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A bit more on authenticity…with some glaring indications of “fake”:
^ Example of the Porosus Croc stamp
More random facts:
- Authenticity Card: Hermes doesn’t make “authenticity” cards. If someone claims to have one, um, it’s a fake.
- Orange hang tags on the strap: If you see an orange hang tag on anything marked Hermes, it’s fake.
- Receipts: Many sellers claim to have the original receipts but unfortunately, this in and of itself is NOT a guarantee of authenticity. Receipts can be counterfeited, just like anything else. If a seller makes this claim, as for a copy and make sure the receipt has the Hermes store name and number, and the client name/number. Use this information to CALL THE STORE and ask them to verify that the bag was originally purchased at there. And I’ll let you in on another little secret – those of us who shop at Hermes ALWAYS have an SA (Sales Assistant) who helps us to get the bags that we want. If an eBay seller states that they purchased a bag from the store and have a receipt, they should also provide their SA’s name to you. In this way, you can speak directly to the SA and again, verify that the model was purchased at their boutique. Again, even this is not a sure-fire way to determine authenticity, as an unscrupulous person, hypothetically speaking, could have switched bags, but at least it gives you some idea as to whether or not the person actually shops at an honest-to-goodness Hermes boutique.
- Educate Yourself: If at all possible, go to the Hermes boutiques and see/feel the bags for yourself. Ask an SA to see their leather book and learn to identify the types of skins and markings on the bags.
- Exotic Skin Stamps: Here’s a quick rundown of some of the exotic skin stamps that are placed next to the HERMES PARIS stamp:
- Square: Indicates alligator skins
- Carrot: The “^” sign indicates Porosus Crocodile
- Two dots: The “. .” sign indicates Niloticus Crocodile (from the Nile river)
- Dash: The “-“ sign indicates Lizard skin.
^ Example of the Porosus Croc stamp
More random facts:
- Did you know that Hermes no longer creates lizard bags larger than 25cm?
- There are several types of hardware available: Gold, Brushed Gold (which is lovely and rare, by the way!), Silver, Brushed Silver, Palladium and Ruthenium.
- Hermes introduced several new styles for the 2006 – 2007 year: The Lindy, The Bombay are two of the more popular models that can be found on eBay.
- Vibrato leather is created by stacking layers of goatskin together and then cutting a "cross-section", if you will, which appears striated :)
- The Picotin is often called the "baby Birkin" and is one of the few Hermes bags that doesn't truly fasten closed!
- Hermes tri-color bags are rare and often truly things of artistic beauty!
- The Shooting Star bags - those made by the Hermes craftsmen for their personal use - cannot be serviced by Hermes.
Guide created: 03/12/07 (updated 07/23/08)
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