Collector Edit Guides
Our guides are written by the team that inspects every piece we sell. Start with the house you are buying, check the authentication guide before you commit, and use the value guides to decide what is worth it. Every piece in our store is covered by our Authenticity Guarantee and graded on our Condition Guide.
Authentication guides
How to check a piece yourself, house by house: stamps, codes, hardware and stitching.
- How to Authenticate a Chanel Bag — Our specialists’ complete guide to authenticating a Chanel bag: serial eras, hologram stickers, the 2021 microchip, hardware, quilting and the heat stamp.
- Louis Vuitton Date Codes & Microchips — Our specialists’ complete guide to Louis Vuitton date codes, the 2021 microchip, and every physical check that separates a genuine LV bag from a replica.
- Real vs Fake Louis Vuitton Neverfull — The eight checkpoints that separate a genuine Louis Vuitton Neverfull from a replica, with real close-ups from our catalog.
- How to Authenticate an Hermès Birkin & Kelly — Our specialists’ complete guide to authenticating an Hermès Birkin or Kelly: blind-stamp cycles, heat stamp, saddle stitching, hardware and leather.
- How to Authenticate a Dior Bag — The seven checks that separate a genuine Lady Dior or Saddle from a replica, with real close-ups from our catalog.
- How to Spot a Fake Gucci Bag — The seven checks that separate a genuine Gucci bag from a replica, with real close-ups from our catalog.
- How to Spot a Fake Prada Bag — The seven checks that separate a genuine Prada from a replica, with real close-ups from our catalog.
- How to Authenticate Tiffany & Co. Jewelry — Hallmarks, stamp quality, weight and engraving: how our specialists authenticate Tiffany & Co. jewelry, from Return to Tiffany to Elsa Peretti, and the fakes to avoid.
- How to Authenticate Cartier — Hallmarks, serials, screws and weight: how our specialists authenticate Cartier, with real close-ups from our catalog.
Buying guides and comparisons
Every style, size and leather explained, and the head-to-heads buyers ask about most.
- The Complete Chanel Bag Guide — Every classic Chanel bag, from the 1955 2.55 to the Chanel 22, with sizes, April 2026 US prices, leathers, hardware and clear advice on which to buy.
- The Complete Louis Vuitton Bag Guide — History, canvases, every must-know model, sizes and 2026 prices — the complete Louis Vuitton bag guide.
- The Hermès Bag Guide — From the 1935 Kelly to the 1984 Birkin, every must-know Hermès bag, the leather guide from Togo to Box, and January 2026 US prices in one reference.
- The Fendi Baguette Guide — The original It bag: history, sizes, 2026 prices and a pre-owned buying checklist.
- Hermès Birkin vs Kelly — Birkin vs Kelly, settled: design, sizes, 2026 prices and resale data, plus a decision checklist for choosing your first or next Hermès bag.
- Louis Vuitton Neverfull vs Speedy — Neverfull vs Speedy, settled: carry, closure, sizes, 2026 prices, how each bag ages and a decision checklist for choosing your Louis Vuitton everyday bag.
- Chanel Classic Flap vs 2.55 Reissue — The Mademoiselle lock or the CC: how the Chanel 2.55 Reissue and Classic Flap differ in chain, leather, sizes, April 2026 prices and resale, with an honest verdict.
- Where to Buy Pre-Owned Chanel Safely in 2026 — Where it is safe to buy pre-owned Chanel in 2026, what to pay and how to read a listing like an authenticator.
- Where to Buy Pre-Owned Louis Vuitton Safely in 2026 — Where it is safe to buy pre-owned Louis Vuitton in 2026, what to pay and which bags to start with.
Value and investment
Which bags hold their value, and whether the icons are worth it in 2026.
- Which Handbags Hold Their Value in 2026? — Resale data on the handbags that hold their value in 2026, brand by brand, plus the model, colour and condition factors that move a bag up or down.
- Is the Chanel Classic Flap Worth It in 2026? — Price history, resale numbers, sizes and leathers — and an honest answer to whether the Classic Flap is worth it in 2026.
- Is the Hermès Birkin Really a Good Investment? — The honest answer on Birkins as an investment: the data, the price history, the catches, and which Birkin to buy.
- 5 Louis Vuitton Bags Worth the Investment in 2026 — The five Louis Vuitton bags that hold value best in 2026, with the resale retention data, May 2026 boutique prices and what moves a bag's value.
- 5 Celine Bags Worth the Investment in 2026 — The five Celine bags that hold value best in 2026, and why Phoebe Philo-era pieces resell above retail.
Fashion history
The designers and houses behind the bags.
- John Galliano at Dior — How John Galliano reshaped Dior from 1996 to 2011, why his Saddle and Trotter canvas define Y2K collecting, and how to identify a genuine original today.
- The Great Italian Luxury Fashion Houses — Italy's great houses: history, signature bags, and who owns them in 2026.
Ready to shop? Browse our new arrivals or every authenticated pre-owned bag.