Hermes Constance Bags

When you’re trying to authenticate your Hermès Constance bag, there are a few things to remember. For one, there is no “authenticity card” — Hermès doesn’t accompany its Constance bags with any such certificate. There is a label stamp inside any authentic Hermès Constance handbag that reads “Hermès Paris Made in France” — the lettering will be clear and it won’t appear blocky or oversized. Lettering on this label that looks anything other than professionally set and lightly pressed into the leather may mean that your Hermès Constance bag is a fake.

Stitching is a good metric to consider because each Hermès Constance handbag is hand-sewn by Hermès artisans (spotting a fake Birkin bag requires similar inspections) according to Hermès’s celebrated saddle-stitching technique, so while the sew lines will have some inconsistencies, the work will be demonstrative of the company’s commitment to quality, and the stitching will indicate as much.

Hardware on your authentic Hermès Constance bag is always made of a genuine precious metal — the metal is typically brass that is hand-polished and plated with fine gold, palladium or permabrass, while the H-shaped clasp has been silvered, lacquered, set with diamonds, and more over the years. This metal will feel substantial, and it will not tarnish over time.

On the front of your Hermès Constance bag, the metal “H” doubles as both an insignia for the high fashion goods manufacturer and a clasp to keep your bag snapped shut. To open your Hermès Constance handbag, grab the metal “H” — position your fingers directly around the horizontal middle bar of the letter, so that your fingers are curled underneath it, and pull out toward you. The key to opening the clasp without scratching the accessory’s leather is to pull only at the horizontal bar. The bag opens and closes with the help of a spring-loaded mechanism that is concealed on each of the bar’s ends fixed to the flap.

No, vintage Hermès Constance bags do not have serial numbers.