I have a similar story to share. Not long ago, I found a specific bag that I’d had my Hermès SA trying—unsuccessfully—to source for at least a year: same style, same size, same color, same leather, same hardware. It was available from an esteemed USA consignment seller, but not being sold as new. I had no qualms about purchasing from this Seller because they have an excellent reputation in the H community.
When the H bag arrived, it was apparent to me it was one that had been produced from a skunky batch of leather. I reported it to the Seller. They offered to take it back. I told my SA what happened, as he was still trying to source the bag for me. My SA said, no problem, we will send the bag to Paris and they will remake the bag for you in the same specs. Eight months later, my SA called to say H wanted to offer me a credit for what I paid for the bag.
This is not an acceptable result for me. H has always accepted these faulty bags, destroyed them, and made them over again from scratch for the client. Moreover, my DH purchased the bag for me (at my request) for a birthday gift (one of those big birthdays that ends in a zero) and H’s offer of a credit for the purchase price:
- will not allow me to have the specific style, size, color, leather, and hardware of the bag I was seeking
- will not be something my DH would ever understand: Why don’t you ever wear that Hermès bag I got you for your birthday?
- due to price increases since the bag’s original production, will not equate to the value of the bag today
- will not be replaceable by my SA in any alternate scenario because the color is no longer in production
So a word of caution for all of us when it comes to malodorous bag situations: even an expert authentication of a bag will not uncover this characteristic if it has been performed remotely based solely on photos. I hope the OP will be able to return the smoky bag to the Asian reseller because, in her case, this is where the bag’s problem should have been identified. In my eyes, that reseller should be held responsible.
Unfortunately, my situation is different because the Seller offered to take the bag back. But I relied on my Hermès SA’s word that Paris would redo the bag, and now they have decided to take a different approach. This is still unresolved
