Hermès Gris Asphalt vs. Gris Tourterelle: What's the difference?

The Hermès Gris Asphalt and Gris Tourterelle are two of the brand's most celebrated grey tones, but they serve entirely different aesthetics. Gris Asphalt is a deep, concrete-like grey with cool undertones, giving it a modern and urban feel perfect for everyday use. Gris Tourterelle is a softer, medium grey with distinct warm, dove-like undertones, creating a timeless and more delicate style.

Here's a detailed comparison to help you choose the right iconic grey for your collection.

About Hermès Gris Asphalt

Gris Asphalt is a sophisticated and highly versatile dark grey that brings to mind metropolitan pavement and modern architecture. It’s a chic, cool-toned neutral that reads as assertive yet understated. This shade is a practical workhorse, pairing effortlessly with a wide range of outfits while maintaining a polished and contemporary edge.

• What it is: A deep, dark grey color with cool, slightly bluish undertones.
• Aesthetic &, Style: Modern, sleek, urban, minimalistic, and professional. It exudes a confident, powerful vibe.
• Best Paired With: Crisp neutrals like black and white, bold primary colors, and other cool tones like navy or silver.
• Common Hardware Pairings: Especially stunning and modern with Palladium Hardware (PHW), which complements its cool tones.
• Pros: Extremely practical and forgiving for daily use, hides minor dirt and scratches well, offers a modern alternative to black, exceptionally versatile with professional wear.
• Cons: Its cool tone might look stark against very warm, earthy wardrobes, it lacks the softer elegance of other Hermès greys.

This color is for the person seeking a durable, low-maintenance, and modern grey that makes a chic statement without being loud.

Explore Hermès Leather Goods: hermes.com/us/en/category/women/bags-and-small-leather-goods/

About Hermès Gris Tourterelle

Named after the French word for "turtledove," Gris Tourterelle is a soft and romantic medium grey. Its defining feature is its warm undertones, which give the color a gentle, inviting, and slightly creamy appearance. It’s considered one of the most classic and elegant neutrals from Hermès, beloved for its refined and timeless quality.

• What it is: A soft, medium grey tone with warm beige or pinkish undertones.
• Aesthetic &, Style: Timeless, elegant, classic, gentle, and sophisticated. It offers a muted and feminine feel.
• Best Paired With: Pastels, earth tones, creams, beiges, and other warm-toned colors.
• Common Hardware Pairings: Most famously paired with Gold Plated Hardware (GPHW), which enhances its warm undertones for a classic, luxurious look.
• Pros: Incredibly classic and sought-after color, versatile across seasons, warm undertones are very flattering, softer and more approachable than darker greys.
• Cons: A lighter shade, meaning it may show dirt, scuffs, or color transfer more easily, requires slightly more careful handling than a darker color.

This color is ideal for someone cultivating a classic, elegant collection who prefers softer, warmer tones and understands the value of a timeless neutral.

Explore Hermès Leather Goods: hermes.com/us/en/category/women/bags-and-small-leather-goods/

Gris Asphalt vs. Gris Tourterelle Comparison

Color Tone & Undertones

The primary difference lies in their undertones and depth. Gris Asphalt is a definitive cool grey. It’s a charcoal, pavement-like color that sits firmly on the cool side of the spectrum, giving it a crisper, more modern look. No matter the lighting, it remains a true, dark grey.

In contrast, Gris Tourterelle is a warm-toned medium grey. Its subtlety is its strength - in different lighting, its beige or rosy undertones can become more prominent, giving the color a beautiful depth and softness. Side by side, the contrast is stark: Asphalt is sharp and industrial, while Tourterelle is soft and organic.

Aesthetic & Vibe

Each color communicates a different style. Gris Asphalt projects a sense of modern professionalism and minimalist chic. It’s the perfect color for a bustling city environment, complementing sleek business attire, a leather jacket, or a monochromatic outfit. It’s effortlessly cool and confident.

Gris Tourterelle offers a classic, romantic elegance. It’s a color well-suited for someone with a more timeless and refined wardrobe, pairing beautifully with cashmere, silks, and floral patterns. It feels less about trends and more about enduring style and sophistication.

Practicality & Maintenance

From a purely practical standpoint, Gris Asphalt has an edge. As a darker, saturated color, it is much more forgiving of daily wear. Minor dirt, small scuffs, and a bit of rain are far less noticeable, making it an excellent choice for a daily-use handbag that you don't have to overly worry about.

Gris Tourterelle, being lighter and more delicate in hue, demands a bit more mindfulness. Color transfer from dark denim can be a concern, and dirt will be more visible. It’s not necessarily high-maintenance, but it isn't quite as carefree as its darker counterpart. Owners of lighter bags are often more conscious of where they place them.

Recommended Hardware Combinations

Hardware makes a huge difference with these two shades. Gris Asphalt is exceptional with Palladium Hardware (PHW). The shimmering silver metal amplifies its cool undertones and enhances its modern, sleek aesthetic. A Gris Asphalt bag with PHW is the ultimate in understated, contemporary luxury.

Gris Tourterelle is an absolute icon when paired with Gold Plated Hardware (GPHW). The warmth of the gold makes the bag’s rosy and beige undertones pop, creating a rich, classic, and incredibly beautiful combination that feels quintessentially Hermès.

Which One Should You Choose?

Both colors are fantastic additions to any collection, but they cater to very different preferences.

Choose Gris Asphalt if:

• You have a modern or edgy style and wear a lot of black, white, and cool tones.
• You want a durable, practical handbag for daily professional or city use.
• You prefer the clean, contemporary look of silver or palladium hardware.
• You need a sophisticated neutral that feels powerful and grounded.

Choose Gris Tourterelle if:

• Your style is classic, feminine, and elegant with a wardrobe full of warms and neutrals (e.g., beige, ivory, camel).
• You dream of the iconic pairing of a soft grey with glimmering gold hardware.
• You appreciate subtle, nuanced colors that radiate timelessness.
• You're comfortable with being a bit more mindful to keep a lighter-colored bag looking its best.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the main difference between Gris Asphalt and Gris Tourterelle?

The main difference is their tone and undertone. Gris Asphalt is a deep, dark grey with a cool, bluish undertone, giving it a modern feel. Gris Tourterelle is a softer, medium grey with a warm beige/pink undertone, giving it a timeless, classic feel.

Is Gris Tourterelle hard to keep clean?

As a lighter color, Gris Tourterelle can be more susceptible to showing dirt, scuffs, or color transfer from dark clothing (like denim) than a darker shade like Gris Asphalt. However, with reasonable care, it maintains its beauty well.

Does Gris Asphalt look black in certain lighting?

Gris Asphalt is a very dark grey and can appear almost black in low or dim lighting, but in daylight, its grey character is unmistakable. It’s less stark than pure black.

Which hardware looks best with each color?

While subjective, the general consensus is that Gris Asphalt’s cool tones are exceptionally paired with Palladium Hardware (PHW). Gris Tourterelle’s warm undertones are a legendary match with Gold Plated Hardware (GPHW).

Which color is more popular?

Both are extremely popular classics. Gris Tourterelle is often cited as one of the most iconic and essential Hermès neutral shades ever created, particularly for its ability to flatter almost any skin tone.

How do these greys compare to Hermès Etoupe?

Etoupe is perhaps the most famous Hermès neutral, best described as a gray-taupe, a grey-toned brown (a greige "gray + beige = greige"). It is far warmer and has more brown in it than Tourterelle. Tourterelle is a truer grey with warmth, whereas Etoupe is a taupe-brown tinged with grey and usually has strong white contrast stitching on the edges of the panels. Gris Asphalt is a cool-toned grey and has no brownish undertones.

Which color is easier to buy at an Hermès boutique?

Availability for any popular neutral color at Hermès is unpredictable and often scarce. Both colors can be difficult to acquire, as selection depends on many factors like your purchase history, boutique stock, and a great relationship with a sales associate who will help to make your desired item happen.

Do the colors look different across various Hermès leathers?

Yes. The leather type affects the color’s appearance. For example, Gris Asphalt in a grained leather like Togo or Clemence will absorb light differently than in the more rigid, fine-grained Epsom leather, which may appear slightly lighter. The same holds true for Gris Tourterelle across varying leather bags.