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LOT&GAVEL
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Authentication

How we authenticate

Every piece sold on Lot & Gavel passes through our New York studio before it reaches a buyer, whether our own buyers found it or an independent seller sent it in. This is what happens there, and what we put on record.

Our authenticity guarantee

The process

Five steps, in the same order, for every item

Specialists work in one category only. A watch is never checked by a handbag specialist, and the person who prices an item is never the person who authenticates it.

  1. 01

    Intake

    Each piece is logged, weighed and photographed on arrival, and given a lot number it keeps for good. Nothing is cleaned, polished or repaired before inspection.

  2. 02

    Inspection

    A specialist examines the piece against our reference library and a written checklist for that maker and period. Boxes, receipts and certificates are reviewed, but never treated as proof on their own.

  3. 03

    Second review

    Anything priced at $10,000 or more, and anything a specialist has doubts about, is examined again by a second specialist who hasn’t seen the first report. If the two don’t agree, we don’t sell it.

  4. 04

    Grading

    We assign one of five condition grades, write up every flaw, and photograph each one so the listing shows exactly what the buyer will receive.

  5. 05

    Sealing

    Items that pass get a tamper-evident Lot & Gavel tag printed with the lot number, and their ledger entry is opened. The tag must still be attached for a return to be accepted, which protects every buyer who comes after you.

What we check

By category

These are the main points our specialists record. The full checklists run longer and change as new references and new fakes appear, so we don’t publish them in detail.

Handbags and leather goods

  • Leather or skin: grain, feel and edge finishing, compared with references for the year
  • Stitching: count per inch, angle, thread color, and hand or machine work
  • Heat stamps, blind stamps, date codes and serial labels
  • Hardware weight, plating, engraving and screw types
  • Interior construction, lining and pocket placement
  • For exotic skins, the documentation needed to sell them legally

Watches

  • Serial and reference numbers checked against each other and known production ranges
  • Case back opened by a watchmaker, and the movement inspected and photographed
  • Rate, amplitude and beat error measured on a timegrapher and recorded
  • Dial, hands, bezel, crystal and bracelet checked for replaced or aftermarket parts
  • Water resistance tested where the watch is rated for it
  • Box, papers and service records matched to the serial number

Fine jewelry

  • Hallmarks, maker’s marks, signatures and serial numbers
  • Metal content confirmed with non-destructive XRF testing
  • Diamonds and colored stones tested, and any existing lab report matched to the stone
  • Weight, measurements and stone count recorded
  • Settings, clasps and links checked for wear and security

Ready-to-wear and accessories

  • Labels, care tags, fabric composition and country of origin
  • Construction, seams, linings, buttons and zippers
  • Season and collection identified from tags and archive references
  • Measurements taken flat and added to the ledger entry
  • For silk scarves, print registration, hem rolling and care labels

Condition

Five grades, applied strictly

We don’t round up. If a piece falls between two grades, it gets the lower one, and the notes explain why.

  • PristineUnused

    Unused, or no visible sign that it has been used. Protective film may still be on the hardware, and original packaging is often included.

  • ExcellentLightly used

    Used a handful of times. Minor marks that you’d only notice up close, such as faint hairline scratches on hardware or a slight softening of the leather.

  • Very goodUsed with care

    Light wear you can see at arm’s length: softened corners, light scratches, slight creasing or a faint mark to the lining. Every one is noted and photographed.

  • GoodRegular use

    Clear signs of regular use, such as corner rubbing, scratches, creasing or color transfer. Structurally sound and fully working.

  • FairHeavy wear

    Heavy wear or past repairs, priced to reflect it. We only list fair-grade pieces when they’re rare enough to be worth owning anyway, and every issue is described.

Ledger entryLot no. 0431

Rolex Datejust 36, ref. 16234

Year
1995
Case
Steel, white gold bezel
Movement
Cal. 3135, automatic
Timing
+2 s/day, 286°
Condition
Excellent
Box and papers
Yes, matching serial
Sourced by
Independent seller, TX
Owners on record
1
Service
Rolex service, 2021
Authenticated
Sep 22, 2026

Specialist 05
Entry LL-0431-26

The ledger entry

What each line means

Lot number
Permanent. If the piece is sold through us again, it keeps the same number and the entry is extended, not replaced.
Era or year
Based on date codes, serial numbers, hallmarks or construction. We write “c.” when it’s an estimate.
Condition
One of our five grades, with notes on every flaw.
Sourced by
Whether it came through one of our buyers, an independent seller or a dealer, and the region. We never publish a seller’s name.
Owners on record
Previous owners we can document from receipts, service records or seller declarations. If we can’t document it, the entry says “Unknown”.
Service
Known repairs, refurbishments and services, with dates.
Authenticated
The date, and the ID numbers of the specialists who signed it off.

Our authenticity guarantee

If anything you buy from Lot & Gavel is ever shown not to be authentic, we’ll refund what you paid in full, including shipping and sales tax. There’s no time limit.

The full terms will be part of our Buyer Terms, which we’ll publish before we open in March 2027.

Turned away

What we won’t sell

  • Counterfeits and “replicas” of any quality, and anything with a removed or altered serial number.
  • Items reported lost or stolen. We check serial numbers against stolen-property registers where they exist, and report matches to the police.
  • Elephant ivory, rhino horn and tortoiseshell, in any amount.
  • Exotic skins without the documentation needed to sell them legally in the buyer’s state.
  • Pieces too damaged to grade fairly, or repaired with non-original parts that we can’t identify.

When an independent seller’s item doesn’t pass, we return it, fully insured, and let them know. We don’t explain exactly which checks it failed, because that information is most useful to counterfeiters.

See it for yourself in March

Every listing will show its full ledger entry and condition photographs. Join the waitlist to see the opening collection 48 hours early.

Join the waitlist Authentication questions