Shared language
Evidence glossary.
Short definitions for the terms PieceID uses to separate identity, condition, provenance, comparison and authenticity questions.
Identity and configuration.
- Claimed identity
- The brand, model, size, material, reference and period asserted by a seller, owner or document. It remains a claim until independently supported.
- Configuration
- The specific combination of model, dimensions, material, colour, hardware, movement or construction relevant to a comparison.
- Reference
- A manufacturer-used identifier associated with a product configuration. A plausible reference does not uniquely identify a physical item.
- Date code or stamp
- A production-related marking whose meaning and format may depend on brand, period and location. It is one evidence point, not proof.
Evidence and provenance.
- Observed evidence
- A feature directly visible in the material being reviewed, described before interpretation.
- Independent evidence
- Information arising from a genuinely separate source. Multiple copies of one document are not independent evidence.
- Provenance
- The documented history of origin, ownership, sale, service or custody associated with an item.
- Service history
- Records or claims about repairs, maintenance and replaced components that may explain differences from an original configuration.
- Comparison boundary
- The model, reference, period and material limits within which a comparison is relevant.
Uncertainty and escalation.
- Unresolved
- A question that available evidence cannot answer. Unresolved does not mean counterfeit.
- Inconsistency
- A documented conflict between evidence and a relevant, identified comparison source. Its significance still requires interpretation.
- Specialist review
- A physical, technical, historical or high-stakes question that should be examined by a qualified independent professional.
- Authenticity verdict
- A conclusion about origin. PieceID’s current public guides organize evidence but do not issue certificates or definitive verdicts.
Read the editorial policy or choose a model in the guide library.