Collecting guide: Hermès handbags for every budget

Named after Evelyne Bertrand, the former head of Hermès’s equestrian department, this bag was originally conceived in 1978 to hold horse-grooming equipment. It soon became a classic cross-body favourite with Hermès collectors.

In recent years petite handbags have become the most collectible handbags on the secondary market. The Kelly Pochette, a favourite with Hermès collectors since the model’s inception, is beautifully executed in bright orange and structured Epsom Leather. A standout piece, perfectly sized to hold evening belongings, the lightweight Pochette is the perfect accompaniment for a summer night out.

The Micro Mini Kelly might be just 15 centimetres in width, but it packs maximum punch when it comes to desirability. As the primary market has trended towards the smallest iterations of collectible models, the auction market has followed suit. The Micro Mini Kelly has been discontinued for more than a decade and is therefore extremely coveted at auction. The original shoulder strap on this piece is a welcome addition.

Orange has been the hallmark colour of Hermès since the Second World War, when the company’s packaging supplier ran out of the traditional brown and beige paper it used for boxes. The only solution was to utilise the plain orange cardboard that was available. The now iconic shade is referred to as ‘Orange H’, or Hermès Orange, and is recognised the world over.

Said to have left the factory on the very day that designer Catherine Chaillet’s fifth child was born, the Constance bag entered the market in 1959, named after the designer’s newborn baby. It was conceived as a youthful design for the modern women, worn across the body or over the shoulder.

The art of marbling began in Japan in the 12th century. The technique of suminagashi, or floating ink, began on paper before transferring to silk. The expertise required to create a marbled silk scarf by Hermès is known only by one family and has been passed down through the generations. Each Carré is unique, and for a very limited iteration, the silk was used to create a Constance bag.

A black Birkin 25 will be forever chic, durable and desirable. Its front, reverse and side panels are crafted of novillo leather, while the top flap is expressed in glossy, shiny crocodile. It’s this touch of the exotic that makes this limited-edition Birkin so highly sought after by collectors. The gold hardware adds to its overall sophistication.

In recent years the value of lizard pieces at auction has increased substantially. The Ombré Lizard Birkin 25 was only produced for three years, making it one of the most coveted bags at auction. The delicate gradation and the circular raindrop pattern of the skin add to its desirability.

Hermès’s playful aesthetic is exemplified in its limited-edition iterations of classic styles released each season. The newest of these is the Au Bout Du Monde Constance, which combines exotic skins, leather types and colours. The prominent H clasp in this limited-edition model is crafted from metal and enamel.

Consistently the most sought-after pieces at auction, Hermès Diamond bags celebrate exemplary craftsmanship and haute bijouterie. They are made from the finest exotic skin that Hermès utilises and adorned with 18k white gold. With its hardware inset with more than 200 colourless, brilliant white diamonds, this exquisite Porosus Crocodile Birkin will be the centrepiece of even the most impressive collections.