What a $10 Million Birkin Tells Us About Jewelry, Luxury, and Legacy
In June 2024, a former Japanese soccer player made headlines when he purchased the original Hermès Birkin bag for a stunning $10 million. But beyond the price tag, this wasn’t just another luxury splurge—it was a cultural signal. One that begs the question: what does it take to create something truly iconic?
The Birkin wasn’t born as a status symbol. It started with a simple need: actress Jane Birkin voiced her frustrations about her handbag on a flight, and Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas turned the conversation into design. What emerged from that junction of desire and necessity became a legacy piece—one that aged into elegance and iconography.
At Alex Lexington Diamonds, we believe this same philosophy applies to fine jewelry. The most unforgettable designs don’t begin with a trend. They begin with a truth. They are genuine. Honest. Born from who you are and what you need—then crafted with timeless materials and refined storytelling.
Designing the Iconic: Simplicity as Signature
Not every client seeks the boldest piece in the room. Some seek something authentically theirs. Something that, over time, becomes a signature. A quiet indulgence that says, “This is me.”
For example, I wear lapel pins—small but striking. Often gold. Occasionally diamond-accented. It’s not just an accessory. It’s my punctuation. You might be someone who wears bold colors and needs a solid gold necklace—yellow or white—that isn’t just another Cuban link. It should work with your personality, not against it.
This is how legendary pieces start: through experimentation. Through the freedom to create something you didn’t even know you’d love. A crest. An animal. A motif from your story. Sometimes the meaning catches up later. Sometimes it grows over time. Either way, it becomes a legacy.
You Didn’t Just Buy It—You Built It
That lapel pin you had made? That unique pendant with your children’s birthstones? That one indulgent design that maybe cost more than you planned? It’s not just jewelry. It’s a memory. It’s a marker.
Just like the original Birkin, you didn’t buy it for the world to see—you bought it because something in you knew it mattered. And that’s what makes it last. That’s what makes it heirloom.
So the next time you design a custom piece, don’t ask yourself what’s popular. Ask yourself what feels like you. Start there.
Because true icons don’t begin as icons. They begin as something genuine.
— Indulge | Alex Lexington Diamonds
Inspired by reporting from Vanity Fair. Read the original article: “Meet the Former Japanese Soccer Player Who Spent $10 Million on the Original Birkin”
By Kristen Bateman | Vanity Fair Style, 2024
