These Are The Most Expensive Herms Birkin Bags Ever Sold

Publish date: 2024-05-11

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The legendary Hermès Birkin bag was created in honor of the actress Jane Birkin. Since it was initially made available to the public in the 1980s, it has undergone several reinventions. Two rolled handles, a flap top, a touret, a clochette, and four clou feet make up the typical Hermès handbag components. On a journey from Paris to London in 1984, one of the most sought-after items of recent years was born in the air. No one could have predicted as she sat next to Jean-Louis Dumas, Executive Chairman of Hermès (1978–2006), the British actress Jane Birkin lamented the lack of a purse that suited her requirements as a new mother. He quickly drew a flexible and roomy rectangular holdall with a polished flap and saddle stitching—a product of his natural creativity and good eye containing a designated area for infant bottles.

The famous Hermès Birkin bag was designed in Jane Birkin's honor. It has undergone several reinventions since it was first made accessible to the general public in the 1980s. Continue reading to learn about the priciest and most coveted Birkin variations.

The Sac Bijou Birkin: An Icon Reinterpreted in Luxurious Style

Hermès debuted a gorgeous line of Haute Bijouterie Collection jewelry in 2012 that was inspired by handbags. Pierre Hardy, the creative director of fine jewelry at Hermès, created this line. The Sac Bijou Birkin, which retails for almost $2 million, was one of the collection's most beautiful items. 2,712 diamonds are inlaid throughout the rose gold construction of this Hermès bag, as recorded by MoneyInc. In addition, the body, top handles, touret, Cadena lock, and clochette of the Hermès bag are all covered with diamonds, while the top flap is textured to resemble crocodile skin. Only three diamond Sac Bijou Birkins are known to have existed, making them incredibly uncommon. The Sac Bijou Birkin was re-released in 2019 with black garnets and spinels as an edgier version of the original with white diamond adornment.

The Himalaya Birkin: An Honor To Majesty

Both a diamond-encrusted and diamond-free Himalaya Birkin are available. Because it was the most costly purse ever to be sold at auction, the Diamond Himalaya is well-known. The Diamond Himalaya Birkin sold for more than $400,000 in 2017. The Hermès bag's rarity increased the price at auction from the projected retail price of $300,000 for the Birkin. It is made of Niloticus crocodile skin that has been colored in a gray and white gradient. Hermès bags have a distinctive hue that resembles the Himalaya Mountains' snow-capped peaks. This hue blends beautifully with the hardware made of 18-karat white gold, which is also set with white diamonds.

Moreover, these three unique structural elements of the Birkin are encrusted with more than 200 diamonds weighing a combined 8.2 carats. 40 round brilliant white diamonds and 68.4 grams of 18-karat white gold make up the Cadena lock alone. In general, as disclosed in Vogue, Himalaya Birkins sell for more money on the secondary market.

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The Diamond Birkin: The Pinnacle Of Luxury

Hermès enthusiasts' preferred purse is the opulent Diamond Birkin. Its sole difference from the Himalaya Diamond Birkin is how the exotic skin is treated. This Hermès handbag has crocodile skin trim and white gold hardware, making it a great collector's piece. All the more, the traditional Birkin sizes of 25, 30, 35, and 40 cm have been used to create these bags. Pink, red, brown, black, and a plethora of other hues from Hermès' endless palette are among the colors available in the Diamond Birkins. Depending on the color and size, these uncommon Birkin bags are expected to cost between $190,000 and $260,000, according to Vogue.

The Sac Birkin Faubourg: The Historical Gala Of Hermès

One of the most sought-after limited edition Birkin bags is the Hermès Faubourg model. As a tribute to the Hermès boutique on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, this Birkin was unveiled in 2019. The brand's flagship store was moved to the well-known Boulevard by Hermès CEO Charles-Émile Hermès in 1880, where it has stayed ever since. The Hermès handbag has a shopping bag clochette, a top flap made of matte alligator leather, three windows with orange awnings, and alligator skin handles. This tiny 20-centimeter Birkin, which may cost over $240,000, is available in various hues.

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The Ombré Birkin: A Timeless Elegant Collectible

Due to its lizard skin construction, the Ombré Birkin is a very uncommon discovery. As much as it's known, this Hermès bag was bought for $137,500. Collectors of rare purses and other high-end things are enthralled by the skin's captivating symmetrical design. Typically constructed with palladium hardware, ombré Birkins have lizard skin-covered locks and clochettes. Hermès artisans highlight the lizard's inherent coloration and texture to create a wearable piece of art. Unfortunately, the tiny size of lizard skins limits the size of lizard skin bags. The Ombré Birkin often comes in 25 centimeters as a result.

The Metallic Birkin: The Definition Of Ingenious Craftsmanship 

This limited edition Birkin bag from Hermès introduced in 2005 is called Metallic. This expensive handbag is offered in bronze and silver. The base of the Metallic Birkin is smaller, measuring 25 centimeters. The bronze Birkin has gold hardware accents, while the silver Birkin has palladium hardware. The design of the bag was influenced by Lela Menchari's window decorations for the Hermès boutique on Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Hermès artists must dye the leather so heavily that the texture changes to get the shiny coloring. The Metallic Silver Hermès Birkin smashed the previous record for the most expensive leather Birkin sold on the secondary market in 2021 when it sold for $126,000 at a store named Sotheby's New York handbag auction.

Since Birkin bags are outrageously costly and out of reach for the average person, they have evolved into status symbols. Even the wealthy and famous find it challenging to obtain a Birkin since there is a lengthy waiting list to purchase one straight from Hermès.

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