Joser FerrerasI’ve met a few spendthrifts in my life, some of whom I’m personally acquainted with. But whether they’d be willing to splurge on a bottle of water that costs almost as much as an overnight stay in a mid-range Singapore hotel or a multi-million mansion in California — that I wouldn’t bet on.
The idea that such expensive water exists (and that there’s more than one of them in the global market) is far from new. However, it’s not surprising that, until today, not a lot of people know much about them for what I would assume are very obvious reasons. But before you go haywire about their mere existence, you might be interested to find out that some companies have a somewhat logical reason for selling these expensive bottles of water.
Also read: 8 Classy Thermal Mugs and Bottles Singaporeans Can Buy Online
Some of the world’s most expensive water
Leading the world’s most expensive water is the Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani. Its content originates from the glacial and spring waters of Iceland, Fiji, and France. It comes in a 750ml bottle that’s made out of 24-carat gold and has an estimated value of US$6.1 million or S$8.2 million, according to Hong Kong Tatler. It’s so luxurious, it’s documented as the “World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Water” under the Guinness Book of World Records.
Image credit: Acqua di Cristallo
A price that steep would’ve been hard to top, but that doesn’t make these other contenders any less impressive. In the United States of America, Beverly Hills 9OH2O sells some of its products for about US$100,000 per 750ml bottle. This is equivalent to S$130,000. The water comes from California’s coveted mountain springs, which contain promising levels of alkaline and electrolytes. Its cap alone consists of 14 carats of diamonds.
Representing Asia, Japanese company, Fillico, solds expensive water locally and abroad. The water is sourced from a spring located in Kobe, Japan packaged in an elegant upside-down cone-type bottle topped with a crown-shaped cap. One of its limited-edition bottles has 57 Swarovski crystals embedded in it and costs approximately US$1,200 or S$1,600. That’s just about the same price tourists would usually pay for a week’s worth of vacation in Japan!
Also read: 10 Best Hot Springs in Japan That Will Amaze You to No End
Why they could be worth drinking
Here at TripZilla, we’re all about opening up to new experiences, or new ideas at the very least. When asked about what they thought about these expensive bottles of water, some writers and editors said they would definitely try one of them under extraordinary circumstances.
“Generally, I wouldn’t even consider buying an expensive water bottle. But these thousands to millions of dollar bottles are made of diamonds and Swarovski crystals. So, they’re technically reusable and green as long as people source them sustainably,” a writer from Malaysia, Darren, said. With that in mind, these bottles are comparable to most luxury collectors’ items that come in sometimes unrealistic price tags, but offer some kind of value for the owner.
Image credit: Fillico Japan
One of our Philippine-based editors, Therese, quipped that she’d buy such products provided her health and safety depended on it. “If it’s some kind of Holy Water that can cure illnesses, I would have no problem buying it.” But while she’s far from actually purchasing one at the above-mentioned costs, she added that people should still acknowledge where companies source them. “Some water bottles are naturally expensive because of the water’s purity. Because of its quality, it’s understandable, I think,” she said.
Of course, reasons of practicality play a paramount role in the argument, too. “My hard-earned money could go elsewhere. I’m not a water sommelier — I doubt H2O that expensive would change my life,” Alyosha, another editor from the Philippines, said. “I would rather start my own bottled water company if I could afford those expensive waters,” told another writer. Essentially, they agreed that regardless of its quality, water — for as long as it’s usable — is all the same.
Would you buy some of the world’s most expensive water if you had the money?
Featured image credit: Beverly Hills 9OH2O | Official Facebook Page
