It is known that even back in the 1800?s Cuba produced the best cigars and these cigars were originally sold without labels. So how did the cigar label come about? Many historians can?agree that it was most likely Catherine the Great who provided the inspiration for the labels. ?As the story goes, 200 years ago the exuberant and demanding queen, Catherine the Great, lived in Russia.? Catherine, herself, was quite the cigar aficionado but was very disgusted by the tobacco stains that permeated into her fingers from holding the cigar. Because of this she ordered her cigars to be wrapped in silk. Others began to take notice and followed suit. In theory the cigar band was born. While Cubans were not concerned with cigar labels, claiming that a properly rolled cigar should not leave resin, many European and American customers were. The cigar band became a way for companies in the competitive cigar industry to set themselves apart. The fascination with labels even triggered a mass flow of collectors who hunt to find rare and discontinued bands. What better way to build upon the fascination with cigar bands than by allowing the customer to create their own and customized the specificities. These bands can be modeled after a classic band or entirely can be completely original. With ample opportunity to do so, who doesn't want to be spoiled like Catherine the Great?