For collectors and investors, the color of a Birkin, Kelly, or any other Hermès bag can determine whether its value grows or accelerates at resale. While craftsmanship and scarcity define the Hermès legacy, color is another factor that steers demand, especially for those who treat these bags as status symbols and appreciating assets.
Preferences can change, but some colors have held their ground through seasonal rotations and trends. Understanding which shades command premiums, and why, gives luxury consumers rare insight into one of fashion’s most exclusive markets.
Why an Hermès Bag’s Color Affects Resale Value
Color can tip the scale between two otherwise identical Hermès bags for the following reasons:
1. Limited Color Availability Increases Interest
Hermès limits color production each season. Some are part of the brand’s permanent catalog, while others debut once and never return. This scarcity fuels interest among collectors who trail seasonal releases and purchase based on projected market response. While some consumers, including first-time buyers, are happy to invest in a Birkin or Kelly regardless of its color, several others consider additional factors, such as whether the bag’s color fits their wardrobe, matches personal taste, and holds desirability within the resale circuit.
2. Everyday Wearability and Long-Term Appeal
Certain hues complement a wider range of outfits, travel well across seasons, and photograph without looking out of place. These qualities are important to clients who view luxury handbags as wearable investments and decorative statements. At the same time, personal tastes evolve. Difficult as it may be to believe, even a Birkin that sells quickly today may sit unsold next year if the color begins to feel dated.
As many of you may know, Birkins are “quota” bags offered to the brand’s most loyal customers. Many believe they can’t say “no” once offered one of these premium purses, but more and more consumers have been learning to reject offers, especially when they’re not in love with the bag’s color.
Buyers who understand color’s long-term desirability tend to recoup more of their investment if and when they decide to sell. In many cases, they earn above retail.
Best-Selling Hermès Colors in the Secondary Market
Collectors keep an eye on color performance as closely as the model and leather type (e.g., Togo, Epsom, Clemence). Certain shades fetch higher resale prices, while others deliver modest gains.
Identifying the top-performing colors helps investors set realistic price goals once they’re ready to sell. Let’s go over the most sought-after Hermès bag colors below:
1. Classic Neutrals
Classics dominate resale figures. Buyers select these colors for their versatility and ease in daily wear, since neutrals pair perfectly with business attire, evening wear, and casual looks. Designer resale platforms typically list these Hermès-exclusive colors with higher asking prices:
- Etoupe: A muted gray-brown favored for its subtlety.
- Gold: A warm tan or brown that complements every outfit.
- Noir: A deep black that suits formal and casual settings alike.
- Craie: A soft off-white that epitomizes understated luxury.
- Nata: An ivory tone with minimal contrast to gold hardware.
- Gris Tourterelle: A light grey with a subtle beige undertone.
These neutrals transition easily from one season to another. Collectors view them as low-risk choices, and they hold value even after years of use.
2. Seasonal Brights and Limited Editions
Hermès issues around five new colors each season, including bright tones that generate strong buyer interest and sell out within days. Some lucky consumers resell them immediately at higher prices, drawing aspiring collectors like moths to a flame.
Some notable seasonal hues include:
- Rose Sakura: A soft, powdery pink with a near-milky finish.
- Vert Criquet: A citrus-toned green with hints of chartreuse.
- Bleu Frida: A saturated turquoise with vivid blue undertones.
- Orange H: The original Hermès orange—punchy, warm, and unmistakable.
These colors command premiums above retail during their peak. However, prices may fall after a trend shift. Owners who time their sale within six months net the greatest return.
3. Rare Shades
Hermès releases certain colors for one or two seasons, withholds others for years, and retires some without notice. Such pieces have a history of sparking bidding wars at auction houses, as collectors pursue them for their scarcity.
Some examples of rare Hermès bag colors include:
- Vert Rousseau: A deep, cool-toned green with subtle blue undertones, inspired by forest canopies and vintage lacquer.
- Bleu Saphir: A rich navy with a slightly luminous finish, darker than Bleu Nuit but softer than true black.
- Rouge H: A dark, wine-toned red that borders on burgundy, first introduced in the 1920s and often paired with gold hardware.
- Vert Veronese: A muted, smoky green with gray undertones, rarely produced and most often seen in vintage pieces.
Auctions report price jumps of 30 to 50% over retail when a rare specimen appears in excellent condition.
How Size and Leather Affect Color and Resale Performance
Of course, the color is not the only reason why some Hermès bags sell faster or at higher prices than others. A bag’s size and leather type also affect how the color looks, how it wears, and how it photographs. These variables change resale potential through the following:
1. Size Can Change the Way Consumers Perceive a Color
For some buyers and collectors, a bright color that works on a Micro Kelly or Picotin 18 may feel overdone on a Kelly 40 or Picotin 33. Since large bags have more surface to cover, bold or bright pastels may seem louder, heavier, and more challenging to style.
Unless it’s newly released or a limited edition, resale platforms and buyers typically favor neutral tones in smaller and larger handbag models, as they pair effortlessly with most outfits. Colorful minis are also in demand since they’re not too overpowering. Large and vivid bags, on the other hand, are more likely to intimidate buyers.
2. Leather Can Override Color
Rare leathers raise resale value, often regardless of a handbag’s color. Exotic skins, in particular, attract collectors because supply stays limited and ordering through boutiques is nearly impossible for most consumers. The Diamond Himalaya Birkin is a prime example, commanding premium bids over $450,000.
The Bottom Line and Where to Sell Hermès Bags in Scottsdale, AZ
Resale performance can be high, moderate, or low, depending on the bag’s color, size, leather, and condition. If you own an Hermès bag in a rare (or any) color, a coveted size and leather, and it’s in excellent to perfect condition, cash in your investment at Biltmore Loan and Jewelry. We are a trusted designer bag buyer in Phoenix, Arizona, offering competitive prizes that rival local pawn shops, buyers, and lenders. Contact us for any questions and concerns, or visit us directly at 10830 N Scottsdale Road to sell or use your Hermès bag as collateral for a loan.