address
= year 1986

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YEAR 1989

batch code 1169, no barcode, no address
= year 1989

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YEAR 1990

batch 100620 -235 -0
without address (= before 1992)
= year 1990

Parfum Sacre Extrait,
batch 100950- 141-0 = year 1990

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YEAR 1991

Parfum Sacre EdP, batch 113660 135 1 = year 1991

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YEAR 1992:

NEW: address "Avenue Percier" on the box

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YEAR 1993

Fleur de Rocaille, address "Avenue Percier" (1992-1998)
batch 134138 -59-3
(Do not confuse with the Ref number)
= year 1993

batch 198670 -181 -3
= year 1993

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YEAR 1994

Address "Avenue Percier" (1992-1998)
batch 114290 -112 -4
= year 1994

Le n.3 de Caron

address "Avenue Percier" (1992-1998), batch 144820-159-4

= year 1994

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YEAR 1996

Address "Avenue Percier" (1992-1998)
batch 161010 -83 -6 = year 1996

Aimez-moi, launched in 1996,
batch 165930 -161 -6 = year 1996

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YEAR 1998

(NEW and RARE: address "Rue de la Boetie")

ATTENTION HERE ! Very rare address "40, Rue la Boetie"

batch 178910-71-8 = year 1998

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YEAR 1999

(NEW: address on the box: "rue du Faubourg St.Honorè")

batch 00xxx-106-9 = year 1999

Fleur de Rocaille, batch 13390-212-9

= year 1999

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YEAR 2000

Eau pure de Caron,
batch 18700 -120 -0 = year 2000

Fleurs de Rocaille, batch 19260 .242. 0
= year 2000

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YEAR 2001

Fleur de Rocaille,
batch 24590-118-1 = year 2001

Pour une Femme,
batch 153 -01 -1 = year 2001

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YEAR 2002

batch 25050 -012 -2 = year 2002

batch 26110- 010- 2 = year 2002

UNUSUAL Batch Code 44 B 02

short list of ingredients (= before 2005)

address "Faubourg St.Honore" (since 1999)

= year 2002

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YEAR 2003

unusual 5 digits batch code:
17 B 03 = year 2003

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YEAR 2004

UNUSUAL BATCH CODE 07 B 04
short list of ingredients (=before 2005)
address "Faubourg St. Honore" (=since 1999)
= year 2004

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YEAR 2005
(NEW: long list of ingredients with allergens on the box:
limonene, eugenol, coumarin, geraniol, etc)