Hologram Question

[Gar]

Hello all,

I came across an oddity and wanted to get the public opinion.

2 different vendors, 2 different boxes, and 2 different hologram seals attached to the warranty seal.

One seal shows the word "habanos" in gold print that always looks clear from all angles. To the naked eye it does not color shift with the rest of the hologram as the box is tilted to different angles. The letters never get "blurry".

The second seal looking straight down has the "habanos" word looking blurry. At a specific side angle the letters become clear. On this seal the letters do color shift as you angle the box in different directions.

It turns out trying to photo exactly what the naked eye sees is very difficult with holograms. I have attached photos to demonstrate what I am talking about. Both vendors are 100%, so it seems odd to me that the holograms would be so different. I even used a color copier and both are the same angle, but so different. Any thoughts?

Seal 1, then 2.





Here are both next to each other. Seal 1 left, seal 2 right.



Seal 2 left, seal 1 right.



Copier images. Seal 2 on top, seal 1 on bottom.



Thanks in advance for your thoughts. It would seem to me that the hologram should always be the same. A search of the web did not discuss this. Seal 1 is a 2013 box, seal 2 is 2012. Some variation on visibility of micro printing above and below the word habanos is also evident. All photos taken at the same angle and lighting.

 

[Gar]

Update: 4 boxes now from same vendor. All 4 boxes are different brands. All 4 are summer months of 2013. All 4 have the seal listed as "seal 1" in previous post.

Could this be a misprint or "bad" run of holograms? Has there been an history of Cuba allowing a bad batch of seals to go out?

Thank you for any input.

 

[Rupe]

I checked the boxes that I have on hand and both have label #2 on them.

One is from April of 2011 and the other is from June of 2012.

 

[AlohaStyle]

This talks a bit about the seals/holograms... http://cubancigarwebsite.com/info-packaging.aspx#BoxSeal

just scroll down a bit.

 

[AlohaStyle]

I just did a quick look of a few boxes and they all have the blurry lettering as in seal #2.

 

[hdroadglide]

I just did a quick look of a few boxes and they all have the blurry lettering as in seal #2.

Put your glasses on and try again

 

[AlohaStyle]

Nah Bob, I just need more bourbon.


In looking through more of my boxes something caught my eye that looked really strange and out of place. A Monte#4 box from Aug 2010 that I got from a LCDH had a hologram that looked almost like it would be tin foil. The hologram coloring was almost non-existent and the entire hologram area looked like it faded out into an almost tin foil type material/color. I typed in the serial code and it matched up as authentic showing it's a Monte 4 box, plus I got it from a trusted LCDH.

So... shit happens. lol

 

[AlohaStyle]

Well hot damn... I finally opened up a package I've had sitting around a bit knowing there are a couple of 2013 boxes in there, sealed in plastic. Sure enough, they are July 2013 codes like you have and they have the precise/crisp lettering like you have in the questionable holograms. My 2 boxes came from a well-known and respected LCDH, I have no question about authenticity.

Looks like we do have a hologram change or mistake... great catch man! I'm guessing it's a change that isn't widely known.

 

[Wicket]

2013 also

 

[vivalanation734]

Sounds like Cuba is being Cuba again.

 

[Jfire]

2010 cab of party shorts Habanos is clear at certain angles.
2013 SLB of CoRos Habanos is clear at all angles. Sounds like Ryan is on to something. New Hologram change in that the Habanos is more "stagnant" at every angle.... Nice catch Gar!

 

[thejavaman]

Sounds like Cuba is being Cuba again.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Gar]

Earliest box code showing this "new" hologram was JUN 13.

I spoke to cubancigarwebsite (Alex) and he did some digging. He also found evidence of this hologram change. He will do a bit more research, but he thinks this may be a mid-2013 change to the official hologram. He will update the site accordingly once he confirms that it appears to not be just a bad batch of seals.

It also looks like the left half of the tobacco leaf just below the H and OS appears to color shift separately from the right half of the leaf as the box is tilted.

Thank you everyone for the input.

UPDATE: Alex did confirm that this was a Hologram change around April/May. He has updated www.cubancigarwebsite.com.