The Collector Guide
Glossary
The words collectors use about Hermès bags, in one place, each with its status.
Published 2026-09-30 · Reviewed on 2026-10-03 · 25 terms · 21 sources · Updated on 2026-10-03
MyQuotaBag is an independent app and is not affiliated with Hermès International or any of its affiliates. This page summarizes public reports from collectors and publishers. It is not verified fact and states no Hermès rule. Each boutique and country works differently and practices change. These are general observations shared without commitment. We do not claim that pre-spend exists or that any amount is required. Collectors describe bags going to established clients who buy over time, come back and build a relationship with their boutique. No outcome, offer or allocation is predicted or guaranteed.
Terms
Every answer carries its status. Official: stated by Hermès or by a primary record such as an auction result or a government page. Reported: stated by publishers or collectors, not by Hermès. Conflicting: collector reports give incompatible versions; the page shows them side by side. Unknown: no reliable answer yet.
- BKC
Collector shorthand for Birkin, Kelly and Constance, the three handbags Hermès says it sells only in its stores.
- Box
A smooth, glossy calfskin that looks the most polished and is prone to scratches and water marks.
- Clémence
A softer, heavier grained leather that is less structured and inclined to slouch.
- Consignment
Handing a bag to an auction house or reseller who sells it on the owner's behalf, typically after a specialist review and estimate. The sale can take place at auction, on a marketplace or privately.
- Constance
A Hermès shoulder bag first introduced in 1959, recognized by its large H clasp and adjustable strap. It is currently made in several sizes, the Constance 18 being among the most sought after.
- Date stamp (blind stamp)
A small mark pressed into the leather without ink, in which a letter indicates the year the bag was made. Depending on the era the letter stood alone or sat inside a shape such as a circle or a square.
- Epsom
A light, rigid, embossed leather that resists scratches and water and keeps a bag crisp.
- Gold hardware (GHW)
Gold-toned metal fittings on a Hermès bag, such as the clasp, lock and feet. Collectors abbreviate it GHW; it is chosen mostly for the warmth it gives the leather color.
- Hermès Spa (repair service)
The collector name for the Hermès after-sales service that repairs and refreshes its products, from bag zippers and stitching to hardware and leather conditioning. Pieces are brought to a boutique for assessment.
- Horseshoe stamp
A small horseshoe imprint placed next to the Hermès Paris stamp on a bag made through the Special Order process. Collectors often call such bags HSS, for horseshoe stamp.
- Leather appointment
A time slot with a Sales Associate to see leather goods, above all bags. In Paris it is requested online the day before, on the official Hermès appointment website.
- Mini Kelly
The smallest version of the Kelly bag, measuring about 20 cm wide and sold with a detachable strap. The current Mini Kelly 20 II returned in 2016 with Sellier construction.
- Offer (being offered a bag)
The moment a Sales Associate presents a client with a quota bag to buy, usually after manager approval. Collectors use the word because these bags are generally proposed by the boutique rather than chosen from the shelf.
- Palladium hardware (PHW)
Silver-toned metal fittings with a palladium finish on a Hermès bag. Collectors abbreviate it PHW; it gives a cooler, sharper contrast than gold hardware.
- Pre-spend (prespend)
What collectors call the purchases a client makes in other departments before being offered a quota bag. Hermès has published no pre-spend rule.
- Purchase Ratio
The total qualifying spend a collector reports before an offer divided by the price of the bag at the moment of the offer. It is a reference point built from collector reports, not a Hermès rule or threshold.
- Quota bag (QB)
A bag collectors report being limited to a small number per client, above all the Birkin and the Kelly.
- Retail price vs resale price
The retail price is what Hermès charges in its boutiques; the resale price is what the same bag sells for on the secondary market. For sought-after bags the resale price can sit well above retail; the gap narrows when retail prices rise faster than resale prices.
- Retourné
A construction with the stitching inside, which gives softer, rounded edges; used for the Kelly and the classic Birkin.
- Sales Associate (SA)
The boutique employee who follows a client, shares what is available and offers bags. Collectors often write SA.
- Sellier
A construction with the stitching outside and sharp corners, which keeps a firm shape; the only construction of the Mini Kelly 20, applied to the Birkin from 2014.
- Special Order (SO)
An invitation from a Sales Associate to configure a bag from set choices of leather, color, hardware and stitching, also called a horseshoe stamp bag. What can be ordered changes by season and country.
- Swift
A smooth, supple Hermès calfskin with a barely visible grain and a semi-matte luster, known for showing color with unusual vibrancy. It is more prone to surface scratches than grained leathers such as Togo or Epsom.
- Togo
A soft, matte leather with a pronounced grain, described as highly scratch-resistant.
- Wishlist
The short list of bags a client hopes to be offered, given to a Sales Associate with a size, a color and a leather. When it is asked for varies widely.
Where MyQuotaBag fits
The app uses the same vocabulary: your Quota Bag is the bag you hope to be offered, your dream items are the other pieces you are considering and your Purchase Ratio is calculated from the purchases you record. See the app.
Sources
- Products: Availability (FAQ)
- Complete Guide to Buying a Birkin Bag
- Sell Hermès
- All About the Hermès Constance
- What Is The New Hermès Blind Date Stamp Letter for 2025?
- Buying Your First Hermès Birkin: The Gold Standard
- Guide to Hermès Special Orders in 2024
- What is the Hermès Spa and Where Are They Located in the U.S.?
- Paris appointment website, application instructions
- Evolution of the Hermès Mini Kelly Bag
- How Do I Buy A Hermès Bag For The First Time?
- Hermès pre-spend
- How MyQuotaBag builds its collector data
- What Is Considered a Quota Bag at Hermès?
- What Does Hermès Third Quarter Results Mean for Secondary Market Birkin Premiums
- Hermès Birkin Sellier: A More Structured Birkin
- Complete Guide to Buying a Kelly Bag
- 10 tips to help you establish an enduring relationship with Hermès
- The Ultimate Hermès Guide: 7 Steps To Reach Your Goals
- Hermès 2026 Special Order Guide: What's New?
- What Hermès Bags are Produced in Volupto and Swift Leather?
More in The Collector Guide
How this page was written
Each section answers one question in its first sentence, then gives the details. Every answer carries its status and its date and the sources are listed with their dates at the end of the page. What collectors report is written as reported, never as an Hermès rule. Collector discussions are counted by platform; a thread is linked only where it supports a specific point and never when it tells one person's story. Figures from MyQuotaBag Data are read from the dataset each time the page is built.