Crystal Bathtub – Only For The Rich

A gemstone crystal bathtub is incredibly beautiful, but also incredibly expensive. These bathtubs are used as an expression of wealth, success and class by the ultra rich and famous, and their sales are on the rise.

As you can imagine a bathtub made of gemstones is very expensive because of, well, gemstones. There are however many more reasons, and in this article we will explore them all. From the more obvious reasons like labour costs and gemstone value, to some of the less well known reasons. As an art sculptor I have worked with many different types of crystal gemstones. In the past few years I have made some of the most expensive crystal gemstone bathtubs myself. This gives me a unique insight in the process of creating these incredible bathtubs, and I would love to share some of that with you. Let’s not wait any longer and dive in!

What is a Crystal Gemstone Bathtub

A crystal gemstone bathtub is a luxurious and unique type of bathtub crafted from a single piece of high-quality crystal gemstone, such as rose quartz, amethyst, or jade. These bathtubs are often hand-carved by skilled artisans to create a stunning piece of functional art. They are prized for their exquisite beauty, natural variations in color and texture, and purported healing properties associated with the specific gemstone used. Crystal gemstone bathtubs are considered a symbol of luxury and great wealth, adding a touch of elegance and sophistication to any bathroom space.

How Much Does a Crystal Gemstone Bathtub Cost

Because crystal gemstone bathtubs are inherently heavy, large and made out of a hard precious stone, they never come cheap. Although it is impossible to answer this question with one clear answer, we can take a look at previously made gemstone baths and give a price range.

Take a look at the most expensive bathtub ever made, the “Le Grand Queen” which sold for 1.74 million US dollars. Although this is the highest (known) price paid for a gemstone bathtub, there is no limit to customizations and added luxuries, making your imagination the only limit.

Size matters

One thing that makes gemstone crystal bathtubs especially expensive is their size. Although it doesn’t count for all types of minerals, they tend to become exponentionally expensive the larger they get. This is because large and of suitable stones are simply scarcer than smaller gemstones.

What Gemstones Can You Use?

You can use several crystal gemstones to make a tub, each offering unique aestethic and potentially therapeutic properties. The rarity, workability, geographic location and availibility of large single-piece rocks can all contribute to the eventual cost of the bathtub. Some popular crystal gem choices include:

Rose quartz

Rose quartz is relatively common and widely available, which generally makes it more affordable compared to rarer gemstones. That being said, it is quite hard to come by in bathtub size, and the only quarries with high-quality stones are extremely remote. This often means that roads have to be built to transport these stones to the workshops.

Tiger Eye

Tiger Eye is a beautiful chatoyant (meaning it has an optical reflective effect) gemstone that is relatively abuntant around the world. Usually it has a golden to red-brown color, but green and white serpentine Tiger eye can also be found.

Jasper

Jasper is a beautiful opaque semi-precious stone that can be found all around the world. Depending on the color you want they are relatively abundant (red) to scarce (blue). Naturally, their scarcity will influence the price.

Obsidian

Obsidian is actually not a gemstone, but a volcanic glass. The reason I’m mentioning it is because of it’s popularity, and because it handles the same as the other quartz gemstones mentioned here. Obsidian is relatively affordable, less hard to work with and easily obtainable. Rapper Drake had one of these bathtubs installed not too long ago, which we’ll talk about in the transport section.

Labradorite

Labradorite is prized for its iridescent play of colors, known as labradorescence. High-quality labradorite will exhibit strong labradorescence, which will strongly influence the price. Another factor which makes a labradorite bathtub more expensive is its hardness to work with, which makes it considerably more time consuming to produce.

Onyx

A fairly popular gemstone to use for bathtubs, and relatively abundant. Oprah has owned an Onyx tub, and onyx has been used for stone carving for thousands of years. This is because it can be found in various places around the world, including Greece. Furthermore, price is influenced by the color and quality of the onyx and ofcourse the size of the rock.

Custom Design

The designer of a crystal bathtub is also one of the most influential factors of its eventual price. This has two main reasons:

1. The design is custom, and it therefore takes more time to design and to make the bathtub. As a client you get a unique product that fits your preferences and matches the look of your interior design.
2. The designer is famous and has a reputation, and therefore the bathtub will become a unique artpiece from that designer / artist, which adds value to the bathtub.

Bespoke designed, one-of-a-kind tubs will always be more expensive. This is because the designer will have to spend time with the buyer to get the design just right. In addition to that, the sculptor has to follow the unique design which requires more skill and expertise. Finally the bathtub might even become a functional artpiece if crafted by a true artist.

The Process of Making a Crystal Gemstone Bathtub

In the actual process of making a bathtub there are several factors which greatly influence the price of a crystal gemstone bathtub:

Size and Weight: The size and weight of the gemstone bathtub impact both the cost of the raw material and the manufacturing process. Larger and heavier bathtubs require more gemstone material and may involve additional labor and resources. For example for extraction, transportation, and processing, leading to higher costs. In addition, larger gemstones are much scarcer than small gemstones, making them exponentionally more expensive.

Craftsmanship and Labor Costs: The level of craftsmanship involved in manufacturing a gemstone bathtub can greatly affect its price. Hand-carved or intricately sculpted designs require skilled artisans and meticulous attention to detail, which can increase labor costs. Additionally, the complexity of the design and the time required for manufacturing can impact the overall price.

Customization and Design Complexity: Custom features, designs, or requests can increase the price of a gemstone bathtub. Customization involves additional time, effort, and resources to accommodate specific dimensions, shapes, or design elements according to the client’s preferences, leading to higher costs.

Finishing Techniques: The choice of finishing techniques, such as polishing, grinding, and sealing, can influence the price of a gemstone bathtub. Certain finishes may require specialized equipment, materials, or expertise, adding to the manufacturing costs.

Transportation costs

The logistics of sourcing, transporting, and delivering the gemstone bathtub to the desired location can affect its price. Factors such as distance, shipping methods, and handling requirements can incur additional expenses. Especially for large or heavy bathtubs made of gemstone.

For example, we had to construct a road to transport the gigantic rock for my rose quartz gemstone bathtub. From the workshop in Cape Town, we had to transport it by boat and then by helicopter. It is needless to say that this will greatly impact its price-tag. The obsidian bathtub for rapper Drake was easier to transport. He “simply” transported his bathtub over roads and eventually lifted it into his house using a crane. This still won’t be cheap, but will not nearly be as expensive as a helicopter.

Conclusion

So, to answer the question why crystal gemstone bathtubs are so expensive we need to look at many different factors. The most important factors will be the type, quality and geographic location of gemstone used. Furthermore, whether the bathtub is custom designed and crafted, and who makes the design. Lastly is the end destination of the bathtub easily accessable for transport of large and heavy objects.

Creating one of these incredible bathtubs requires a lot work, by a lot of highly specialized people. But once they reach their end destination they are worth it all!

Are you looking for a custom designed and crafted crystal gemstone bathtub? Don’t hesitate to contact me for more information.