Age and growth estimates underpin almost every aspect of elasmobranch population biology, from stock assessments and life-history theory to conservation and management. Traditionally, elasmobranch age estimates are determined through counting vertebral growth bands under the assumption of annual band deposition. However, growing evidence shows that this assumption is often violated, particularly for long-lived, slow-growing species. Consequently, traditional methods require significant refinement. Chemical sclerochronology is a promising novel approach to ageing elasmobranchs. Already applied to the ageing of other marine taxa (e.g. molluscs, bryozoans), this approach links growth bands to chemical data (e.g. elemental markers, stable isotopes) driven by underlying environmental and physiological factors, allowing validation of growth band periodicity. By harnessing the chemical data within elasmobranch vertebrae, we aim to provide alternative validation of band formation, reducing reader subjectivity, and revealing age-dependent changes that are often obscured in older individuals. Together, these advances may improve growth modelling, support cross-validation with independent ageing techniques, and enable species- and population-specific ageing frameworks that are more biologically realistic and management-relevant. Ultimately, we aim to establish a novel, objective method for validating vertebral growth increments through time-resolved elemental cycles, moving beyond assumption-based band counting toward mechanistically grounded ageing.