World's Most Prestigious Credit Cards Are Made From Gold and Diamonds

Looking for the most prestigious credit cards in the world? Get ready to open your wallet. Not only do you have to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars in annual fees, but many of the most luxurious cards require you to spend six figures before you’re even invited to the party.

But if status is important to you, take heart. Some of these cards are made from precious metals, and others even have diamonds embedded in them, so everyone will know how much of a big spender you are.

Here are a handful of the world’s most prestigious, exclusive, and expensive cards.

This invitation-only credit card is the original black card, according to Select, and rumor has it that you have to spend at least $350,000 in a calendar year to score an invite. Beyond that, there’s an initiation fee of $10,000 and an annual fee of $5,000, The Points Guy reports. The website’s founder, Brian Kelly, claims that the Centurion concierge services have saved him more than $20,000 a year.

The “white card” to the American Express Centurion “black card,” the Stratus Rewards Visa card is a little less out-of-reach. The threshold for an invitation is rumored to be $100,000 in annual spending, and the annual fee is $1,500. But once you’re in, you can redeem points on private jets and other charter jets, Credit Card Insider reports. 

Are diamonds a credit card holder’s best friend? This card has a diamond embedded in its surface, according to a QNB press release. The card also boasts a “top-of-the-line, unique customer value proposition,” featuring “no preset spending limit, personal travel advisors, around the clock dedicated luxury lifestyle concierge, bespoke personal shopping experiences at key international destinations, and invitations to insider priceless experiences.”

According to Credit Card Insider, this card used to be made of palladium and is still sometimes referred as the Palladium Card. It’s the card former President Barack Obama was photographed using in 2014. (He flashed most of the card’s digits, too!) Its benefits include 3X points on travel and dining around the world and a $300 annual travel credits, and it costs $595 per year. And at 27 grams, the Reserve Card tops US Credit Card Guide’s list of heaviest credit cards.

This luxe card is actually plated in 24-karat gold, and it’s the kind of card that has its own unboxing video. The annual fee is $995—plus $295 for each authorized user—but its advertised rewards include 2-percent airfare redemption rate and a 2-percent cash back redemption rate. It’s also one of the heavier cards at 22 grams.

Another invitation-only, diamond-embedded credit card, the Dubai First Royale Mastercard boasts benefits including a dedicated relationship manager for each card member, plus something called “royale lifestyle management,” according to Credit Karma. Must be nice and must come at a price!