The Most Expensive Water In The World Is Covered In Gold (Literally)

You've likely heard of high-end water brands such as Essentia and Evamor. In this case, prices are usually higher because of the water's alkaline quality. While tap water or other brands may feel like a better bargain, if you've never explored the most expensive water bottles in the world, then these alkaline water brands may begin to feel like a steal. Take Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani, for example. The water bottle was dubbed the most expensive bottle of water sold at auction by The Guinness World Records in 2010 after a 750-milliliter bottle went for a whopping $60,000.

The water bottle was sold at an auction held by Plan3t Foundation A.C. at La Hacienda de los Morales, Mexico City. The funds that were collected for the water bottle went toward an organization that works to stop global warming. Not only was the water bottle's exterior covered in 24-karat gold, but the water inside of the bottle contained 5 milligrams of 23-karat gold. The man behind this gold-bedazzled water bottle is designer Fernando Altamirano, who also developed the world's most expensive cognac bottle, which sold for $1.5 million. 

Altamirano designed the water bottle to honor the work of the late Amedeo Clemente Modigliani — an Italian painter and sculptor who gained notoriety in France for his art, including his paintings of women. The bottle's design is meant to mimic the elongated face of a woman from one of these well-known paintings.

If gold-infused water already sounds like something you might read about in a science fiction novel, the fancy water also comes from three locations around the globe – water from Fiji and France, as well as Icelandic glaciers. The bottle of water gained renewed notoriety in 2021 when someone photoshopped a picture of Indian philanthropist Nita Ambani at a cricket match to make it look as if she was drinking Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani. Although the photo initially went viral, it was later confirmed that she had not been drinking the expensive brand.   

While $60,000 for a water bottle may not be in your price range if you're looking to splurge, other versions of the bottle are available and include options such as silver, crystal, and ice blue, which range from about $285 to $3,600. Apparently, the water is supposed to provide those who consume it with an energy boost. However, as one Redditor joked on a thread about the "elite" water, "I personally prefer the less expensive 'Aqua di Tap Water.'"   

If you're not in the market for $60,000 water but are open to browsing bougie water bottles, you may be interested in Bling H20. The brand has been listed as costing up to $2,600 for a 750-milliliter water bottle. Bling H20 markets itself as "the best tasting bottled water in the world." That aside, its most expensive bottle is also coated with 10,000 Swarovski crystals – but the water just comes from the bottom of mountains in Tennessee. 

In 2011, Smart Money (via Gawker) even alleged that the same water is available in 90 other U.S. water brands, including water bottles that sell for $2.49 at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store chains. Bling H20 creator, Kevin Boyd, a writer and producer in Hollywood, acknowledged that the bottle is what makes his brand such a hot commodity, telling Smart Money (via Gawker), "I'm not just selling a water, but a lifestyle."

Bling H20 isn't the only water brand that relies on crystals. Fillico is a brand that also features Swarovski crystals on the bottle. The bottle cap is a crown and the water comes from a Japanese spring. Generally, a 750-milliliter bottle costs $219. The Japanese company even released Hello Kitty luxury water bottles that went for $100. 

While some folk may be able to seriously consider their luxury water options, the rest of us can concern ourselves with more everyday water queries like whether spring or purified water is a better choice or whether bottled water actually expires.