Caviar is one of the most expensive foods in the world. Selling for up to $35,000 per kilo, it's revered and relished by aristocrats across the globe. But it's an acquired taste. Turns out, caviar wasn't always so valuable. In the 19th century, sturgeon species in the US were so common that there are accounts of caviar being offered in saloons for free, like bar nuts. In Europe, fishermen were feeding the eggs to their pigs, or leaving it on the beach to spoil. What changed?
Harvesting saffron requires a lot of physical labor to get the flowers from the field to final packaging. The harvesting process plus its distinct flavor, smell, and color make it the most expensive spice in the world. It's used in kitchens across the world, as a fabric and skin dye, and may soon be used more widely for medicinal purposes.
Rolex watches are some of the most sought-after timepieces in the world. Last year, a vintage Rolex Daytona worn by Paul Newman was sold at auction for $17.8 million. Cara Barrett, editor at Hodinkee, fills us in on why Rolex's are so pricey.
Horseshoe crab blood is a vital resource to the medical field. It's unique in more ways than one: the blue color and its ability to identify bacterial contamination in small quantities. Horseshoe crab blood contains a special amebocyte that is separated and then used in FDA testing. There's a lot of questions as to how blood harvesting affects the American horseshoe crab population, but some researchers are dedicated to the cause of protecting such a significant resource.
Vanilla prices have climbed so high it's worth more by weight than silver. This increase in price has to do with a number of factors, including vanilla bean theft, complex pollination, extreme weather, and the rise of the "all natural" food movement.
Christian Louboutin's trademark red-bottomed shoes have become iconic. Beyoncé wore a custom pair of boots for her Coachella performance, and Cardi B slipped on a pair of "bloody shoes" for her "Bodak Yellow" music video. But why do these heels cost hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of dollars?
Silk is the epitome of luxury when it comes to fabric whether it's for robes, sheets, or dresses. And there's a lot of work that goes into making this luscious fabric come to life. Silkworms spin cocoons that silk producers eventually unravel and join to create the thread.
The deathstalker is one of the most dangerous scorpions on the planet, and what makes it so dangerous also happens to be the most expensive liquid in the world. Why?
A wheel of parmesan cheese can cost over $1,000. A single wheel takes at least one year to age, 131 gallons of milk to make, and it can only be made in a restricted area in northern Italy, in the region of Emilia Romagna. We visited a dairy in Parma, Italy to find out how the cheese is made and why it is so expensive.
A tuna once sold for $1.8 million, but you can get cans of tuna fish for less than $2 at the grocery store. So, what's the difference? Bluefin tuna can be very expensive depending on where you buy it and which part of the fish you are eating. We spoke with the chef at Shoji in New York, Derek Wilcox, to find out why the fish is so expensive.
Koi fish are colorful patterned common carp that are now celebrated in annual koi shows and kept in ponds all over the world. Some are worth millions.
Competition and the current U.S. economic situation are forcing Disney Parks to expand and raise prices. In 2018 Disney World raised its prices twice and switched to a dynamic pricing model. The new model prices out its early adopters in the middle class from peak park months.
Almost 80% of the textbook industry is dominated by 5 publishing companies. They use restrictive codes and re-publish new versions of textbooks every 2 to 3 years. Due to these tactics, textbook costs overall have risen 67% from 2008 to 2018.
Dragon fish, or Asian arowana, are some of the most expensive pet fish in the world. It often sells for tens of thousands of dollars, and one was rumored to have sold for $300,000 in 2009. The fish is highly coveted for the red and gold colors and new color variations that it has been bred for. Emily Voigt, author of The Dragon Behind The Glass, talks about the peculiarities of the arowana trade.
While ordinary vegetable cucumbers cost $3 per kilo, sea cucumbers can cost over $3,000 per kilo. These animals are prized as a delicacy in Asia, and are used by pharmaceutical companies to treat diseases like cancer. Unfortunately, over-harvesting now threatens many sea cucumber populations.
The New York Knicks are valued at $3.6 billion, the highest valued team in the NBA for 3 straight years. But the basketball team has posted 5 straight losing seasons. The franchise gets its value off the court from fixed revenues from Madison Square Garden and TV revenue.
The green paste you've been eating with your sushi isn't really wasabi. If you check the ingredients on the packet, you might see a mixture of sweetener, horseradish and perhaps a small percentage of the real thing. Real wasabi is hard to come across and it can cost $250 per kilo. So what actually is wasabi, and why is it so expensive?
A small percentage of sperm whales produce ambergris, a clump of squid beaks and fatty secretions that scientists believe exits through the whales’ bowels Ambergris is coveted by the fragrance industry for a chemical it contains called ambrien, which suspends smells in the air, and for its own unique scent Quality pieces of ambergris, which ambergris hunters snatch up as they wash ashore, can garner more than $7,000 a pound.
YETI coolers have become a status symbol in the United States. The expensive, high-tech coolers range between $200 and $1,300. The technology used to make the coolers, combined with a highly effective marketing campaign, has made YETI a popular lifestyle brand that also makes apparel, drinkware, and even pet products.
The annual turnover for bridal dresses in the US is roughly $2.8 billion. The national average spent on wedding dresses was over $1,500 in 2017. So, what makes these gowns so much more expensive than any other dress? We meet with bridal designer Lela Rose and bridal boutique owner Mark Ingram to learn how wedding dresses are made, and why the cost is so high.
Insulin prices have tripled in the last 15 years. Three manufacturers produce insulin for the United States drug market and their prices don't seem to show signs of decreasing any time soon. Why is insulin so expensive?
At $25 per pound, macadamia nuts are the world's most expensive nuts.The nuts keep breaking price records every year. Macadamia trees take 7 to 10 years to begin producing nuts, and the nuts can only be harvested a few times a year. Although the demand for the nuts has largely outpaced the supply, exporters worry that a bubble in the global macadamia industry is about to burst.
Caterpillar fungus is a hybrid of a fungus that kills and lives in caterpillars. It has been used in traditional herbal medicine for many centuries but has gained popularity in recent decades. It can sell for up to 3 times its weight in gold. The high demand has driven up the price, which can be as much as about $63,000 per pound. Some towns in the Himalayas rely on collecting and selling this fungus for a living.
Bird's nest soup is a delicacy in Asia made from the dissolved nests of swiftlets, a small bird native to Southeast Asia. A bowl of bird's nest soup can cost more than $100 at some restaurants, due to growing demand and a limited number of wild birds. The soup is popular in China, where it's believed to have healing properties. We stopped by the Oriental Garden in NYC's Chinatown to taste it for ourselves.
Cashmere is one of the most sought-after fibers in the world. It's fine hairs are softer, lighter, and can be up to three times more insulating than sheep wool. It has been a prized material for centuries, but its quality comes at a cost and a luxury cashmere jumper could cost you well over $500. So why is it so expensive?
At French restaurants, a single appetizer of foie gras can cost more than a main course — but why? Ducks and geese used for foie gras are expensive to raise, and animal rights activists have supply on lockdown.
Amtrak has been operating since 1971. With high ticket costs, Amtrak has become a less viable mode of transportation. It has had a long history of financial instability since its formation.
Single Malt whisky is one of the most revered spirits in the world. It is exclusively made from barley, which is quite a cheap product. A bottle of The Macallan 1926 60-year-old recently sold for $1,512,000 in auction, marking the largest single sale ever for a bottle. Over the past 50 years, single malts have become increasingly popular. Scottish single malt exports grew by 14.2% in 2017 to reach nearly $1.5 billion.
Canada Goose jackets are made to withstand the coldest places on earth, and the company has a brand history to back it up. CEO Dani Reiss used that history when he turned the company into what it is today.
Pearls come in many different colors and sizes, and these variables help determine their value. The most expensive pearl ever sold was Marie Antoinette's pendant. It went for $32 million in a 2018 Sotheby's auction. Celebrities like Rihanna, Uma Thurman, and Cardi B all adorned themselves in pearls for last year's Met Gala.
Organ transplants are life-saving, but they're not cheap. The average billed cost for a new kidney is over $400,000. And that's cheap compared to other organs like hearts, lungs, and intestines.
“Chocolate diamonds” are brown diamonds that are not too dark and not too light in color. Brown diamonds were not popular in jewelry until the 2000s. “Chocolate diamonds” was trademarked by Le Vian in 2000 and are now popular in jewelry worn by celebrities, like Rihanna and JLo, and non-celebrities.
From the eye catching logo, to limited product releases, and artist collaborations, Supreme has transitioned from small skateboarding store in New York to a $1 billion dollar streetwear company over the past 20 years. But for its fans, Supreme is more than just a brand — it’s often an obsession and an entire subculture of its own.
The price of pedigree dogs is at an all-time high, and demand too. 2017 saw a 7% rise in the number of registered puppies in the UK. We visited Crufts, one of the world's largest dog shows, to find out why people spend so much on pedigree dogs. A Tibetan Mastiff sold to a businessman for $1.9m in 2014, yet years later the breed was being abandoned en masse. So why does this happen? We speak to the RSPCA to find out more about irresponsible breeding leading to an increase in price.
Mānuka honey known for being is earthier, richer, and more viscous than many other honeys. It comes from the nectar of the flower of Leptospermum scoparium — also known as Manuka, which is only native to New Zealand. Mānuka, in fact, is a Maori word. "The plant itself is very rare. It's difficult to harvest because the flower is only open for 12 days, and sometimes we have to use helicopters to collect this honey." John Rawcliffe from the Mānuka Factor Honey Association told Business Insider. Although mānuka bushes can also be found in Australia, New Zealand accounts for almost all the world's production, with exports worth 300 million NZ dollars ($204m) and expected to rise to 1.2 billion NZ ($800m) by 2028.
Pink Himalayan salt is used in speciality foods, spa treatments, and even home design. 100 grams of it can cost $5 to $8, up to 20 times more than generic table salt. So, why is it so expensive?
Birkin bags have become the ultimate status symbol, commanding resale prices as high as $500,000 for a single bag. Unless you have been chosen by Hermès, resale is likely the only option for obtaining a bag. Luxury resellers like The Real Real in New York have many options available online if you have several thousand dollars lying around.
From the Yubari King, to the Andes, the Higo Green Melon and many more. Melons are grown up and down Japan and they’re serious business. In May 2019, two melons from Hokkaido sold at auction for 5 million yen, that’s just over $45,000. So what is it that makes this fruit so expensive?
Air Jordans retail and resell at higher prices than the average basketball sneaker. The high prices come from how the company makes and markets its iconic sneakers. The brand has a rich history, and its Air Jordan 1 is widely credited as the catalyst for sneaker-culture.
Bonsai is an artform that requires years of training, and centuries of dedication. At the 2012 International bonsai Convention a tree was on sale for one hundred million yen, just under a million dollars. And many more of these trees are considered completely priceless. So what is it that makes these trees so expensive?
Lobster went from prison food to a well-known delicacy. Seafood was left out of rationed foods during WWII, and with the advent of railway transportation, lobster became known as an exotic delicacy.
Oil paint is simple. At its most basic, it’s just a mixture of oil and pigment. But depending on the color and quality, a liter of this paint could cost you $285 to $1,100.
You’ve probably heard of fugu, the deadly puffer fish delicacy served across Japan. The Japanese eat 10,000 tons of the fish each year, but in high season, it could cost you $265 per kilogram. So what makes this dish so expensive?
Wagyu beef is the most prized beef in the world. A single cow can be sold for up to $30,000. Part of the reason why it's so expensive is due to its exclusivity and increasing demand.
Racing pigeons aren’t the typical bird you’ll find on the city streets. These pedigree birds can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. In March 2019, Armando the racing pigeon sold to a bidder in China for over $1.3 million. So what is it that makes racing pigeons so expensive?
Printer ink can sometimes cost more than the printer itself. We talk with a former editor of the Recycler to find out why printer ink is so expensive.
Oysters are a sure sign of high end decadence. But look back two hundred years and they were handed out as free bar snacks. So, what made them the luxury food they are today?
Champagne is only true champagne if it's made in the Champagne region of northern France. All other sparkling wines made outside of this region, even those from neighboring parts of France, must be labeled differently. Champagne often costs double the price of other sparkling wines, such as prosecco or cava. A decent-quality bottle of it can cost you anywhere from $50 to $300, and vintage bottles often sell for thousands.
Gold is the shining embodiment of wealth. One ounce can cost up to $1,500. But other metals that are rarer than gold are much cheaper.
Luxury cousins to the mushroom, truffles are an indulgent food enjoyed across the world. But these fragrant fungi will cost you.
Avocado has become one of the world’s trendiest foods, but they require an extraordinary amount of costly resources and labour in order to grow. As the poster child of millennial healthy eating, this superfood is now a mainstay for foodies everywhere. But have you noticed your avocado toast is costing more and more?
Airfares are close to their lowest prices ever, with a roundtrip ticket from New York to London costing $350, almost a tenth of the price it would have been in the 1970s. Since fares and routes are no longer regulated by the government, fierce competition has led airlines to generate new revenue streams, which often inflate the base fares greatly.
Palm oil is cheap and ubiquitous. It’s used in thousands of everyday products and is the most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet. You can get a kilo of palm oil for just $2. But its usage has become unsurprisingly controversial, as huge areas of rainforest have been cut down or burned to make way for palm plantations. So, why is this oil still so cheaply and readily available?
Apple's reputation and brand allow it to charge a premium for its high-end products, like the iPhone 11 Pro Max, MacBook Pro, or the iMac Pro. Adding memory or storage to these products increases the cost even more. Because of this "Apple Tax," Apple products are often more expensive than competitors, bringing in huge profits for Apple.
Modern art is expensive. From completely white canvases to simple abstract colours, these seemingly basic works can cost you millions. So what makes their price so high and how can they possibly be worth this much money?
Anti-aging products claim to make you look younger by reducing, hiding, or preventing the signs of aging. High-end anti-aging products are some of the most expensive single-use items in the world, but, according to skin experts, the lavish ingredients inside aren’t guaranteed or necessarily proven to be more effective than standard moisturizing ingredients.
Originally created on the request of Queen Victoria, Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes were first made in 1866, and were designed to be the finest possible brush for watercolor painting. But making a Series 7 Kolinsky Sable watercolor brush isn’t easy, and the largest size brush can take almost a week and a half to make.
CBD is a new and rapidly growing phenomenon, with sales tripling in the last three years. Despite the public perception of its benefits, CBD manufacturers are unauthorized to make medical claims on its effects. Because of lax regulations, low quality and low strength CBD oil is marketed for high prices.
Camel milk can cost you $30 per liter. Compare that to cow's milk, and it’s almost 30 times the price.
These handmade scissors have been produced in Sheffield, England, for over 100 years. But compared to a $2 mass-produced pair, the kitchen scissors will cost you over $100, and a pair of professional tailor's shears cost $315. So just what is it that makes them so expensive?
Depending on the stallion, horse semen is one of the most expensive liquids on the planet. A gallon of gold-medal-winning Big Star's semen is worth $4.7 million. But that's nowhere near the most expensive! Once it's collected, horse semen can be sold in small tubes called straws, each containing 150 million to 200 million sperm cells. These straws can sell for thousands of dollars. In the horse-breeding world, genetics is king. Wealthy investors are willing to pay high prices for a proven winner's semen, hoping that the resulting foal provides a large return on investment. But even though most stud farms offer guarantees on producing a live foal, commercial and competitive success is still a gamble, even with strong genetics.
NASA's current fleet of spacesuits was built in 1974, and each was reported to cost between $15 million and $22 million. Today, that would be about $150 million. Having not built any new mission-ready extravehicular suits since then, NASA is running out of spacesuits. In fact, NASA is down to just four flight-ready EVA suits. Since 2009, NASA has invested more than $200 million in spacesuit development, recently unveiling the xEMU prototype for its Artemis program, which plans to take humans back to the surface of the moon by 2024, with a view to eventually go to Mars. With that goal fast approaching — and the number of existing spacesuits dwindling — NASA engineers face a new kind of space race. Meanwhile, commercial space company Final Frontier Design is developing its own EVA spacesuits and plans to build new units at much lower costs than NASA. So, why has it taken so long for new spacesuits to be built? And what makes them so expensive?
Rolls-Royce makes some of the world's most luxurious and expensive cars. Known for producing hand-crafted automobiles that promise a seamless "magical carpet ride" for its customers, Rolls-Royce's cars do not come cheap. With virtually unlimited optional extras, upgrades, and customizations, the true cost of a bespoke Rolls-Royce has no limits. So what are some of those bespoke extras? And is that what makes Rolls-Royces so expensive?
When Doc Martens first appeared in the UK, in 1960, they were working boots that would cost you under $3 a pair. These days, a pair of Made in England boots could set you back $225. So, what has changed? And why are these shoes now so expensive?
Even in the expensive world of spices, saffron stands out. Real saffron can cost you over $10,000 per kilogram. No machine can do the delicate work required to harvest these thin threads. It can take 40 hours of hard manual labor to produce just 1 kilogram of high-quality saffron.
Cuban cigars hold a reputation as the world's most opulent tobacco product. A box of good quality Habanos can cost thousands of dollars. Every hand-rolled Cuban cigar goes through about 500 manual tasks from seed to cigar. But over the last 25 years, cigars made in other countries in the Caribbean and Central America have become comparable in quality, consistency, and cost. Some experts suggest that up to 95% of all Cuban cigars in the US, which hasn't allowed the import of Cuban cigars since the 1962 embargo, are actually counterfeit. So why are Cuban cigars so desirable? And is that why they're so expensive?
Hand-harvested Icelandic sea salt could cost you more than 30 times the price of table salt. Housed in one of the most remote and coldest locations in the country, Saltverk salt factory produces 10 metric tons of salt each year. But there’s one other thing that’s unique about the way it’s processed: Everything is powered entirely by geothermal energy. Unlike processed rock salt, the sea minerals remain in the crystals — but these are only a tiny percentage of the final product. The final result is very minimally processed, flaky sea salt from clear Icelandic waters.
Real eiderdown is one of the warmest natural fibers you can find, but it doesn’t come cheap, an eiderdown double duvet could cost you over $8,000. Harvested from the nests of wild eider ducks found wild in Iceland, collecting a kilogram of this fluffy material isn’t easy, and only 4 metric tons are produced each year. So what makes eiderdown so expensive?
For thousands of years, agarwood has been known as "The Wood of the Gods." First-grade agarwood can cost as much as $100,000 per kilogram, making it one of the most expensive raw materials in the world. Aquilaria malaccensis is a tree native to the rainforests of southeast Asia. The healthy heartwood inside Aquilaria trees is pale, odorless, and worthless. In order for this tree to produce any agarwood, it must first become infected with mold. So how does this infection process work? What is agarwood used for? And what makes it so valuable?
Argan oil can cost as much as $300 per liter, making it the world’s most expensive edible oil. Just 20 years ago, however, the production of argan oil was isolated to villagers in Morocco, who sold it locally for as little at $3 per liter. But since then, the formation of women-run cooperatives has transformed the production into a billion-dollar industry. With the help of the cooperatives, the traditional skills held by the Amazigh women has created some financial independence in a male-dominated society However, the women normally make less than $220 a month — below Morocco's recommended national minimum wage. So why has argan oil suddenly gained such popularity? And what makes it so expensive?
Frankincense and myrrh are perhaps best known for their biblical connotations. But this tree sap has been prized across the world for over 6,000 years. These fragrant incense pieces come from the Burseraceae family of trees and are found across the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. But despite recent attempts to protect these trees, they could soon be headed for extinction. So what makes frankincense and myrrh so expensive?
Hand woven with the finest materials including wool and silk, a single Persian rug can often take years, and sometimes decades to create. A high-quality Iranian carpet can cost tens of thousands of dollars, with antique rugs fetching even higher prices. So how are Persian rugs made, and why are they so expensive?
Lotus silk is one of the rarest fabrics in the world. Produced only in small scale across Cambodia, Myanmar, and more recently Vietnam, this natural fibre is only extracted by a few skilled craftspeople across the world. But making this "silk" isn’t easy. Extracting enough lotus silk for one scarf can take two months, and the final product can cost 10 times as much as regular silk. So just how is it made, and what makes it so expensive?
The unmistakable sound of the gong has held spiritual significance in Southeast Asia for centuries. Hand-beaten from sheet materials, the labor-intensive shaping and delicate paintwork result in beautiful percussive instruments. Souvenir gongs can be bought for just a few dollars, but large, finely tuned gongs made from the best materials can fetch tens of thousands of dollars. So what are gongs actually used for? And why are they so expensive? But making this "silk" isn’t easy. Extracting enough lotus silk for one scarf can take two months, and the final product can cost 10 times as much as regular silk. So just how is it made, and what makes it so expensive?
This is a Đông Tảo chicken. Often known as dragon chickens, these thick-legged birds can sell for over $2,000. Each one can take years of raising and special care, and the best are even entered into beauty competitions across Vietnam. So, what does it take to raise a Đông Tảo chicken, and why are they so expensive? But making this "silk" isn’t easy. Extracting enough lotus silk for one scarf can take two months, and the final product can cost 10 times as much as regular silk. So just how is it made, and what makes it so expensive?
The cost of running a political campaign in the U.S. has been growing steadily over the past decade. The 2020 Georgia Senate races are the most expensive yet, with $480 million being funneled into ad placement since election day. How did political campaigns get so expensive? And where is all the money going? But making this "silk" isn’t easy. Extracting enough lotus silk for one scarf can take two months, and the final product can cost 10 times as much as regular silk. So just how is it made, and what makes it so expensive?
Sơn mài is a traditional Vietnamese form of lacquer painting. Created using a toxic lacquer harvested from one region of the country, it requires months of application and sanding back layers of paint to build up the image. Last year, a sơn mài painting sold at auction for $972,000. So what makes these paintings so special? And why are they so expensive? But making this "silk" isn’t easy. Extracting enough lotus silk for one scarf can take two months, and the final product can cost 10 times as much as regular silk. So just how is it made, and what makes it so expensive?
Coconuts produce some of the most expensive cooking oil, selling for up to 12 times the price of canola oil in the United States. But the health benefits coconut oil devotees swear by are hotly contested, and the American Heart Association even recommended that consumption be avoided. Nevertheless, the industry is expected to grow by half a billion dollars worldwide over the next four years. So with the controversial conversation surrounding the product, why is coconut oil so expensive?
Stone crab claws are one of the priciest seafoods you can buy. Depending on their size, claws can cost as much as $70 per pound. Unlike most other crustaceans, it's illegal to harvest the body of a stone crab, so fishermen must only collect the claws before returning the rest of the crab to the ocean. So what makes these claws so coveted? And why are they so expensive?
Before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were delayed a year by COVID-19, they were already the most expensive summer games. Experts estimate they will cost more than $26 billion. The extra year added at least another $2.8 billion. There's still a chance they might not happen at all.
The Texas winter storm is expected to be the most expensive weather event in the state’s history, costing insurers over $20 billion. Why are Texans paying the price for the polar vortex?
Americans supply two-thirds of the world’s plasma, supporting an industry that relies on vulnerable donors in need of cash.
Mike Winkelmann, better known as Beeple, has sold the most expensive digital artwork in history. It’s part of an explosion in the market for NFTs — tokens that prove ownership of things like digital art that you can’t even touch.
Ceylon cinnamon is native to just one region of the world. And producing it requires hours of delicate work. Even the most skilled workers can make only a few pounds of quills a day. One pound of cinnamon quills can cost $27. But not all spices labeled "cinnamon" are the Ceylon variety. Many in the Western market are actually cheaper types of cinnamon called cassia. So what makes Ceylon cinnamon so favorable? And why is it so expensive?
Pule donkey cheese is the most expensive cheese in the world. Produced by only one farm in the world, pule will cost you about $600 for a single pound. Making it requires more time and effort than most other cheeses. You need over 6.5 gallons of donkey's milk just to make one kilogram of cheese. That's 2.5 times more than what you need to make mozzarella. So how does pule compare to other types of cheese? And why is it so expensive?
Lightning Ridge is a small mining town outside of New South Wales, Australia renowned for its black opal, which can sell for over $10,000 per carat. But even for an expert miner, finding high-quality black opal isn’t easy. After investing tens of thousands of dollars, a miner might not find a single gem. But as soon as a gem quality black opal is found, opal cutters know they have a buyer for it. That exclusivity, and black opal’s unique colors, make it one of the most expensive gemstones in the world.
Cars in Tunisia are among the highest priced in the world. Tunisians are paying almost twice the market value for a used car. We dive into why cars in Tunisia are so expensive.
In 2017, a single violin bow sold at auction for $690,000. You can buy a beginner's bow for less than $50, but a top-rate professional bow can often cost thousands of dollars. A bow like this is completely handcrafted by skilled artisans. And just one can take an entire week to make. Even the most subtle differences in the way a bow is made will change how well it plays. So why would someone pay so much for a bow? And what makes it so expensive?
Jugyeom, or nine times roasted bamboo salt, sometimes also known as purple bamboo salt, can cost almost $100 for an 8.5-ounce jar. To make bamboo salt, sea salt must be repeatedly roasted inside of bamboo at temperatures over 800 degrees celsius. The goal is to enrich the salt with minerals and to reduce toxicity. But depending on where you buy it, purple bamboo salt can cost more than 10 times the price of pink Himalayan salt. That labor-intensive process makes purple bamboo salt the most expensive salt in the world.
Hong Kong has the most expensive housing market in the world. Rent is so high many can only afford to live in subdivided apartments known as “coffin homes.” But the problem isn’t land scarcity.
Even in the high-end world of jewelry, Cuban link chains are a symbol of luxury. Once a quintessential part of hip-hop style in the '70s and '80s, these chains have become increasingly popular in the last decade. Today, you'll find prominent rappers like Future, Daddy Yankee, and Lil Uzi Vert wearing Cuban link chains. Although the majority of these chains are machine-made, many of the most expensive ones are handmade by just a few shops in Miami. One handmade 18-karat gold Cuban link chain can cost $27,000, and some of the most valuable ones will cost 10 times that. In 2012, Jay-Z wore one of the most expensive Cuban link chains made at the time, worth $200,000.
