Hermès Birkin bag auctions for 2.98 million Hong Kong dollars

While the Hermès Birkin bag is known for having a waiting list of up to three years, those who don't have the patience but have the capital are using auctions to score the coveted status symbols. At a Christie's auction in Hong Kong this morning a matte white Niloticus Crocodile Himalaya Birkin 30 with diamond encrusted hardware went for 2.98 million dollar Hong Kong dollars, or 384,180 U.S. dollars at current exchange. This made the bag the most expensive ever sold at auction.

While the identity of the winning auctioneer hasn't been revealed, the person who won the bid by phone isn't from Asia.

The Niloticus Crocodile Himalayan is one of the most sought after handbags for luxury handbag collectors. Last year, a similar style sold for 2.94 million Hong Kong dollars.

The bag is easily the most expensive of all of Hermès' offerings, with an estimated retail value of 432,000 U.S. dollars. The bag gets its name from it's color pattern which goes from smoky grey to pearl white, resembling the Himalayan Mountains.

Photo:via 1stdibs.com