Hermès Hardware (Bijouterie): Every Finish, How It Wears and What It Does to Resale Prices
Gold, palladium, permabrass, rose gold, brushed, ruthenium, guilloché, electrum and black PVD, with asking-price ratios measured on comparable listings
As of October 19, 2026, gold and palladium hardware carry almost the same asking price on the Hermès resale market. Across 43 comparable groups of listings (same bag, version, size, condition and leather, at least 5 listings on each side), gold asked a median 2% more than palladium. These are asking prices collected on October 17, 2026, not sale prices. The finish you prefer matters more than the finish you think will resell.
Hardware, or bijouterie in French, is every metal part of a Hermès bag: the turn lock (touret), the plate (plaque), the strap loops (sangles), the padlock (cadenas), the keys and their bell (clochette), the feet (clous) and the zipper pull. Hermès states that these parts are made of brass, stainless steel or aluminium, then coated in gold, palladium or permabrass.
A few things worth knowing
- Gold vs palladium: a median ratio of 1.02 over 43 comparable groups; new bags 1.00 (15 groups), pre-owned bags 1.04 (28 groups).
- Palladium is the most common finish named in listings (52% of listings that name one finish), then gold (38%), then permabrass (3%).
- Only about 1 bag listing in 5 names its hardware at all, so these shares describe how sellers write titles, not how Hermès produces bags.
- Rare finishes (permabrass, rose gold, brushed gold, electrum) have too few comparable groups to read a price effect.
- Hermès states that hardware is plated metal and calls permabrass an exceptionally thick plating.
On this page
What Hermès says about its hardware
Hermès publishes little about hardware, but what it does say is clear. Its leather care page states that metal parts such as clasps, padlocks, buckles and locks are made of brass, stainless steel or aluminium and are then traditionally coated in gold, palladium or permabrass. The same page calls permabrass an exceptionally thick plating that is a Hermès signature. It advises owners not to tamper with hardware using unsuitable products and lists changing hardware among the work its artisans perform.
On product pages, Hermès describes the finish in a dedicated line. A current Garden Party 49 voyage page reads "Metallic finish: Palladium plated." The word "plated" matters: Hermès hardware is plated metal, not solid gold or solid palladium.
Every finish at a glance
Labels: FACT means stated by Hermès or an auction house; COMMUNITY means reseller guides or collector forums; DATA means our own listing counts.
| Finish | What it is | When it appears | Where it is seen | Share of listings naming one finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold (GHW) | Gold plating over brass (FACT); usually described as 18k, 24k on some special orders (COMMUNITY) | Throughout; dated titles go back to 1989 (DATA) | Every bag family | 38% |
| Palladium (PHW) | Palladium plating, a platinum-group metal (FACT for "palladium plated") | Said to start in the 1990s (COMMUNITY); earliest dated title 1998 (DATA) | Every bag family | 52% |
| Permabrass | Thick Hermès plating (FACT); champagne tone often described as between gold and palladium (COMMUNITY) | Earliest dated title 2012, most listings dated 2024 to 2026 (DATA) | Kelly, Birkin, Constance, Picotin | 3% |
| Rose gold (RGHW) | Pink gold tone; guides say gold with copper (COMMUNITY) | Around 2018 (COMMUNITY); earliest dated title 2018 (DATA) | Birkin, Constance, some Kelly | 0.9% |
| Brushed gold (BGHW) | Gold plating with a satin, brushed surface (COMMUNITY) | Dated titles from 2014 (DATA) | Birkin, Kelly, mostly special orders (COMMUNITY) | 1.5% |
| Brushed palladium (BPHW) | Palladium plating with a brushed surface (COMMUNITY) | Few dated titles | Birkin, Kelly | 0.4% |
| Electrum | Two finishes on one bag: gold turn lock and rivets, palladium elsewhere (COMMUNITY, PurseBop) | Quiet release reported November 2024; a 1989 lizard clutch used the same idea (COMMUNITY) | Kelly 25, 24/24, Cinhetic (COMMUNITY, PurseBop) | 0.5% |
| Ruthenium | Dark gunmetal finish, now discontinued (FACT, Sotheby's) | Seen on many early lizard Birkins, lizard having arrived in 2004 (FACT); guides say 2004 to 2007 (COMMUNITY) | Lizard bags, some Box Kelly | 0.1% |
| Guilloché | Palladium engraved with a diamond pattern (COMMUNITY) | Early 2000s and again about 2012 to 2014 (COMMUNITY); a 2013 Kelly 32 Sellier at Sotheby's (FACT) | Tadelakt and Box Birkin and Kelly | 0.2% |
| Black PVD (So Black) | Black PVD-coated hardware (FACT, Sotheby's) | Fall/Winter 2010 collection (FACT) | Birkin 30 and 35, Kelly 32 and 35, Kelly Pochette, Kelly Cut | 0.2% |
Two labels in listings are not Hermès finish names we could source. "Silver hardware" (3% of listings) most likely means palladium written loosely. "Champagne gold" (8 listings) appears on metallic Doré Kelly and Constance minis and may describe permabrass or gold.
Gold vs palladium: what the asking prices say
We compared each finish with palladium inside the same cell, then took the median of the cell ratios. A ratio of 1.02 means gold listings asked 2% more than palladium listings for the same bag.
| Comparison | Comparable groups | Median ratio gold / palladium | Middle half of groups |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same bag, version, size, condition and leather | 43 | 1.02 | 0.99 to 1.09 |
| New bags only | 15 | 1.00 | 0.99 to 1.05 |
| Pre-owned bags only | 28 | 1.04 | 0.98 to 1.10 |
| Same bag, size and condition (leather not held) | 25 | 1.01 | 0.96 to 1.03 |
| Same bag, version, size, wear level and leather | 43 | 1.04 | 1.00 to 1.10 |
Gold asked more in 26 of the 43 strict groups. The spread is wide (0.85 to 1.40), so one bag can sit far from the median. The new-bag result is the cleanest: across new bags, the median gap is zero. The small pre-owned gap may reflect age rather than metal, since older bags in our data are more often gold.
Median asking prices for a few common cells, in US dollars, rounded to the nearest hundred (leather not held constant):
| Bag | Condition | Gold | Palladium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birkin 25 | New | $32,600 (about 130 listings) | $32,100 (about 150) |
| Birkin 30 | Pre-owned | $23,300 (about 190) | $23,000 (about 220) |
| Kelly 25 | New | $30,500 (about 100) | $30,000 (about 130) |
| Kelly 28 | Pre-owned | $22,600 (about 160) | $22,000 (about 130) |
| Constance 18 | New | $18,500 (about 20) | $16,500 (about 40) |
| Picotin 18 | New | $6,000 (about 50) | $6,000 (about 60) |
Older auction data points the other way in size. A 2021 BagWorld analysis of auction results found gold Birkins and Kellys averaging over $2,500 more than palladium that year. That study averaged across models without holding bag, size and leather constant, which can explain much of the gap.
Rare finishes and price
| Finish | Comparable groups vs palladium (strict) | Comparable groups vs palladium (bag, size, condition) | Price effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permabrass | 3 | 10 | Too few comparable groups to read |
| Rose gold | 2 | 4 | Too few comparable groups to read |
| Brushed gold | 0 | 6 | Too few comparable groups to read |
| Electrum | 2 | 2 | Too few comparable groups to read |
| Ruthenium, guilloché, black PVD | 0 | 0 | No comparable group |
We will publish a ratio for these finishes once enough comparable listings exist. At retail, PurseBop reported a Kelly 25 Epsom with electrum hardware at $12,100 against $11,300 for gold or palladium in November 2024, so electrum can cost more new even if resale asking prices do not yet show it. Sotheby's reported a So Black Birkin 30 selling for $53,760 in June 2026.
How hardware wears and how to care for it
All shiny hardware picks up hairline marks with use (COMMUNITY). Guides agree that gold plating shows fine scratches and fingerprints more readily than palladium. On brushed finishes they disagree: some say the satin surface hides wear, others say scratches stand out on brushed gold. The black PVD coating of So Black bags can scratch and cannot be refinished like plating (COMMUNITY, BagWorld).
Care advice is consistent: buff with a dry, soft cloth; keep metal away from perfume, lotion and moisture; never use metal polish, which can remove plating. Guides also advise removing the factory protective film, which can trap moisture against the metal, while some owners keep it to protect resale condition. For deep scratches or worn plating, Hermès points owners to its own artisans, who can also change hardware.
How collectors choose
Most collectors pick hardware the way they pick jewelry: warm gold for yellow-gold wearers, cool palladium for white-metal wearers (COMMUNITY, BagWorld). Guides pair gold with Noir, Gold and Étoupe, palladium with Étain and the blues, permabrass with dark blues and greens. Since the measured gap is near zero, the practical rule is simple: choose the finish you will enjoy, then let the bag, size, leather and condition carry the resale value.
Frequently asked questions
Is gold or palladium hardware worth more on a Hermès bag?
Almost the same. On October 17, 2026 listings, gold asked a median 2% more than palladium over 43 comparable groups. For new bags (15 groups) the ratio was 1.00. These are asking prices, not sale prices.
Is Hermès gold hardware real gold?
It is gold plating over a base metal. Hermès says its hardware is made of brass, stainless steel or aluminium, coated in gold, palladium or permabrass. Guides describe the gold plating as usually 18k.
What is permabrass?
Hermès calls permabrass an exceptionally thick plating that is a Hermès signature. Its tone is champagne, often described as between gold and palladium. Hermès does not publish its exact composition.
What is electrum hardware?
A two-finish set on one bag: per PurseBop, a gold turn lock and rivets with palladium plate, straps, feet and lock. PurseBop reported it in November 2024 on select Kelly 25, 24/24 and Cinhetic bags; we found no formal announcement by Hermès.
What hardware did the So Black bags use?
Black PVD-coated hardware, for the Fall/Winter 2010 collection, according to Sotheby's. Some resellers call it ruthenium, which conflicts with that description.
Can Hermès replace worn hardware?
Hermès lists changing hardware among the services of its artisans. Availability and cost depend on the store and the piece.
References
- Hermès, Leather care page, read October 19, 2026
- Hermès, Garden Party 49 voyage product page (the Hermès China website), read October 19, 2026
- Sotheby's, Hermès So Black: A Collector's Guide to the Monochrome Collection, September 23, 2026
- Sotheby's, The Complete Guide to Hermès Lizard Bags, November 12, 2025
- Sotheby's, Black Epsom Mini Constance 18 Rose Gold Hardware, 2018, listing read October 19, 2026
- Christie's Hong Kong, So Black Birkin 30 matte Niloticus with black PVD hardware, sale of May 29, 2019, as reported by WWD
- PurseBop, Hermès Releases Select Handbags with Electrum Hardware, November 4, 2024
- BagWorld (Substack), Gold or Palladium, August 17, 2021
- Three reseller hardware guides (2022 to 2026)
- MyQuotaBag, asking-price aggregates from public resale listings collected October 17, 2026 (about 27,300 bag listings read, about 4,980 naming one hardware finish)
About this guide
MyQuotaBag gathers what Hermès, auction houses, the press and collectors publish, says where they disagree and adds what its own resale data shows. Resale figures are public asking prices, not confirmed sales or valuations of any bag.
MyQuotaBag is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Hermès.
How to cite: MyQuotaBag, « Hermès Hardware (Bijouterie): Every Finish, How It Wears and What It Does to Resale Prices », Hermès Reference, 2026-10-19. https://myquotabag.com/hardware/