Hodinkee
This Platform Aims To Combat Counterfeiting By Giving Your Watch Its Own DNA Sequence
Year over year, it's becoming increasingly important for luxury brands to back their products with traceability for precious materials like gold and gemstones, both for regulatory and compliance bodies and for conscious consumers. Traceability has become a greater concern with the rise of counterfeiting and the growing demand for transparency in ethical material sourcing. We have seen several watch and jewelry brands taking matters into their own hands by establishing their own traceability programs, from Rolex to Breitling, as well as the entire LVMH group. Here, many brands are relying on the expansion of blockchain technology to create digital passports for their wares. However, one company is taking things even deeper to a forensic level. In 2016, Haelixa started with a mission to streamline traceability within supply chains by developing a patented DNA-based technology to verify product origin and authenticity. "The first application of our DNA markers started at the supply chain level with raw materials," explains Klemens Link, Haelixa's Director of Anti-Counterfeiting and Brand Protection. "We began with textiles but have since expanded into precious metals as well as gemstones. We can apply our DNA-based nanoparticles to rough stones directly at the mine or to rough gold directly at the refinery." On the other end of the spectrum, Haelixa can also implement its technology beyond raw materials and directly to finished goods. "Here, the value proposition is different...
