With handbags now just as valued for their aesthetic appeal and investment value as for their durability and capacity, it should be no surprise that at the very forefront of this trend are two of the very finest examples of lady luggage ever produced by Hermès, the Paris-headquartered high-fashion luxury goods manufacturer – the Birkin and the Kelly.

Indeed, these two collections alone account for 90% of all the haute couture handbags that ever come up for auction. Their auctionability, though, is down to much more than just their desirability, with availability also playing a huge role. Typically, even those fortunate enough to get on a waiting list will have to endure a two-year interval before their very own Hermès materialises.

Inevitably then, this has inspired a bristling resale market, with many haute couture hankerers only too happy to pay well over the odds to secure their preferred choice of Hermès clutch. Even against such a backdrop, though, it is still somewhat remarkable that a joint lot of two 2010 Birkins went for a massive US$330,000 at the recent Handbags and Accessories Sale held by Christie’s Hong Kong.