How We Authenticate
There is no single test. Authentication is a discipline built from dozens of overlapping checks — each one a small certainty, together an unambiguous conclusion.
The word 'authentication' is used loosely in the luxury resale market. Some houses rely on certificates from third parties. Some rely on provenance documents that can be forged. We rely on the object itself — because the object is the only thing that cannot lie.
Step One: Material Inspection
We begin with the leather, cloth, or skin under natural light and a loupe. Grain consistency, dye uniformity, cut edges. Hermès, Cartier, and Rolex each have material signatures that are extraordinarily difficult to replicate at scale. The leather on a genuine Hermès bag, for instance, carries a specific smell — a result of the tannery and dyeing process — that no synthetic has matched.
Step Two: Hardware
Hardware is both the easiest and most commonly faked element. We test with a rare-earth magnet: genuine palladium and gold hardware shows zero magnetic attraction. We inspect engraving depth, font weight, and spacing. The Hermès clasp, for example, has a specific resistance when turned — too stiff or too loose and the mechanism is wrong.
Authenticity is not a single test. It is the convergence of thirty small certainties into one unambiguous conclusion.
Step Three: Provenance and Documentation
Where available, we verify original receipts, service records, and date codes. For watches, we cross-reference serial numbers with brand databases. For bags, we review date stamps and Hermès craftsman codes. We do not treat documentation as proof — we treat it as corroboration for what the object itself already tells us.