You will see the words full set on listings for both bags and watches. It is worth knowing exactly what they mean, because they describe completeness, not authenticity.
A full set means the piece is being sold together with the items it originally came with. For a handbag that usually means the original box and dust bag. Where the bag has them, it also means the accessories that belong to it: the padlock and keys, and the small leather charm that holds them, on bags that were sold with them. It may include the receipt or an authenticity card if the owner kept them.
For a watch a full set usually means the original box and the papers: the warranty or certificate card, the booklets, and any spare bracelet links or tools that came with it. On a vintage watch the papers, if they survive, can be a useful piece of history because they connect the watch to a date and a first owner.
What a full set does not do is prove that the piece is genuine. Boxes and papers can be lost, and they can also be separated from a piece and offered with another one. That is why authentication is done on the piece itself. Every item we list is physically inspected by our specialists, and the box and papers are treated as additional documentation, not as evidence.
It also means a missing box is not a warning sign in itself. Many genuine pieces have lost theirs over the years. What it changes is completeness, and for some collectors a complete set is worth having. Every listing states what is included, in plain words, so you can weigh that for yourself.
Questions
Does a missing box or papers mean a piece is fake?
No. Many genuine pieces have lost their box or papers over the years. A full set makes a piece more complete, but the piece itself is what is authenticated.
What are 'papers' on a watch?
Papers are the documents that came with the watch when it was sold: typically the warranty or certificate card and the booklets. On a vintage watch they can link it to a date and a first owner.
What is included in a full set for a handbag?
Usually the original box and dust bag, plus the lock, keys and charm on bags that were sold with them, and the receipt or authenticity card if the owner kept them.