Mmm, I think you may be confusing perception vs. reality. As much as we'd like to think the two are inseparably joined and it's impossible to fake being genuine (or vice versa, impossible for a really genuine thing to be perceived as inauthentic), I don't think the facts support that idea.
Authenticity is a brand, and you will be rewarded for it by the customer.
Honesty is a quality that can only be recognized when someone maintains truthfulness and fair-dealing when they know that they will be punished for it.
Honesty will, if anything, destroy your authenticity.