The $298,000 Birkin: How Privé Porter Set the World Record
By the Privé Porter Editorial Team · Hermès specialists since 2012
Quick answer: The $298,000 Birkin was a 35cm Hermès Birkin in Braise shiny Porosus crocodile with 18k white gold hardware set with more than 10 carats of diamonds, made in 2008. Privé Porter sold it in April 2016 to an anonymous Los Angeles buyer, then a world record for a handbag, beating the previous record of $222,000 set at Christie's Hong Kong.
In April 2016, a single handbag changed how the world talked about Birkins. Privé Porter, the Miami-based Hermès specialist founded in 2012, sold a diamond-set crocodile Birkin for $298,000, and the story ran in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The New York Times and PurseBlog. Here is what made the bag special and why the sale still matters.
What was the $298,000 Birkin?
According to PurseBlog's report of April 15, 2016, the bag was a Hermès Birkin 35 in Braise shiny Porosus crocodile, a red that PurseBlog described as slightly lighter than Rouge H. Its hardware was 18k white gold set with pavé diamonds totaling more than 10 carats. It was made in 2008 and, per PurseBlog, was unused when Privé Porter acquired it from its original owner in 2015.
| Detail | The record Birkin |
|---|---|
| Model and size | Hermès Birkin 35 |
| Color | Braise |
| Leather | Shiny Porosus crocodile |
| Hardware | 18k white gold with pavé diamonds, more than 10 carats total |
| Year made | 2008 |
| Sale price | $298,000 (April 2016) |
| Buyer | Anonymous, Los Angeles-based |
| Sale method | Fixed price, no bidding |
Each element is rare on its own. Porosus is the most prized of the crocodilian skins Hermès uses, as we explain in our guide to Niloticus vs Porosus crocodile. Diamond hardware sits at the very top of the Hermès hierarchy; our guide to Hermès diamond hardware covers why so few exist. Together, on a saturated red, they made a bag collectors recognized immediately.
How did the $298,000 Birkin beat the world record?
Before April 2016, the benchmark was set at auction. Christie's Hong Kong had sold a pink crocodile Birkin in June 2015 for about $222,000, itself surpassing a Rouge H crocodile Birkin that Heritage Auctions sold for more than $203,000 in 2011. Privé Porter's sale cleared the Christie's figure by roughly $76,000.
PurseBlog was careful to note one distinction: because the bag sold at a fixed price rather than under the hammer, Christie's still held the auction record. The $298,000 sale was reported as a record for a handbag sale, set privately rather than at auction.
Where had collectors seen the bag before?
Many had already seen it. In November 2015 the same Braise Birkin was the centerpiece of our #BirkinBoat pop-up at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, where, according to PurseBlog, it was shown with a $330,000 asking price alongside more than $2 million in Birkins. Forbes covered the yacht pop-up as the world's first.
Who buys a $298,000 Birkin?
The buyer chose to remain anonymous. Speaking to PurseBlog, Privé Porter co-founder Jeffrey Berk described the buyer as a sophisticated collector who understood the bag's rarity, and explained the company's discipline on sourcing: "we are very careful about the bags we actually buy." The New York Times asked the same question in "Who Would Pay $300,000 for a Handbag?", and Fox Business later invited Jeff Berk to discuss a handbag that could fetch more than $500,000.
Why does the record still matter?
The sale proved that a specialist reseller could achieve auction-level prices privately and with discretion, and it put Privé Porter in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and The New York Times. It also helped establish the idea of the exotic Birkin as a collectible asset class, a theme we revisit in the world's most expensive Hermès bags.
Records do not stand forever. Auction prices for exceptional Birkins have since climbed higher, and in July 2025 the original prototype Birkin made for Jane Birkin sold at Sotheby's in Paris for more than $10 million. We look at what Jane Birkin's own bags mean for the market in our guide to her Le Birkin Voyageur. Strong past results do not guarantee future value, but the $298,000 sale remains a landmark for private Hermès sales.
Why buy from Privé Porter?
The record was not a one-off. It came from the same practices we apply to every bag: buying inventory outright through a trusted network of owners, collectors and resellers, a zero-tolerance policy for counterfeit merchandise, and a written authenticity guarantee that covers the original purchaser for as long as they own the bag. If you are looking for an exotic Birkin today, start with pieces like the Hermès 35cm Birkin in Black Shiny Porosus Crocodile or the 40cm Birkin in Bordeaux Shiny Porosus Crocodile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most expensive Birkin Privé Porter has sold?
In April 2016, Privé Porter sold a 35cm Braise shiny Porosus crocodile Birkin with diamond-set 18k white gold hardware for $298,000. At the time it was reported as a world record for a handbag sale.
Who bought the $298,000 Birkin?
The buyer was an anonymous collector based in Los Angeles, according to PurseBlog. Privé Porter has never disclosed the buyer's identity.
What record did the $298,000 Birkin break?
It surpassed the previous record of $222,000 for a pink crocodile Birkin sold at Christie's Hong Kong in June 2015 (PurseBlog reported the figure as $221,000). Because it was a private fixed-price sale, Christie's still held the auction record.
What color is Braise?
Braise is a Hermès red that PurseBlog described as slightly lighter than Rouge H. On shiny Porosus crocodile it reads as a deep, glowing red.
Is the $298,000 Birkin still the most expensive handbag?
No. Auction prices have since gone higher, including the original Jane Birkin bag, which sold at Sotheby's in Paris in July 2025 for more than $10 million. The 2016 sale remains a landmark for private, non-auction Hermès sales.
Searching for an exceptional exotic? Browse rare Birkins at Privé Porter, read the full press archive, or ask a specialist to source your grail bag. WhatsApp +1 (305) 432-1285.