How to Interpret the Authenticity Certificates Used by Time Chancellor

How to Interpret an NFT Certificate of Authenticity Provided by Time Chancellor

NFT certificates (non-fungible tokens—see note 1) are being used to record authenticity assessments of watches, sneakers, handbags, and other collectible and luxury products. Although the certificate page may contain technical terms, reading it is simpler than it seems.

In this guide, you will learn how to identify the most important information and understand what the certificate actually proves.

1. Check the Authentication Result

Look for the “Result” or “Authentication Result” field. The most common results are:

• AUTHENTIC: The item examined was deemed authentic.
• REPLICA or COUNTERFEIT: The item was deemed a replica or counterfeit.
• INCONCLUSIVE: The available information was insufficient to reach a conclusion.
• UNABLE TO VERIFY: Authentication could not be performed.

The result is the most important part of the certificate, but it should be interpreted alongside the other information in the report.

2. Identify the Product Examined

Check fields such as:

• Item category;
• Brand;
• Model or description;
• Custom case code.

Compare this information with the physical product. The brand, model, and other characteristics should match the item being presented or sold.

An overly generic description can make this comparison difficult. In that situation, also review the photographs attached to the report.

3. Check the Case Number

The “Case ID” is the unique number assigned to the authentication process. It serves as the certificate’s identifier.

This same number may appear:

• On the authentication company’s website;
• In the NFT;
• In the certificate’s URL;
• As the token number on the blockchain.

When these numbers match, the report can be linked to its corresponding digital record.

4. Check the Certificate Holder

The “Certificate Owner” field provides the name of the person associated with the certificate when it was issued.

Do not confuse this field with the “Owned by” label displayed on NFT platforms. They refer to different information:

• Certificate Owner: The person identified on the certificate;
• Owned by: The digital wallet that currently holds the NFT.

5. Review the Dates

The certificate typically displays two dates:

• Submitted At: When the request and photographs were submitted;
• Completed At: When the assessment was completed.

These dates help confirm the sequence of the process. Depending on the platform, the time may be displayed in a different time zone from yours.

6. Understand Who Performed the Assessment

The report may indicate the involvement of:

• Artificial intelligence;
• One or more human experts;
• A combination of both methods.

When different evaluators reach the same result, the certificate shows that their assessments agreed.

7. Confirm the Blockchain Record

The NFT certificate generally provides:

• The network used, such as Polygon or Ethereum;
• The contract address;
• The token number;
• A link to a blockchain explorer.

The blockchain allows you to confirm that a particular token exists and review its public history. It helps make the record traceable and more difficult to alter without detection.

However, the blockchain confirms that information has been recorded—it does not automatically establish that everything recorded is true. The conclusion about authenticity remains the responsibility of the company or experts who performed the assessment.

8. Consult the Original Report

Whenever possible, open the link to the report issued directly by the authentication company. Check that the case number, product, result, and photographs match the NFT.

The original report and the blockchain record are the best references for verification.

Quick Checklist

Before relying on an NFT certificate, confirm:

• The authentication result;
• The product’s brand, model, and category;
• That the product matches the photographs;
• The unique case number;
• The holder named on the certificate;
• The submission and completion dates;
• Who performed the assessment;
• That the NFT exists on the blockchain;
• That the case number matches the token number.

Conclusion

An NFT certificate serves as a public, traceable digital record of an authenticity assessment. It makes the report easier to verify and undisclosed changes more difficult.

Our watches are certified by LegitAPP.

LegitApp is an independent luxury goods authentication platform founded in 2020 by KaKit Chen, a former eBay software engineer, with the mission of combating counterfeiting and making transactions safer for buyers and sellers. The company authenticates watches, handbags, sneakers, clothing, jewelry, collectibles, and other products by analyzing photographs submitted through its app or portal. The process combines artificial intelligence models with independent assessments by at least two experts, ultimately issuing a result such as “Authentic,” “Replica,” or “Inconclusive,” accompanied by a digital certificate. According to figures published by the company, the platform has more than 2.5 million users, has completed more than 3 million authentications, and operates assessment centers in Vancouver, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. LegitApp is not affiliated with the brands whose products it assesses and operates as a third-party authentication company. Learn more on the official website.

1. “Non-fungible” means that it is unique and cannot be replaced by another identical token. In this context, the NFT serves as a unique digital record of the certificate on the blockchain.