Ownership verification guide
How to verify the authenticity of luxury goods
Paper receipts fade. Certificates of authenticity get faked. Serial numbers get cloned. This guide explains what actually proves ownership and authenticity — and why a Digital Ownership Certificate changes everything.
Why verification is broken
The luxury goods market loses an estimated £30 billion annually to counterfeits. But the bigger, quieter problem is legitimate goods that can't be verified — items that are genuine but can't be proven to be. A faded receipt, a missing box, a certificate that could have been printed by anyone. Buyers discount or walk away. Sellers lose money on items that are entirely real.
The 6-layer verification method
Physical inspection
Materials, stitching, hardware weight, engravings, and finish. Necessary but not sufficient — skilled counterfeiters replicate physical details to a high standard. Physical inspection alone cannot confirm ownership or provenance.
Serial number verification
Most luxury brands use serial numbers, date codes, or reference numbers. These can be verified against brand databases — but serial numbers can be cloned onto counterfeit items, and brand databases are not always publicly accessible.
Purchase documentation
Original receipts, invoices, and warranty cards establish purchase history. Paper documents fade, get lost, and can be forged. Digital purchase records are harder to fake but still don't prove current ownership.
Professional authentication
Services like Entrupy, Real Authentication, and brand-authorised authenticators provide expert opinions. Valuable for high-value items but adds cost, time, and still produces a point-in-time opinion rather than a permanent record.
Platform authentication
Resale platforms like The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, and Rebag authenticate items before listing. Useful for buyers on those platforms but doesn't create a transferable ownership record.
Digital Ownership Certificate
RecommendedA cryptographically signed record that links a specific item to a specific owner at a specific point in time — and accumulates every subsequent event into a permanent Ownership Passport. This is the only method that creates a transferable, verifiable ownership record that follows the item forever.
What a Digital Ownership Certificate proves
This item is genuine
The certificate is issued against verified item details, photos, and purchase documentation at the point of registration.
This person owns it
The certificate is cryptographically signed to a specific owner identity. Transfer requires both parties to authenticate.
This is the full history
Every ownership transfer, appraisal, service record, and provenance event is added to the Ownership Passport — creating an unbroken chain from first owner to current owner.
This cannot be faked
Each certificate has a unique QR code that resolves to the live Ownich record. Scanning the QR shows the real-time ownership status — a fake certificate cannot replicate a live QR.
Verification by category
Watches
Serial number, movement reference, case back engraving, box and papers, service history
Handbags & leather goods
Date codes, hardware stamps, stitching count, lining labels, authenticity cards
Art
Provenance documentation, exhibition history, artist signature, certificate of authenticity from gallery
Collectibles & sneakers
Box labels, insole stamps, factory codes, original receipts, authentication tags
Frequently asked questions
Is a Certificate of Authenticity the same as proof of ownership?
No. A Certificate of Authenticity (CoA) proves an item is genuine — it says nothing about who owns it. An Ownich Digital Ownership Certificate proves both: that the item is genuine and that a specific person owns it, with a full transfer history.
Can a Digital Ownership Certificate be faked?
No. Each certificate contains a unique QR code that resolves to the live Ownich record in real time. A fake certificate cannot replicate a live QR that shows the correct ownership status. The cryptographic signature on each certificate is tied to the issuing platform and cannot be reproduced.
What happens to the certificate when I sell the item?
You initiate a transfer on the Ownich platform. The buyer accepts the transfer and becomes the new verified owner. The full ownership history — including your ownership period — is preserved in the item's Ownership Passport. Nothing is deleted or overwritten.
Do I need the original receipt to register an item?
No, but it helps. Ownich accepts photos, purchase documentation, and item details as evidence. The more evidence you provide, the stronger the certificate. Items registered with full documentation command higher resale premiums.
Which luxury brands does Ownich work with?
Ownich works with any physical item regardless of brand. Consumers can register any item themselves. Brands and retailers can integrate via the Ownich API to issue certificates automatically at point of sale.