Will this Hermès Himalaya Kelly set a new record in Hong Kong? The diamond-encrusted ‘rarest handbag in the world’ is expected to sell for millions to a collector at Sotheby’s online auction
- Arguably the world’s rarest and most expensive handbag, this Kelly 28 is made from Nile crocodile leather and has a diamond-covered clasp and padlock
- In 2021, the same style sold for a record-setting US$510,000 at Christie’s Hong Kong, so expectations of a new record are high
This Hermès Himalaya Retourné Kelly 28 is made from white matt niloticus (Nile) crocodile leather and 18k white gold, set with 229 diamonds totalling 9.43 carats on the clasp and 40 diamonds (1.64 carats) on the Hermès padlock. The interior of the bag features gris cendré chèvre leather – ash-grey goat leather.
The bag went under the hammer in 2021 at Christie’s Hong Kong and sold for an eye-watering HK$4 million – US$510,000 – well over the highest estimated price. The sale made international headlines and solidified what handbag collectors worldwide already knew: the diamond Himalaya bag is the most coveted handbag in the world.
Why is this Kelly so coveted?
The Himalaya Kelly handbag is touted as the rarest handbag in the world and was once only known to the most dedicated Hermès bag collectors. That is until the year 2010, when Jean-Paul Gaultier sent a Himalaya Birkin down the runway, making it the most coveted handbag to own. Besides igniting the market for Birkins, it also pushed the smaller, single-handled Kelly model – even rarer in many cases – into the spotlight.
How did these handbags achieve such cachet? The answer lies in part in the construction and materials that go into these wearable works of art, a blend of timeless design with rare materials.