Abstract: The present invention in one aspect is directed to a method for labeling the durable surface of an object for its identification, which object has a durable surface or a durable surface tag affixed to the object. This method includes the use of “pit and fall” (i.e., holes and bumps as are used to record compact discs, CD-ROMs) technology to encode durable surface objects with coded message. The coded message can be information on the owner, a history of the object, or any other information desired. The coded message would not be detectable to the human eye; however, by scanning the pits and falls with a laser, the coded message could be detected and displayed. Such coded message encoding could be used, for example, to label objects for their identification in case of theft, or in case of product counterfeiting or diversion.