This is what the craftsman in SF told me when I brought it in for repair (I was told, it cannot be repaired, just replaced) Of course, add the weather factor too. My closet does not have controlled climate unlike the boutiques.
Short Notes on Hermes Leather
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I’ve had bags that haven’t been used for longer than a year which were just fine afterwards. It may depend on the leather, or the batch, or it may be a climate issue.
@papertiger should this thread be in the reference section?
@papertiger should this thread be in the reference section?
Yes, and that is why most SA's suggest to keep your bag in the dustbag and not store it in the box since that is a safe/more universal storing method.
I took some notes myself 
after seeing @navicular initial post, so sharing them here. These are taken from the coffret as well.
Polished Lizard
Description: The nobility of polished lizard lies in its minuscule scales, which give it unrivaled sophistication. Originating from a species that lives in the wild, it is extremely fine, rare skin.
First appeared in the collections: 1920s
Appearance: Glossy (polished with agate stones); small scales
Feel: Ultra-smooth
Hand: Very firm, due to tripling during the manufacturing process.
Change over time: Keeps its shape; the glossiness fades slightly
The following notes are for the Ombré lizard skin, but I forgot to jot down the “official title” that Hermès uses.
Description: Natural lizard skin allows the natural pigmentation of the skin to remain visible. It consists of darker scales upon which lighter rings can clearly be seen.
First appeared in the collections: 2016
Appearance: Glossy (polished with agate stones)
Feel: Smooth
Hand: Very firm, due to tripling during the manufacturing process
Change over time: Keeps it’s shape; the glossiness fades slightly and the color becomes creamy
after seeing @navicular initial post, so sharing them here. These are taken from the coffret as well.Polished Lizard
Description: The nobility of polished lizard lies in its minuscule scales, which give it unrivaled sophistication. Originating from a species that lives in the wild, it is extremely fine, rare skin.
First appeared in the collections: 1920s
Appearance: Glossy (polished with agate stones); small scales
Feel: Ultra-smooth
Hand: Very firm, due to tripling during the manufacturing process.
Change over time: Keeps its shape; the glossiness fades slightly
The following notes are for the Ombré lizard skin, but I forgot to jot down the “official title” that Hermès uses.
Description: Natural lizard skin allows the natural pigmentation of the skin to remain visible. It consists of darker scales upon which lighter rings can clearly be seen.
First appeared in the collections: 2016
Appearance: Glossy (polished with agate stones)
Feel: Smooth
Hand: Very firm, due to tripling during the manufacturing process
Change over time: Keeps it’s shape; the glossiness fades slightly and the color becomes creamy
It’s probably all factors: hunter leather, batch and weather. I have togo, swift, chevre, clemence, evercolor, epsom, sombrero, ostrich, and shiny gator with no problems being in their boxes for a long time. I do, at least, take the lids off once in a while for bags not in rotation because this issue with hunter leather.
...
The following notes are for the Ombré lizard skin, but I forgot to jot down the “official title” that Hermès uses.
...
Found one of these today, apparently it's just "Natura lizard"
(stolen from https://www.hermes.com/ca/en/product/mosaique-au-24-17-bag-H076122CKAA/)
Find out more about Natura lizard
Natura lizard (Varanus salvator) allows the natural pigmentation of the skin to remain visible. It consists of darker scales upon which lighter rings can clearly be seen.
also found another one
Find out more about Volupto calfskin
A transparent, very sensual, delicately satiny heritage leather similar to the leather used for clothing. Its extreme suppleness and minuscule, barely visible grain are the result of a long drumming procedure.
First appeared in the collections: 2013
Appearance: Quite smooth; satiny; mottled; clearly visible natural characteristics; subtly contrasting wrinkles
Feel: Silky and slightly waxy
Hand: Very supple; no roundness; richly sensual; full
Change over time: Softens; acquires a patina; darkens; becomes shinier in areas most handled. Gains resistance as patina develops
It's very interesting that they used "heritage" here but it is a newly introduced (2013) leather...
Thank you to everyone contributing to this thread. I enjoyed reading this and it was interesting to see how H describes their leathers and how they are characterized when aged. I managed to buy an Ulysses notebook in Veau Volynka, as I hope previously in this thread, and will contribute with a description from the booklet that was enclosed with the notebook.
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@momoc Thank you for your confirmation to my notes on lizard. 
) Feels like it’s just a marketing ploy.
Seems that they're using the word Heritage nilly willy given that Barenia Faubourg that's released even later in 2016 is called heritage. (I know some will pelt things at me for making that comment but
) Feels like it’s just a marketing ploy.
@momoc Thank you for your confirmation to my notes on lizard.
Seems that they're using the word Heritage nilly willy given that Barenia Faubourg that's released even later in 2016 is called heritage. (I know some will pelt things at me for making that comment but
I was wondering exactly the same, triggered by the other thread on the subject to!
I wonder if they are using the term Heritage for more traditionally tanned/more delicate leathers that exhibit a more 'natural' feel and prone to form a patina, as opposed to the fully finished leather like Togo, Epsom and Clemence which are going to change very little through use and age. Just spitballing!
Volynka leather
Description: The renaissance of Russian leather, made according to purest tradition after 6 years of research by Hermès. Slow tanning process and maceration in a bath of carefully selected barks, generously nourished with an elixir composed mainly of birch tar oil.
First appearance in the collections: 2018
Appearance: Unique brown-red colour, diamond grain with some visible thin irregular veins and characteristic smoky-woody scent.
Feel: dry with a thin wax like surface
Hand: firm
Change over time: In the beginning develops “bloom”: fats rise to the surface and crystallice, forming a thin white film. Every item comes with a brush that minimizes the appearance and encourages the formation of a beautiful patina.
For further info and interesting story please read
https://www.hermes.com/us/en/story/126096-volynka-russian-leather/
Description: The renaissance of Russian leather, made according to purest tradition after 6 years of research by Hermès. Slow tanning process and maceration in a bath of carefully selected barks, generously nourished with an elixir composed mainly of birch tar oil.
First appearance in the collections: 2018
Appearance: Unique brown-red colour, diamond grain with some visible thin irregular veins and characteristic smoky-woody scent.
Feel: dry with a thin wax like surface
Hand: firm
Change over time: In the beginning develops “bloom”: fats rise to the surface and crystallice, forming a thin white film. Every item comes with a brush that minimizes the appearance and encourages the formation of a beautiful patina.
For further info and interesting story please read
https://www.hermes.com/us/en/story/126096-volynka-russian-leather/
Attachments
Momoc, Meta&FreddieMac, being an H leather enhusiast I find the discussion about Hermès heritage leathers interesting and personally my definition is very conservative and short (mainly box&barenia and ostrich possibly expanded to croc, though this feels more like a skin than leather). It’s also interesting to examine if heritage should be limited to bag heritage only and if a leather like Volynka with rich heritage but probably a limited product, can be considered heritage due to the rich history of the Russian leather. Hermès has spent a lot of resources to develop a formula in order to manufacture this leather, that will imo never reach the popularity it once had. I think the reason why they did it was to preserve it for future.
Perhaps the definition of heritage leather should be restricted here to how Hermès uses this description...
I also wonder when pork leather was introduced for bags at Hermès and hope someone who has a bag in pork could contribute with a short note on this interesting leather, that I can personally only associate with gloves.
Perhaps the definition of heritage leather should be restricted here to how Hermès uses this description...
I also wonder when pork leather was introduced for bags at Hermès and hope someone who has a bag in pork could contribute with a short note on this interesting leather, that I can personally only associate with gloves.
Moving this to the ref section > Hermes Leathers and will leave only a 7 day redirect for the main forum. Please make a note of it's url before the redirect expires or use 'watch thread' if you need to.
According to H's A La Carte coffret, the following leathers are considered heritage:
- Box
- Barenia
- Barenia Faubourg
- Vache Naturelle
- Butler
I think that was all, but may have forgotten one or two... I'm not sure if Evercalf is considered heritage but I seem to remember it being on a more generic leather swatch, which also had Evergrain and leather like Volupto, which was above mentioned in H's description as 'heritage' I don't recall seeing a Volynka swatch to help further categorise that.
So basically, clear as mud between descriptions, the coffret and the true definition of heritage!
- Box
- Barenia
- Barenia Faubourg
- Vache Naturelle
- Butler
I think that was all, but may have forgotten one or two... I'm not sure if Evercalf is considered heritage but I seem to remember it being on a more generic leather swatch, which also had Evergrain and leather like Volupto, which was above mentioned in H's description as 'heritage' I don't recall seeing a Volynka swatch to help further categorise that.
So basically, clear as mud between descriptions, the coffret and the true definition of heritage!
I've a question about Evercolor from the original post - that says it's "printed grains" - does that mean the grains are obtained like the way they are on Epsom, rather than natural grains? (on other websites, I have not found that description)
Basically, I am wondering, if like Epsom, when Evercolor scratches does it show the white underneath (because the grain is printed over the leather) or just it's own colour because it's natural grain? Sorry if this is confusing!
Veau Evercolor
Description: Complementary to Evergrain calfskin, this leather has a similar suppleness and comes in a wide palette of "forever" colors.
First appeared in the collections: 2012
Appearance: Satiny; small, regular grain obtained by printing
Feel: Grain more visible than that of Evergrain calfskin
Hand: Supple and soft
Change over time: Softens and becomes shinier
Basically, I am wondering, if like Epsom, when Evercolor scratches does it show the white underneath (because the grain is printed over the leather) or just it's own colour because it's natural grain? Sorry if this is confusing!
Veau Evercolor
Description: Complementary to Evergrain calfskin, this leather has a similar suppleness and comes in a wide palette of "forever" colors.
First appeared in the collections: 2012
Appearance: Satiny; small, regular grain obtained by printing
Feel: Grain more visible than that of Evergrain calfskin
Hand: Supple and soft
Change over time: Softens and becomes shinier
Having both leathers (epsom in slgs and a KW, evercolor in a minibag) I don’t find them similar at all. Evercolor is soft and the grain is small, very flat and smooth in comparison to the hard more plastic, waxlike feeling of epsom, that clearly has a “ bumpy” grain but which becomes softer with age in slgs. I don’t believe there will be any white marks on evercolor, in fact small scratches blend in.