Glossary of Pre-owned Luxury Terms

Japan has one of the world's most developed markets for pre-owned luxury, with its own conventions for describing condition and accessories. This glossary explains the terms used for bags, small leather goods, watches and jewellery.

Condition grades

Japanese shops grade condition on a lettered scale. The exact wording varies, but the ranks broadly mean the following.

  • N or NS. New or unused.
  • S. Close to new, perhaps displayed or used once.
  • SA. Very light use with minimal signs of wear.
  • A. Light use with small signs of wear.
  • AB. Visible but moderate wear.
  • B. Clear signs of use throughout.
  • BC and C. Heavy wear, staining or damage.

Accessories

  • Full set. The item with all its original accessories.
  • Guarantee card. The brand's card or certificate, often dated and stamped by the boutique.
  • Dust bag. The cloth bag supplied for storage.
  • Store receipt. A dated receipt from a boutique, a useful supporting document.
  • Clochette and padlock. The leather key holder and lock supplied with some bags.

Codes and stamps

  • Date code. A letter and number code inside a bag giving the factory and date of manufacture.
  • Blind stamp. A small stamp in the leather giving the year and craftsperson.
  • Serial sticker. A numbered sticker inside older bags, often paired with a card.
  • Microchip. An embedded chip that has replaced date codes in some recent bags.

Leather and hardware

  • Vachetta. Untreated natural leather trim that darkens to a honey patina.
  • Corners. The most worn point of a bag, examined closely in grading.
  • Edge paint. The coloured finish on cut leather edges, which can crack with use.
  • Hardware. Metal fittings, judged for scratches, plating wear and tarnish.
  • Stickiness. Deterioration of coated linings in older bags.

Jewellery marks

  • K18 and K24. Japanese stamps for 18 and 24 carat gold.
  • Pt900 and Pt950. Platinum of 90 and 95 per cent purity.
  • SV925. Sterling silver.
  • Carat stamps. Japanese jewellery often has the weight of the principal stone stamped on the shank.

Japanese market terms

  • Seikihin. Goods imported through the brand's official Japanese distribution.
  • Heikō yunyū. Parallel imports brought in outside official channels.
  • Kaitori. The buying desks of Japanese pre-owned luxury shops.

Related references

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