What Is The Most Expensive Tattoo Of All Time?

With each passing decade, tattoos are becoming more commonplace in society. No longer does having ink on one's body impact job prospects (though most professions may frown upon extreme Post Malone-esque facial designs), with acceptance growing over the past 20 years. According to Enrica Ruggs, associate professor at the University of Houston's C.T. Bauer College of Business, who studies marginalized groups, how society perceives tattoos has changed. "In the past, tattoos existed on the edge of society," she explained, in an interview with UH. "They were found mostly on outsiders from the mainstream and usually represented individualism, even rebellion. But that has turned around. Many tattoos serve opposite roles now and are designed to depict belonging."

A 2023 study by the Pew Research Center found that 32% of adults in the United States have a tattoo, and 22% have more than one. Whether they memorialize a loved one (by the way, are you responsible for your spouse's debt if they die?), showcase a favorite pop culture icon or are pre-drawn flash sale designs that the client found intriguing, tattoos are largely considered art.

This means that if you're looking for a quality piece from a talented artist today, it's not going to come cheap (like Costco's rotisserie chicken, which famously never changes its price). While basic tattoos (like a simple, small script) may cost between $50 and $100, large pieces (i.e., portraits and half and full sleeves) can set a client back several thousand dollars. In fact, the most expensive "tattoo" of all time is valued at almost $1 million.

The most expensive tattoo ever wasn't created by an acclaimed tattoo artist, or even someone who rose to popularity thanks to shows like "Ink Master." In fact, the most pricey tattoo to ever exist was temporary, and not even made from ink.

In 2013, for a promotional campaign, South African jeweler Yair Shimansky, owner of Shimansky Jewellery, had an idea: create a tattoo entirely from Shimansky half-cut carat diamonds (speaking of which, is Tiffany & Co. one of the luxury brands worth your money?). To bring his vision to life, the jeweler came up with a swirling, floral design, which was to be placed on brand ambassador Minki van der Westhuizen. For over eight hours, Van der Westhuizen couldn't move as the Shimansky team carefully and precisely glued a total of 612 diamonds onto her body — making for quite the striking finished product (see it here on the social platform X). Despite the piece being temporary, and likely removed shortly after the photo shoot, it's hailed as the most expensive tattoo ever created, with a value of $924,000.

Of course, if you were to go to a local tattoo shop and sit for an eight-hour piece, it's going to be pricey, but most likely won't set you back nearly $1 million. This Shimansky tattoo, which required time, expertise, and a material far more expensive than ink, is the rare exception. This said, after the campaign was successful, Shimansky Jewellers did make the diamond tattoo available at its stores for its wealthier clientele.

For the majority of people, a $924,000 temporary diamond tattoo is something they'll never attempt to acquire in their life. Still, even normal ink tattoos can set a client back a pretty penny today, with pricing based on a slew of factors. One major component of pricing is skill level. Tattoo artists who have been in the field for some time and can create higher-quality pieces will charge more than one who's just starting out. Though a heftier price tag can be off-putting, spending the extra money may be worth it if a person's getting a large/detailed piece. Tattoo artist Jeremy Furniss explained, "This is like any other profession — take a lawyer for example. If you needed a defense lawyer, who would you trust to win your case: the lawyer that charges a higher rate or the one that charges a low rate? Tattooing is the same ..."

Other factors that impact the cost of a tattoo include time (artists spend several hours designing the piece and setting up their station before the client even gets to the shop), operational costs, and cost of living, just to name a few. Still, some artists have amassed such notoriety among celebrity clients that they can set exponentially high prices and still have full schedules. For example, Scott Campbell (seen above), whose clientele includes Orlando Bloom, Sting, and Marc Jacobs, charges ~$2,000 per hour. So, an eight-hour piece by him will set someone back a whopping $16,000, chump change for his more famous clients.