Birthed in 1959 alongside its designer Catherine Chaillet's daughter who shares the name, the Constance is considered the third side of the Hermès handbag pyramid — forever connected to and supported by the Birkin and Kelly. It is fitting that a bag called the Constance is, in practice, so constantly changing.

Size history and construction

The first four decades of Constance production were populated with both 18cm and 23cm versions. Both sizes were produced with either one or two gussets — a single gusset creates one interior compartment; a double gusset creates two. This was the main structural differentiator between Constances for most of the bag's history. Today, all Constances are made with double-gusset construction.

Around the turn of the millennium, Hermès phased out the 23cm Constance — and the 25cm version that was produced for a short period in the 1990s — in favor of the 24cm double-gusset version still in production today. The 2000s saw limited production runs of several other sizes as well.

Limited editions and unusual H clasps

Since its inception the Constance has been produced in unusual materials and with unusual hardware. Recent limited edition collections have featured H clasps made of stone, lizard, alligator, enamel, mirror, and more. These bags tend to have their own limited designs separate from the season's special Birkins and Kellys.

Notable examples include the One a Summer's Day and Night Constances with multicolor and black designs by Nigel Peake, the multicolor marbled silk Constance, and the Au Bout du Monde Constance. The Mirror Constance — the Mini III — is among the most recent limited H clasp configurations, with the clasp itself serving as a functional mirror.

Secondary market data

Note: The auction data below reflects results through approximately 2021. Treat these figures as directional benchmarks — current market values have continued to evolve. The structural observations about matte vs. glossy and the relative performance of sizes remain accurate as market intelligence.

Leather Constances

Leather Constances have averaged between $10,000 and $12,000 in recent years. In 2021, prices ticked upward: 18cm leather versions averaged $13,600 and 24cm examples averaged $12,800. The Constance Élan in leather hit an all-time low average of $6,850 in 2018 but has rebounded — 2021 auctions averaged $11,150, pointing toward renewed collector interest in this discontinued format.

Exotic Constances — the matte/glossy reversal

Only approximately 30% of exotic Constances on the secondary market carry a matte finish. For years this scarcity did not translate into price premium — glossy-finish exotics led the market. In 2021, the trend reversed dramatically: matte alligator Constances increased an average of $9,000 and for the first time in over five years overtook glossy-finished examples by over $3,000.

Specifically: 24cm crocodile and alligator Constances historically sold for approximately $4,000 more than their 18cm counterparts. In 2021, the 18cm exotics took a narrow lead, with mini exotic Constances averaging nearly $33,850. Ostrich mini-Constances have stayed between $17,000 and $19,000 over the four preceding years. Exotic Constance Élans have held steady at approximately $19,750 since 2019 but had not yet recovered to pre-2016 levels.

Exceptional examples — documented auction results

Metallic Chèvre (2005 release)

• Constance 18 — Metallic Gold Chèvre, Gold Hardware, 2005$22,299Christie's May 2018
• Constance 18 — Metallic Silver Chèvre, Palladium Hardware, 2005$21,797Christie's June 2018
• Constance 18 — Metallic Bronze Chèvre, Ruthenium Hardware, 2005$11,875Christie's September 2018

Diamond hardware (Exceptional Collection)

• Constance 18 — Shiny Blue Électrique Porosus Crocodile, 18K White Gold & Diamond Hardware, 2017$191,978Christie's June 2021
• Constance 18 — Shiny Black Porosus Crocodile, 18K Yellow Gold & Diamond Hardware$56,250Heritage Auctions December 2015
• Constance 18 — Shiny Blue Jean Porosus Crocodile & Orange H, 18K White Gold & Diamond Hardware$50,000Heritage Auctions April 2013

Vintage and unusual formats

• Constance 23 — Beluga, Gold Hardware, 1964$19,113Christie's May 2018
• Constance 23 — Karung, Gold Hardware, 1975$15,131Christie's May 2018
• Constance 23 — Chevron Crinoline & Ostrich, Gold Hardware$19,722Artcurial July 2018
• Constance 23 — Rouge H Crinoline & Doblis Suede, Gold Hardware, 1979$4,791Christie's November 2019
• Constance 25 — Graphite Ostrich, Brushed Palladium Hardware, 1999$12,777Christie's November 2018
• Constance 29 Cartable — Blue Obscur Sombrero, Palladium Hardware, 2014$9,375Heritage Auctions May 2015
• Constance (34cm) — Black Box, Gold Hardware$5,750Heritage Auctions September 2015
• Constance 29 — Shiny Miel Porosus Crocodile, Gold Hardware, 2007$16,875Heritage Auctions April 2016
• Constance 23 — Cognac Ostrich, Burlwood Hardware, 1987$6,911Artcurial January 2017
• Constance 23 — White & Gold Gulliver, Gold Hardware$6,562Heritage Auctions May 2015

Constance Élan

• Constance Élan — 5P Lizard, Gold Hardware, 2010$44,911Christie's May 2017
• Constance Élan — Fuchsia Satin, Gold Hardware, 2010$8,125Christie's September 2018