Wants versus Needs: Shoes are the most important accessory of any wardrobe. People may have difference of opinion and question the logic. The most important factor is the protection factor. Imagine a world without shoes. Would there be any difference between animals and humans then? Animals do not wear any shoes, so why should humans do? This is the basic difference between animals and humans. Humans can rationalize, are able to express their pain and find remedies to minimize the pain and improve comforts. This is because humans have wants whereas animals have only needs. Anyway, shoes are more of a necessity than a luxury.

Necessity versus Luxury: There is a very thin dividing line between necessity and luxury. Humans do often transgress this line in the most obnoxious manner. Everything in the world has a price tag. It is because if things do not have a price, then it is either priceless or worthless. Shoes too, come with a price tag. Whether, it is a necessity or a luxury, depends upon the user and the price he or she is willing to pay for it, depending on his or her income.

Shoes, for a man on the street and for a king are different. They are different in all respects, different in the manner they are used, different in quality and thereby price and value. For a man on the street, the cheapest of shoes may be priceless whereas for a king, the costliest of shoes may be worthless. It is rightly said, that “Value of anything depends upon the eyes of the beholder”.

It is with this background, that we shall examine the five most expensive pair of shoes in the world with specific attention being paid to the most expensive one.

Standing tall at No 5, is the “Stuart Weizmann, RUBY SLIPPERS”. This exquisite pair of ladies slippers is encrusted with six hundred and forty two Burmese rubies and a pound of platinum. Red glossy silk aptly complements the rubies and this has made it the list based on sheer grandeur.

Digging its heels at No 4, is the “Stuart Weizmann, TANZANITE HEELS”. A combination of a footwear giant and one of the wealthiest jewel creators in the world, Eddie Le Vian of France is the stuff dreams are made of. Comprising of one hundred and eighty five carats of blue tanzanite stones and twenty eight carats of jewels can make any pocket hollow. The pair is worth just two million US dollars.

Cinderella may not have set the stages on fire, but the Stuart Weizmann, “CINDERELLA SLIPPERS” surely does at No 3 on the list. Five hundred and sixty five Kwiat precious stones fitted into Italian calfskin on platinum settings would make even Cinderella think twice before losing a shoe.

The runner-up in the Most Expensive Shoe category is the Stuart Weizmann collection, “RITA HAYWORTH HEELS”. The superstar of yesteryear is the motivation of this stupendous collection is beautified with an assembly of valuable stones, sapphires, jewels and rubies. Of, course the shoes are so expensive that no one can run away with the Runner-up.

Who takes the cake? The exalted honour goes to the House of Harry Winston’s “RUBY SLIPPERS”, designed to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Film, “The Wizards of Oz”. Two longs months were used to manufacture this bejewelled pair decorated with four thousand and six hundred rubies along with fifty carats of precious stones. The pair was ultimately valued at three million US dollars, making it the most expensive pair of shoes ever to stride the planet Earth. It is a million dollar question whether anyone would have the stomach to wear this pair on the roads.