Handbags are to handbag collectors what a Monet is to art collectors. Hermes Birkin bags are the most luxurious handbag company around today and the prices people have paid for these collector’s items are just an indicator of what it means to own a Hermes bag. These are the most expensive Hermes Berkin bags of all time.
10. Brighton Blue Pororsus Birkin – $113,525
This Brighton Blue Pororsus Birkin comes in at number 10 on our list of most expensive Hermes handbags. The palladium hardware and the Pororsus crocodile leatherette give it a sleek and understated look, despite the fact that it lacks the diamonds found on the more costly competitors. This purse is also called “The Urban Legend” in the handbag community due to the fact that it can appear lavender in some lights and seems to change color according to the lighting in the room. This can also be paired with a number of outfits of different styles and color. This bag is rather large as it falls in the category of a shoulder bag and can accommodate one’s belongings easily without compromising on style. Because of this, in 2011, it received an auction price of $113,525 dollars.
9. Hermes Birkin Handbag in Metallic Bronze Chèvre Leather – $117,000
Hermès handbags are frequently sold at auction. As a matter of fact, given their artisanal quality, scarcity, and rising market value, it only makes sense. A shimmery copper chèvre leather Hermès Birkins bag that sold for $117,000 at an auction held by luxury-collector company Christie’s in 2017 was one such high-end bag.
Hermès’ landmark storefront at 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, which was designed by Lela Menchari, and which was completed in 2005, served as inspiration for the bag’s design. From 1978 until 2013, Menchari, who joined Hermès in 1961, was in charge of the design and installation of the company’s windows. There has been an increase in the demand for smaller Birkin in the 25-cm size, and collectors are becoming more aware that there is a limited-edition metallic leather Birkin 25 available. This Hermès Birkin was purchased in 2006 by a European Hermès collector and shows no signs of wear, so its value will only rise in the years ahead.
8. Dark Blue Crocodile Birkin – $166,000
At one point of time, this was the most expensive handbag to have graced the markets of Europe. This was a midnight-blue Hermès Birkin made in crocodile leather, and sold for $166,000 in June of 2017 at a Christie’s auction. It’s easy to see why – the purse is plated in 18-karat gold and studded with diamonds totaling 18 carats. There were millions of dollars on the line for the auction house’s first and only handbag-only auction in London.
Shiny Blue Electric is the most opulent and exotic hue available in the Berkin’s collection, and this beautifully colored bag will quickly become a prized possession in any collection. This 40cm bag’s additional room increases its usefulness. The interior has one side pocket and one zip pocket and is lined with deep indigo Chevre Leather.
Hermes’ most expensive exotic skin is the Porosus crocodile’s hide. Salt water crocodiles, native to Australia and Southeast Asia, including Singapore, live in brackish waters and their leather is known as “Lisse Finish,” which is made by polishing the spots with agate.
7. Shiny Rouge Hermes in Porosus Crocodile from the “Exceptional Collection” – $200,000
A Birkin’s allure extends beyond the opulent leather and stunning patterns. At an auction in Dallas, Texas in 2011, a blood-red Birkin swiftly attained the title of one of the most expensive purses ever sold, at a price of $200,000. It sparkles with diamond-studded 18-karat white gold hardware.
The bag was an from the Exceptional Collection and measured 30 cm. I was made of porosus crocodile and was made with solid 18k gold and a generous number of diamonds. This is not a standard $7,000 Birkin bag. That is indicated, after all, by the official name of the thing in question. Red crocodile leather covers the purse, which has white gold clasps set with diamonds.
6. Fuschia Diamond-Studded Birkin – $222,000
The Fuschia Diamond-Studded Birkin is a pink Hermès Birkin sold for $222,000 at an auction in 2016 after being consigned. Candy-pink dye covers the crocodile leather craft item, which is adorned with 18-karat gold and diamonds. This would be the Birkin that Barbie carries about.
In a beautiful shade of fuchsia pink, the record-breaking Hermes Birkin bag is made from genuine crocodile leather and embellished with diamonds and 18K white gold hardware. Hermes Birkin handbags are legendary but despite its high price and glitzy appearance, this Hermes Birkin isn’t the costliest model the house has to offer. There have been diamond-encrusted handbags that have sold for considerably greater sums than this fuchsia Birkin. These handbags, despite their hefty price tags, aren’t just any handbags. They’re masterpieces.
5. Shiny Rouge Hermes in Porosus Crocodile from the “Exceptional Collection” 2.0 – $298,000
A stylish purse quickly transforms an ensemble, especially if it’s red. When the Porosus Crocodile Birkin in Shiny Rouge previously described was auctioned off by Prive Porter, a company that has one of the world’s largest collections of unused Hermès Birkin handbags, and it made news once more five years after it was first offered for sale. An unidentified bidder paid $298,000 for the piece.
This beautiful crocodile leatherette bag in deep crimson has made a style statement in the luxury handbag community and can be expected to make a return as its price rides up higher and higher due to the fierce bidding led by buyers.
4. Niloticus Crocodile Himalaya Birkin – $379,261
You may remember this Birkin from celebs like, Kim Kardashian, Heart Evangelista, and Kylie Jenner, who have all been spotted carrying it. For this Birkin, Hermes used Niloticus Crocodile leather that has been colored in a combination of pale white and taupe to represent the highlands of the Himalayas. This style and color go perfectly with the red carpet looks sported by the celebrities mentioned above, which is one of the main reasons it has gained such immense popularity.
It makes for a beautiful and irreplaceable addition to the handbag collection. A Christie’s auction in 2017 brought in $379,000, shattering its previous record of $300,108 set in 2016 as one of the most expensive purchase ever obtained. The ever-rising price of this bag makes it rank 4th on the list of most expensive handbags ever sold.
3. Hermes Chaine’d Ancre Bag – $1.4 Million
The Pierre Hardy-designed Hermès Chaine d’Ancre bag comes in third place. It’s made entirely of links and 1,160 diamonds, and it has a complex, sculpture-like pattern. There were just three of them manufactured. This bag has a very grunge look, but the reason for its popularity is that this punk style is blended with an ultra-luxurious look given to it by the diamond-encrusted links. Chains hang from the bag in a deliberately unfinished look that add to its grunge aesthetic.
The primary shades that stand out are obsidian black, due to the glint of the links, and blinding silver, owing to the diamonds used in the bag. This handbag is considered less of a handbag and more a piece of art, one that is especially important to collectors given the price at which it sold – a whopping $1,4 million. Handbags, bracelets, and other items made in the same series by the company all use the Chaine d’Ancre pattern.
2. Birkin Bag by Ginza Tanaka – $1.9 million
Japan-based designer Ginza Tanaka’s reinterpretation of the iconic Birkin comes in second on the list of most expensive handbags ever sold. This particular bag is perhaps the most priceless-looking item on this list, owing to the style and the effort put into crafting it. The entire purse is made of platinum and adorned with 2,000 diamonds, including an eight-carat center stone. What’s more, the bag can be broken down into individual jewelry pieces, allowing you to use it as a handbag, a necklace, or a brooch. The status of this bag is unknown, however if it has been sold, it would be amazing to see what it looked like in real life.
This relatively tiny handbag has a vintage shape and style, and appears in silver. This bag is the epitome of luxury at a valued price of $1.9 million. While it may not provide a lot of storage space, this bag that can be worn on the wrist comfortably makes for a stunning addition to the red-carpet look. Due to its one-of-a-kind design, the decadent materials used, and the fact that a single piece exists in history, the price of this handbag is expected to rise should it resurface in the market.
1. Kelly Rose Gold – $2 Million
In 2012, Hermès unveiled a stunning collection of handbag-inspired jewelry from the Haute Bijouterie Collection. This collection was designed by Pierre Hardy, the creative director of fine jewelry at Hermès. This bag hasn’t been dethroned since it was launched in 2012 as the most expensive Hermes Berkin purse in history. This diamond-studded bag is the gold counter to Ginza Tanaka’s silver creation, without the vintage style however.
The Kelly Rose Gold, priced around $2 million USD, was put up for auction by Sotheby. This Hermès bag is crafted from rose gold inlaid with 2,712 diamonds. The miniaturized Birkin is fully functional and intended to be worn as a bracelet. Otherwise, the handles can be used to carry it. There are just 12 such pieces in all, and they prove that handbags may be both functional and beautiful. The Hermès bag’s top flap is textured to imitate crocodile skin while diamonds cover the piece’s body, top handles, touret, cadena lock, and clochette.
What is your take on the incredulous amounts paid for these bags? What is your favorite if any? Check out some of our other posts for more mind-blowing information, and don’t forget to drop a comment and share this blog with your friends!