The most expensive Valentine’s Day gifts
Valentine’s day is one of the most commercially active days on the annual calendar, with billions being spent across the world on flowers, chocolates, perfumes, dinners and the ever-present greeting cards.
Total Valentine’s day sales are expected to boom to $18.9 billion in the USA alone, with Americans spending an average of $210 dollars each on the day.
That’s about $1.7 billion on candy, $2.1 billion on flowers, $3.6 billion on an evening out and a whopping $4,8 billion on jewelry, according to MarketResearch. com.
With all this love (for material goods) in the air, how do you set your gestures and gifts apart from everyone else?
BusinessTech takes a look at the most expensive items you could buy for your partner from the typical Valentine’s Day gift basket.
Flowers
If you can’t find the words, then say it with flowers. While a dozen red roses (around R400) are the most common expression of love on Valentine’s Day, if you really want to make your significant other feel like one-of-a-kind, you could try find the flower to match.
Some flowers are so rare that they don’t even have a value (read: they’re priceless) – such as the Kadupul Flower of Sri Lanka, which dies a few short hours after blooming. This flower is effectively inaccessible, and does not give the right message about your love.
A better gift would be the Shenzhen Nongke Orchid, which is completely man-made (through lots of genetic splicing), and was sold for $245,000 (R2.9 million). It only blooms every 5 years, though, so it’s pretty difficult to come by.
More attainable (though, not really) is the Gold of Kinabalu Orchid which grows exclusively in the Kanabula National Park in Malaysia. One flower costs $4,600 (R54,000), so a dozen would set you back R650,000.
In South Africa, the Gloriosa lily, selling for around R115 a flower, is one of the most expensive flowers you can find locally (R1,400 for a dozen).
As an added bonus, while lilies often symbolise purity and chastity, in ancient Greek times they were linked more to eroticism and sexuality.
Gloriosa Lily
Valentine’s Day card
While it may be tempting to pop off to Cardies for a last-minute Valentine’s Day card, if you’re looking for something really special, Gilded Age Greetings cards are the way to go.
Dubbed the “world’s most expensive greeting card maker”, the Gilded Age makes hand-made, one-of-a-kind ‘couture’ cards for every occasion.
A limited edition Valentine’s Day card will set you back, $395.00 (R4,670).
Gilded Age Greetings Card
Chocolates
Sure, you could pop down to the shops and grab a 16-piece box of Ferrero Rocher on Friday for R70.00 – OR you could pre-order the La Madeline au Truffle from Knipschildt.
The exclusive truffle is made with 70% Valrhona dark chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, truffle oil and vanilla, which serves as the base for the rich decadent ganache which covers a French Perigord truffle (a rare mushroom) found at the truffle’s its centre. A truffle inside a truffle. Decadence all round.
For one (yes, one 5 gram bite) of these little pieces of decadence, you’ll have to fork out $250 (just under R3,000).
The world’s most expensive chocolate needs to be ordered in advance, and will require next-day shipment thanks to its shelf-life, so you may be too late order for this Valentine’s day – but keep it in mind for next year.
La Madeline Au Truffle
Teddy bear
If you’re looking to get a little bit plush, then you’re likely in the market for a teddy bear to accompany your Valentine’s day basket.
One brand name rings when it comes to the most “luxurious” teddy bears in the world – Steiff. This company has been making teddies since 1880, and is known for its high level of quality, as well as crafting rare gems and gold into it’s more exclusive products.
The teddy bear maker teamed up with Louis Vuitton to create a plushy which sold at auction for $2.1 million. Fully dressing in VL, of course.
In more accessible terms, the company’s site will let you fork out a little over R7,200 for one of its 50cm replica bears from 1908.
Steiff 1908 exclusive replica
Perfume
The world’s most expensive perfume is the Clive Christian Imperial Majesty, which sells for $12,700 per ounce (R150,000 per 30ml).
Unfortunately, it is only sold in a large bottle (500ml) – so there’s no way to avoid spending R2.5 million for the smell.
More practically (if you could call it that), you can pick up the Salvatore Ferragamo Limited Edition perfume for a ‘mere’ $3,800 (R45,000 for 50ml).
More affordable, and more accessible, as the scent is sold by Harrods.
Salvatore Ferragamo Limited Edition
Dinner
While you will find many expensive dining experiences across the globe, in South Africa you can find an elite meal at The Test Kitchen in Cape Town.
For R1,400 per person, you can partake in the restaurant’s gourmand menu, paired with wines.
After spending over R60,000 the other ‘best value’ luxury Valentine’s day gifts above, this should be considered quite cheap in comparison.
If you insist on going to the world’s most expensive restaurant, then prepare yourself for a R24,000 (per person) meal at Sublimotion in Ibiza.
The meal comprises 20 courses, labelled as “gastro-sensory”, and will likely be unforgettable – but you’ll probably have to spend between R60,000 and R100,000 on the flights to get there.
You’ll also be sitting at a table with 10 other patrons, which could really kill the romantic atmosphere.
A popular gift choice for men is a fine luxury watch: be sure to check out our coverage of the most popular luxury watch brands in South Africa.
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