The Diamond Birkin Bag: The Ultimate Upgrade
The Diamond Birkin Bag is the ultimate upgrade to the iconic Hermès bag. The basic box leather Birkin 40 first created by Hermès for Jane Birkin in 1984 gets a glamorous upgrade in Porosus Crocodile and hundreds of diamonds. Hermès only uses VVS F diamonds on their bags and 18K White Gold. A Diamond Birkin 35 has over 10 carets of diamonds on the hardware. Some vintage Diamond Birkin bags feature yellow gold hardware. There are also rare examples of Birkins with colored sapphires instead of diamonds. The Diamond Birkin Bag has a special box with an attached lid and fitted interior. The Cadena lock also has its own box.
The glamorous Diamond Birkin bag is a favorite of Hermès fanatics and collectors. It is the sister of the Diamond Birkin Himalyan, differing only in the treatment of the exotic skin. A true collectors item, the Diamond Birkin bag features crocodile skin paired with diamond-encrusted white gold hardware. These bags have been made in classic Birkin sizes 25, 30, 35, and 40 centimeters. The Diamond Birkin can be found in both Matte and Shiny finishes, and in many different colors. Almost all diamond Birkin bags are done in Porosus Crocodile.
Diamond Birkin Bag Price
Diamond Birkins retail for more than any other Hermès bags, with current prices at Hermes topping $200,000. A Diamond Birkin Bag in the secondary market can sell for $75,000-$300,000 plus depending on the condition, color and size. A Diamond Birkin 25 Shiny Porosus Crocodile in Bleu Jean sold for almost $200,000 in Sotheby's The Visionary Collection of Joseph Lau in Feburary 2023. Diamond Birkin bags are also regularly rank as one of the most expensive Birkin bags in the secondary market.
Diamond Himalayan Birkin
The earliest known Hermès Himalaya Celadon was produced in 1994, with its final examples leaving Hermès’s ateliers in 2008. That same year, a new Hermès Himalaya Birkin would emerge. The new handbag would define collecting for at least the next 15 years. This new, unique style was only known to the most dedicated Hermès bag collectors. That is, until 2010 when Jean-Paul Gaultier sent a Birkin Himalaya down the spring 2010 runway. From that moment on, the Hermès Himalaya Birkin was the bag to have. The Hermès Himalaya Birkin 30 and Birkin 35 have been spotted dating back to 2008 and 2009 respectively. The first Hermès Himalaya Birkin 25 wasn't released until 2012. In 2014, the Himalaya Kelly was subsequently released. The Himalayas remain to be one of the most iconic and sought-after handbags of all time.
The Himalaya, as the name suggests, replicates the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan mountains. With Hermès’s unique gradation dyeing process, from white to light brown, the bag is only offered in a matte finish that is achieved by hand buffing the skin with a felt wool. It should also be noted that each piece has its own unique gradation, making each bag one of a kind, and the dyeing process arduous. Since the debut of the Himalaya, only a handful was released each year and remains to be extremely rare, let alone one that is encrusted with diamonds. Diamond Himalayan Birkin 30 sold for $450,000 in 2022.
Diamond Kelly Bag
Even rarer than the Birkin, is the Hermès Diamond Kelly bag. The Himalaya Kelly 25 Retourné in White Matte Niloticus Crocodile with 18K White Gold and Diamond Hardware with a lock and clasp set with 298 diamonds, a total of 3.509 carats. The clasp has 258 diamonds or 2.109 carats while the padlock has 40 diamonds or 1.40 carats. Himalayan Kelly Diamond bags have sold for over $500,000 in the secondary market. Diamond Kellys feature the single-loop handle hardware, and no longer come with a shoulder strap. Some vintage examples have a strap. In 2019, Diamond Kelly 25 got an updated design, with two rows of diamonds wrapping the spindle, rather than one
