Quick guide to reading Hermès “Stamps”

Why does Hermès use date stamps?

Hermès uses date stamps to track the age and manufacturer associated with a particular bag. These are unique stamps that note the year of manufacture and mark the artisan (and/or craftsman) who made the bag. Date codes can reveal other important information, such as color names, specific leather types, etc.

While knowing the purpose of date stamps, let's understand what they actually are and how you can understand them. Because it really is a language in itself.

Decoding the symbols of the Hermès date stamp

When you want to learn how to read Hermès date stamps, you need to decode the symbols on the stamps. A helpful resource below lists the years 1945 to 2023 and their corresponding symbols. Inside Hermès bags made from 1945 to 1970, you will find a series of letters without a geometric shape. For those made from 1971 to 1996, you will find a series of letters with an accompanying circle.

Hermès bags manufactured from 1997 to 2014 will contain a series of letters and a square symbol. Hermès bags made from 2015 until now only contain a series of letters. If you ever take your Hermès bag for repair to an Hermès boutique, Hermès can identify the craftsman who made the bag by reference to the date stamp. Depending on the age of the bag, repairs are sent to the original artisan who worked on the magnificent Hermès creation.