Did you know that the most expensive candles in the world have one of the most fascinating histories of any product on the market today? The word “candle” originally comes from the Latin word candēre, meaning to shine. Though any run-of-the-mill candle can theoretically brighten your home, certain brands and scents have the uncanny ability to make your home shimmer visually and olfactorily.
Dating back to roughly 200 B.C., the earliest surviving candles were initially made of whale fat, and evolved throughout history to be composed of a number of other fats, tallows and waxes depending on what was available and how much each cost to procure. Candle-making materials ranged from sperm whale, rapeseed, and colza oils used in the 18th century to produce brighter candles at lower costs, to paraffin wax in the mid 19th century as an odorless substitute to tallow.
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Throughout history, the crafting of candles became the practice of expert guild members that would make house calls to patrons that had saved assorted kitchen fats for the sole purpose of having new candles produced for them as needed. Though they would ultimately go out of fashion as functional lanterns with the advent of kerosene lamps and electricity, craft candles have continued to retain a special place for consumers as decorative items that produce unique scents in carefully-selected places throughout houses, as well as ceremonially-important objects in countless religious institutions.
As color, shape, size, and scent continue to mutate in modern-day candles–you can now buy stripper-tinged wax cylinders, or procure a wick that smells like Justin Trudeau–the importance of hand-picking the perfect candle–for yourself, or as a gift to someone else–has become an exercise of exceeding scrutiny akin to tracking down the perfect bottle of aged wine for a dinner party. One way to achieve this is by choosing one of the Best Scented Candles in the World, though if scent alone can’t help you decide, you may consider assessing other luxury characteristics to help you whittle down your list.
To help with this, we’ve composed a list of 10 of the priciest luxury candles in the world, utilizing best-seller lists along with a series of other reviews to curate a compilation that’s sure to resolve all of your future candle conundrums. On a nostalgic night, create a slightly different take on 16 candles, craft a shrine dedicated to the object of your unrequited adolescent love, or burn a few wax blocks to help get you in the spirit of whatever time of year it may be. No matter your use for them, luxury candles are a great way to go when picking out a decorative piece for your home, or a tasteful gift for a loved one. This list of most expensive candles in the world ought to light the way for you, whatever your candle needs may be.
