Hermès Authentication Guide and Blind Stamp

If you are looking for a coveted Birkin, Kelly, or Constance for your store, it is imperative that you know what to expect, or even better, that you buy from a trusted reseller who has your back. If you are still considering making the transaction yourself, there are a few telltale signs that can tell you whether your bag is fake or real. Here is a brief overview to help you get started.

The iconic styles to know

Before getting into the technical details, it is useful to know which model you are dealing with:

• Birkin : structured silhouette, stands upright thanks to its metal feet, rigid handles.

• Kelly Sellier : the original model, more structured, with sharp angles and visible stitching on the outside of the bag.

• Kelly Retourné : obtained by turning a Sellier inside out during manufacture, so that you see piping instead of stitching; softer, in more supple leathers.

• Constance : distinctive H clasp, adjustable shoulder strap.

The silhouette

The first thing you need to note is the shape of the bag. Hermès bags are known for their clean lines and impeccable silhouettes. The Kelly bag comes in two different versions, the Retourné and the Sellier.

Sellier is the first Kelly bag model. The Sellier is more structured, has sharp edges and visible stitching on the outside of the bag. Because it is stiffer, it holds fewer items than the Retourné and is made in sturdier leathers, such as Epsom or Box.

To create the Retourné (which was originally the Sellier), the artisan turns the bag inside out so that you can see the piping instead of the stitching. The softness of the Retourné gives the bag a more relaxed feel and that is why it is made in softer leathers.

As for the Birkin, its structure and design are similar, and thanks to its metal feet, it can stand upright. The handles must be rigid and stand up on their own, and the distance between the top and bottom of the handle must be 5 inches.

The materials

Hermès bags are made from the finest and most luxurious leathers and exotic skins. From alligator, water buffalo, and ostrich to Epsom, Togo, and Swift leathers, all the unique and exquisite leathers used by Hermès have a distinct and immediately recognizable smell, and that smell remains no matter the age of the bag. If the smell is chemical, it is probably a fake.

In addition to the smell, touch and examine the materials. Remember that professional leather artisans spend at least two years working their leather before they are allowed to make a bag. Genuine leather should be soft and supple, with a luxurious look.

The lining

The lining deserves your attention as well. On an authentic Hermès bag, it should be clean, well attached, of a quality and color consistent with the rest of the bag. A lower-quality lining, poorly fitted or visibly less refined than the exterior, is a classic sign of a counterfeit.

The stitching

Hermès uses saddle stitching, which is representative of its history of creating handmade equestrian leather goods. Their items are hand-stitched using two separate needles and the saddle stitch creates two rows of stitches in a single row of holes, but because they are hand-sewn, they may not be perfect. In fact, if the stitches are perfectly aligned, that is a sign it could be a fake. If you take a look inside the bag, you will see that the stitches are slightly angled relative to one another.

The hardware

The hardware is another telltale sign. Birkin and Kelly bags use only gold and palladium hardware. The hardware should be laser-engraved with "HERMES PARIS" and there should be a hallmark after "PARIS" on the gold hardware.

Zippers are another place to check for authenticity, and the back zip pocket should give you plenty of clues. The starting point of the zipper should have a metal H aligned with the pull; however, some older bags do not have an H and feature a square block. Of course, when you open and close the zipper, the experience should be smooth. The zippers have a matte look and should not be shiny, which would indicate a fake.

The brand stamp

The Hermès logo is heat-pressed onto authentic bags and while counterfeiters can also heat-press it, the logo is pressed too deeply, which cuts into the leather. If you touch the logo and run your fingers over it, you should not feel it sunk into the bag. Likewise, the typeface should be visually flawless, meaning it should be centered and evenly spaced.

Authenticating the blind stamp

The blind stamp is a very small, hard-to-see stamp that can help you in the authentication process. These stamps usually contain a mix of numbers and letters, and although they look like a serial number, they are not one.

It is a simple way to help you identify the bag’s date of manufacture and its maker, and it is one of the main clues to an authentic Hermès bag. There is first the date stamp, which indicates the year the bag was made and consists of an alphabetical character and, depending on the era, a shape (such as a square or a circle). The artisan’s stamp — made up of shapes, symbols, letters, and numbers — identifies the person who made the bag. It always accompanies the date stamp: an isolated date stamp, with no artisan stamp next to it, should alert you. Sometimes, if the bag is returned for repair, Hermès may entrust it to the artisan who originally made it.

Locating and reading the date stamp

As you might expect, the location of the stamp varies from bag to bag. Hermès usually hides it in a pocket, behind a strap, or in the fold of one of the inner leather walls.

Understanding the date stamp

Date stamps are grouped by era:

• Before 1945 : no stamp.

• 1945 – 1970 : a single letter, with no shape around it, following alphabetical order.

• 1971 – 1996 : the letter is enclosed in a circle, and the alphabet starts again at A.

• 1997 – 2014 : the circle is replaced by a square, and the alphabet starts again at A.

• 2015 – today : back to a letter without a shape, in the format L LL NNN LL — the first letter indicating the year, the following letters and numbers corresponding to the artisan stamp.

Letter / year reference table by era:

From 2015 onward, the alphabet no longer necessarily follows this strict letter-by-letter order and the stamp appears without any shape around it, in the format described above — the most reliable approach is therefore to cross-check the observed letter with the bag’s other checkpoints (leather, stitching, hardware) rather than rely on it alone.

Before buying: the right reflexes

• An unusually low price is never, by itself, proof of a good deal — it is often the first warning sign.

• A good seller rating or positive reviews do not guarantee the authenticity of the item being sold.

• Always compare the bag with the official Hermès photos of the corresponding model and stamp generation before relying on your own impression alone.

Before buying: the right reflexes

• An unusually low price is never, by itself, proof of a good deal — it is often the first warning sign.

• A good seller rating or positive reviews do not guarantee the authenticity of the item being sold.

• Always compare the bag with the official Hermès photos of the corresponding model and stamp generation before relying on your own impression alone.

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