Authentication
How we authenticate
By the Encore Luxe specialists · Reviewed by Encore Luxe Authentication · Updated October 2026
Every piece in the Encore Luxe shop has been through the same process before it is listed. That process is not one test but a series of observations, each made by people who have handled a great many genuine pieces and who know how the houses build them. This guide explains how we work. It describes our approach rather than a checklist. Some specifics we keep private, because published checklists are studied by the people who make copies.
This guide is for general information and is not a substitute for professional authentication.
Principle one: consistency, not a single tell
The most important idea in authentication is that a genuine piece is consistent. The leather is the leather the house used for that model in that year. The stitching matches the house's technique. The hardware has the right weight, finish and engraving for the era. The stamps use the right font and placement. The serial, date code or chip agrees with all of these.
A good copy may get one or two of these right. It rarely gets them all right at once. So we never decide on the strength of one detail, however convincing, and we never dismiss a piece on the strength of one detail without understanding why it differs. Genuine pieces vary, houses change suppliers and methods, and repairs happen.
Principle two: the piece, not the paperwork
Boxes, dust bags, authenticity cards, certificates and receipts are useful context, but they are also among the most copied items in luxury. Genuine pieces are frequently separated from them over years of use. We check paperwork for consistency with the piece, but we authenticate the piece itself.
The process
1. First handling
A specialist handles the piece before looking at any detail. Weight, balance, the feel of the leather or metal, the way a bag stands or a bracelet moves, even the smell: these first impressions are hard to fake and often tell an experienced specialist where to look more closely.
2. Materials
We examine leather grain, canvas print and colour, metal colour and finish, and stones under magnification. We confirm that the material is what the house would have used for that model and period.
3. Construction
We look at how the piece was made: stitch count, spacing, angle and tension; edge painting; quilting alignment; lining; the fit of panels; the finishing of a watch case; the setting of stones. Each house has its habits, and those habits are remarkably consistent.
4. Hardware and markings
Clasps, locks, zips, screws, engravings and stamps are examined for weight, depth, font, spacing and placement. We compare them with reference pieces from the same house and era.
5. Codes, serials and chips
Where a piece carries a date code, serial number, hologram sticker, blindstamp or microchip, we check that it is present where expected, formed correctly and consistent with everything else we have seen. For watches we also consider reference and serial against the features of the case, dial and movement.
6. Specialist testing where needed
For some pieces we go further: testing precious metals, examining stones, opening a watch to inspect the movement where appropriate, or consulting archives and reference material.
7. Second review
Anything complex, rare or unusual is reviewed by a second specialist. If either specialist has any doubt that cannot be resolved, the piece is not listed.
8. Condition and documentation
Once a piece is authenticated, it is graded for condition, photographed and described. We record exactly what is included. See how we grade condition.
What authentication is not
Authentication tells you that a piece is genuine. It is not an appraisal, and our guides are about the pieces themselves. It also cannot always tell you a piece's full history: where it was bought, by whom, or how it has been stored.
Guides by house
We publish guides to what we look at on some of the most frequently copied pieces:
- Chanel Classic Flap
- Hermès Birkin and Kelly
- Hermès blindstamps
- Louis Vuitton Speedy and date codes
- Rolex, Omega
- Cartier Love bracelet, Tiffany & Co., Gucci
Our commitment
If we are not certain, we do not offer the piece. That is the whole of our standard, and it applies to every piece in the shop.
Encore Luxe is an independent retailer of authenticated pre-loved luxury and is not affiliated with any house whose pieces we offer.
Questions we’re often asked
- How long does authentication take?
It depends on the piece. A straightforward bag may be examined in one sitting. A complex watch or an unusual vintage piece may take longer, with reference material consulted and a second specialist involved.
- Do you use any technology to authenticate?
Yes, alongside our specialists' experience. We use magnification, controlled lighting, precise measurement and reference archives, and for some pieces we read microchips or test metals and stones.
- Is a single detail ever enough to decide?
No. Copies are often made to pass the best-known checks, so we look at whether every element of a piece is consistent with every other and with its era.
- What happens to pieces you cannot authenticate?
They are not listed. We would rather decline a piece than offer one we are not certain of.