10 Most Expensive Purse In The World

Despite having a firm understanding of the psychology behind purchasing an expensive purse, it can sound outrageous to justify owning an item that costs more than anything in your material possessions, including your house.

However, most experts believe holding the rarest, most well-designed, and most durable bags is a worthwhile investment, with resale prices astronomically rising after several years. Here is a list of the most expensive purses of 2023.

What Are Purses?
Types of purses
10 most expensive purses in the world
FAQs on 10 Most Expensive Purse In The World | 2023
Conclusion
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What Are Purses?

Purse or handbags serve a purpose other than simply serving as a carrying pouch for a woman’s personal belongings.

One way in which some people express themselves is through the use of jewelry; which can display their wealth or as a status symbol accessory to demonstrate their exuding individuality.

Females use it instinctively to protect their romantic relationships, as evidenced by a study that found they flash their expensive handbags whenever they feel threatened by another woman.

The more limited and one-of-a-kind an item is, the more expensive it will retail on the open market. This is more true than ever in designer handbags, with luxury brands producing only one to three items, each with a distinctive design.

This results in extremely expensive handbags that only the richest 1 percent of the population can afford.

The item is lavishly embellished with diamonds and other jewelry before being auctioned for an even higher price.

Types of purses

Backpack purse

A backpack purse is carried on the shoulders using double straps across the back.

This allows the hands to remain free but has the disadvantage that you’ll remove the purse to access its contents.

The backpack purses’ size varies, but most take advantage of the shoulder strap support and thus are fairly large.

A variety of closures are used, including zippers, claps, buckles, and drawstrings.

Baguette bag

A baguette bag is a relatively long, narrow, and short purse. They have a single shoulder strap and typically a foldover flap with a buckle or clasp closure.

Clutch bag

A clutch bag is small and rectangular shaped. They have no handle and must be “clutched” in hand to carry.

Some may have a small decorative strap, but it is usually not sturdy enough for long-term carrying. Their small size allows them to hold little more than a cell phone and some makeup.

Despite the functional disadvantage, its petite size is classy and must carry at formal events.

Crossbody purse

A crossbody purse typically features a front flap and sturdy, adjustable straps that allow the purse to be worn across the body.

The design allows the hands to remain free and keeps the purse close to the body for freedom of movement.

Its prominent position means you must select it carefully to accentuate the outfit.

Envelope clutch

An envelope clutch purse is a flat, square, or rectangular bag with a triangle-shaped top flap that folds over like an envelope. The top usually features magnetic clasps or buckles for closure.

Like a typical clutch bag, the envelope clutch had no handles and must be carried in hand.

Some envelope clutch bags have a short wrist strap called “wristlet bags.”

Foldover purse

A foldover purse has a top piece that can be folded over. Most have top handles, but straps are fairly common too. Most feature zippered closures. The foldover purse is compact when folded but carries more when unfolded.

Frame handbag

Frame handbags are rectangular-shaped with one or two short handles. As the name indicates, they are constructed around a hinged metal frame that opens wide at the top.

The top locks via magnetic flaps, clasps, kissing locks, or zippered closures. A doctor’s bag is a type of frame handbag.

Minaudiere bag

A minaudiere bag is a small, round, or box-shaped clutch bag with hard sides and a hinged frame. Closures are usually clasps or kissing locks.

These formal evening bags typically have decoration of metal embellishments or sparkling stones.

Saddlebag

The saddle bag takes its name from horse saddlebags. They are small to medium size bags with rounded bottoms and front flap closures. They use a crossbody strap for carrying.

As with horse saddlebacks, they are often made of leather with metal hardware and embellishments.

Satchel purse

A satchel is a medium to large structured handbag with a wide, flat bottom (that allows it to stand upright) and double top handles for carrying.

Satchels come in various shapes but typically have flap tops with buckles or clasp closures.

With their wide, flat bottom, satchels are functional and can carry almost anything.

10 most expensive purses in the world

Here are the 10 most expensive purses in the world.

Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse

Priced at $3.8 million, the Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse is still the most expensive in the world, with its record remaining untouched in the Guinness Books of World Records since 2011.

This is to be expected from the Emirati luxury goods company, which holds five Guinness World Records for some of the most expensive items in the world.

This includes the Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse, a handcrafted 18-karat gold heart-shaped handbag created by artisans who dedicated 8,800 hours of labor of love.

It comes adorned with a total of 4,517 diamonds, comprised of 105 yellow diamonds, 56 pink diamonds, and 4,356 colorless diamonds.

This one-off luxury item was put for sale last year at Christie’s auction preview in Hong Kong.

Hermes Kelly Rose Gold

If you have this item, you no longer need to wear a bracelet to your parties. Crafted to resemble crocodile leather, Hermes and jeweler Pierce Hardy designed this stunningly small and luxurious bag of solid rose gold.

This handbag, dotted with 1,160 diamonds, took two years to create, and only 12 with three variants were ever created.

Think twice if you plan to store items in this bag, as it’s only big enough to store a few dollars and credit cards. It costs $2 million, making it the second most expensive purse in the world.

Hermes Birkin Bag by Ginza Tanaka

With this Birkin bag, you’ll have a handbag with detachable parts that can be worn to accessorize yourself.

Designed by Japanese designer Ginza Tanaka, this Hermes Birkin handbag was fashioned from platinum, carries 2,000 diamonds on its outer shell, and features a pear-shaped 8-karat stone centerpiece that can be detached to wear as a brooch.

If you forgot to bring a bracelet or necklace, detach the diamond sling from this Birkin bag and impress everyone with your exquisite jewelry.

Priced at $1.4 million, this is one of the most expensive purses in the world.

Hermes Chaine’d Ancre Bag

True to its name, the Hermes Chaine d’ Ancre Bag carries an intricate, prison-like design due to its anchor-shaped chain links encrusted with 1,160 pieces of diamonds.

The high price can be attributed to its expensive materials and being a Pierre Hardy-designed collectible, as only three were created.

This cost $1.4 Million, making it the fourth most expensive purse in the world.

Lana Marks Cleopatra Clutch

The fifth most expensive purse is a fan-favorite among celebrities parading on the red carpet. The Lana Marks Cleopatra Clutch costs from $100,000 to $400,000.

The high price point can be attributed to its rarity, with each year only seeing one new Cleopatra Clutch, which varies in color and design.

To date, Chinese actress and singer Li Bingbing owns the most expensive Cleopatra Clutch, with Lana Marks and stylists specially designing the American alligator leather, encrusted with 1,600 white diamonds that amount to 40 karats, to match her gown.

Pink diamonds and gold were also used to write down Li Bingbing’s name.

Niloticus Crocodile Himalaya Birkin

Himalaya Birkin bags are expensive for a good reason.

Priced at $379,000, not only is it made from Niloticus crocodiles, but it takes tons of hours for the dyeing process alone to lighten the hue of the material. The subtler the coloration, the more difficult it is to craft the bag.

The Niloticus Crocodile Himalaya Birkin is designed to evoke images of the majestic Himalayan mountains, which have rich browns from its mountains and white as snow-capped cloud tops.

Sprinkle in a few diamonds, and you now have one of the most expensive purses the world has ever seen.

The most recent Niloticus Crocodile Himalaya Birkin had over 240 diamonds encrusted on its 18-karat gold shell.

It was sold during an auction at Christie’s in Hong Kong, beating 2016’s $300,108-priced Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Birkin.

Chanel “Diamond Forever” Handbag

Chanel’s Diamond Forever handbag looks simple and elegant, with its iconic Chanel logos standing out. The Diamond Forever is made of fine crocodile leather bejeweled with 334 diamonds weighing 3.56 carats in white gold.

The strap made out of an 18-karat gold chain can be detached. Materials aside, rarity is another factor for its high price, as only 13 items were created.

This cost $261,000, making it one of the most expensive purses in the world.

Fuchsia Diamond-Studded Hermes Birkin

Hermes Birkin bags compete with its own, as it manages to beat its records for most expensive purses sold.

This Fuchsia-colored Hermes Birkin bag will sparkle on your eyes at first sight with its 18-carat white gold and diamonds.

This shiny bag fetched a price of $1.72 million Hong Kong dollars($222,000) during an auction at Christie’s in Hong Kong in 2015.

Hermes Exceptional Collection Shiny Rouge H Porosus Crocodile 30 cm Birkin Bag

The official name of the handbag, Hermes Exceptional Collection Shiny Rouge H Porosus Crocodile 30 cm Birkin Bag with 18K White Gold & Diamond Hardware.

This fully explains why this handbag remains on the list of the most expensive purses mankind has ever seen.

Priced at $203,150, this red-colored Birkin Bag broke records several years ago for being the most expensive handbag sold at a public auction.

An anonymous collector won the bidding at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas.

Blue Crocodile Hermes Birkin Handbag

The story behind Hermes Birkin bags is quite simple, with English actress Jane Birkin’s belongings crashing down after her straw bag failed her.

The chief executive of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas, was with Birkin by chance during the incident. He was inspired to create unique, fashionable, and sturdy handbags with a convenient design to help solve women’s struggles.

Since then, Hermes Birkins have become one of the most established and recognizable luxury brands sought after by millions of people.

This blue crocodile Hermes Birkin handbag cracked the top 10 list, fetching a whopping £125,000($150,000) during the first-ever Christie’s dedicated handbag sale in Mayfair, London.

With this, it smashed European records for the priciest handbag sold. Thousands of online bidders tried to get their hands on this Birkin handbag with white gold and 18-karat diamonds, with an anonymous buyer taking this prized possession.

FAQs on 10 Most Expensive Purse In The World | 2023

What is the oldest known purse?

The oldest known purse dates back more than 5000 years and was a pouch worn by a man, Ötzi the Iceman. Men once carried coin purses. In early modern Europe, when women’s fashions moved in the direction of using small ornamental purses, which evolved into handbags, men’s fashions were moving in another direction.

What is the difference between a purse an handbag?

In America, both words refer to the same kind of bag. A purse describes a bag with straps that can be worn over the shoulder. A handbag also describes a very similar bag but with more functionality. While purses are much smaller and useful for only essential items.
This resulted in luggage makers creating purses for women to use while traveling on trains. The first modern-day purse was envisioned in 1841 by a great entrepreneur of the time named Samuel Parkinson.

which handbag is made of leather?

Birkin bags are handmade from leather and are named after the English actress and singer Jane Birkin. The bag’s value is a matter of its intentionally high price, which has led to its being described as a Veblen good.

What is the most popular bag brand?

Having transcended eras and seasons, it is no surprise that Chanel tops the list as the most popular handbag brand.

Conclusion

Your options are limitless where purses are concerned. Whether you can afford to spend millions of dollars on a purse or your budget is on the lower side, there is a purse for you.

10 Most Expensive Purse In The World | 2023

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