The Hermes Birkin is the most coveted and the hardest to acquire handbag in the world. Immediately recognizable by its shape, its thin straps with metal plates on the end of each strap (one engraved) that meet on a center toggle, its double rolled handles and its bell shaped key fob (clochette) and matching lock, it is an outstanding piece of workmanship. Each bag takes at least 48 hours to produce and each is hand sewn, buffed, painted and polished by an Hermes skilled craftsman in Hermes' factories. The leathers come from a variety of tanneries and individual artisans produce each bag, so each is likely to have its own unique details. Typically, a Birkin features a date stamp which is a letter that signifies the year of production and a craftsman's stamp, which are a series of letters, numbers and/or symbols designating the specific person(s) who hand produced the bag. In addition to a wide range of leathers, Hermes Birkins are produced in exotic skins such as ostrich, lizard and crocodile. The bag is typically accented by palladium plated or gold plated hardware.