Claudia Valentin has always had a lifelong passion for handbags. As an Italian lady, you could even say it was in her blood.

Ever since she was a young girl, Claudia was enthralled with the high-fashion, luxurious accessories worn by her stylish Italian relatives. Claudia was gifted her first handbag at the tender age of 4, and still recalls fondly the smell and feel of the rich Italian leather – a formative experience that has no doubt influenced her appreciation for designer handbags.

A passion and enthusiasm soon developed in to a way of life, as Claudia became a luxury goods and handbag dealer during her time spent in Cannes, South of France. As a luxury handbag specialist and appraiser, she consulted her wealthy clients and helped them to acquire the world’s finest and rarest handbags to add to their collections.

Being a handbag specialist and aficionado, Claudia has also amassed quite the collection of her own! In a recent newspaper article, her fabulous personal collection of handbags and luggage was valued at almost £300,000! She is frequently interviewed for style and fashion columns, gracing the pages of magazine and press articles as a leading authority on designer handbags and luggage.

No stranger to the spotlight, Claudia has also starred alongside her Prestige Pawnbroker colleagues in Channel 4’s hit television series, Posh Pawn. The original British TV documentary about high-end pawnbroking, Claudia’s skills and expertise as a luxury handbag buyer featured her appraising designer handbags and other luxury items, with stories as unusual and unique as the colourful personalities presenting them!

As well as buying and loaning against luxury handbags and luggage, Claudia’s wealth of knowledge has also positioned her as one of the industry’s most prominent handbag dealers – recently selling an ultra-rare Hermès Birkin 25cm handbag for an undisclosed 5-figure sum to one of her regular clients, who wishes to remain anonymous. Claudia’s clients range from TV stars, high net worth individuals, famous musicians, wealthy aristocrats and even ladies simply hoping to get their hands on a beautiful pre-owned designer bag with exceptional savings. All have come to rely on Claudia’s contacts and extensive knowledge as the industry’s foremost luxury handbag dealer and buyer.

Having valued and appraised thousands of highly-prized designer handbags during her glittering career, it goes without saying that Claudia has an eye for detail. Luxury handbag dealer Claudia can spot a counterfeit bag just at a glance, and knows all the fine, minute features to look for in genuine pieces. All the handbags on sale from the Prestige Pawnbrokers Online Store have been personally authenticated and appraised by Claudia and her expert team, so you can purchase pre-owned as well as brand new handbags with confidence – and at a fantastic price!

Click below to view the latest designer handbags on our online store:

Chanel Designer Handbags

Hermes Designer Handbags

Louis Vuitton Handbags

Follow Claudia on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/claudia.poshpawn/

https://twitter.com/claudiaposhpawn

https://www.instagram.com/claudia.poshpawn/

If you would like to sell your designer handbags our experts headed by Claudia Valentin can appraise you items.

Posh Pawn is well and truly into its latest season, with five ‘tell all’ episodes already under wraps. Already, we’ve seen a rollercoaster of high end action, with bespoke DJ vans, Dali masterpieces, rock royalty guitars, modified sports cars, speedboats and more.

The action is showing no signs of slowing down, with episode six packed full of stunning items, colourful characters and of course, big decisions. So what’s set to shake episode six? Read on for the scoop on what James and the team encounter…

Diamonds and deadlines

As the UK’s poshest pawnbroking entity, the Prestige Pawnbrokers team knows a thing or two about luxury jewellery. So when a sparkling sapphire and diamond rings waltzes through the doors, James and the crew are ready to pounce. Dazzling from all angles, the ring is worth a cool £100,000. With just two days to turn around a loan, James is under the hammer to get this deal done on time.

Handbags for days

When a former fashionista approaches Prestige Pawnbrokers with a collection of designer handbags, there’s no better woman for the job than self-confessed brand addict, Claudia. She knows here Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and mui mui like the back of her hand, and can’t get enough of the butter soft leather, gleaming clasps and silk linings. Needless to say, she can tell her fakes from her genuines at first glance! Will the collection fetch a fortune? Or will the fashionista leave disappointed with a collection that doesn’t quite cut the mustard?

Turning possessions into peace

As always, Posh Pawn never fails to introduce viewers to quirky characters. In episode 6, this comes in the form of a yoga devotee wanting to loan items from her past in order to invest in her future. Can the Prestige team step up and help her build a better life? While finding inner Om might not be about cash, this episode proves that it definitely helps!

A Posh Pawn episode wouldn’t be complete without a nod to some form of luxury vehicle. This episode, James is forced to make a snap decision on a classic Italian scooter that may or may not be worth a bomb. Will he take the risk and offer a loan on the gorgeous slice of Italian history? You’ll have to watch to find out!

Catch all this and more by tuning into Posh Paw episode 6 on Channel 4.

The Prestige Pawnbrokers e-boutique has its hands full with a kaleidoscope of dazzling jewellery for every budget this month – and a perfect santa’s grotto for those looking for a present with a difference. With sapphires, rubies, diamonds, smoky quartz, turquoise, topaz and more, our e-boutique is a treasure trove of exquisite items just waiting to be snapped up by savvy buyers.

As the UK’s most coveted pawn broking business, Prestige Pawnbrokers is the go to group for the well-heeled that are high on assets and short on cash. The result is a fabulous jewellery collection brimming with luxury items. We’ve got a lavish collection of earrings, bracelets, rings, brooches and necklaces from top global designers and jewellery houses.

All items showcased on the Prestige Pawnbrokers e-boutique have been professionally authenticated by our team of in house experts. This gives buyers the total peace of mind that they’re purchasing genuine gems with the Prestige Pawnbrokers seal of approval. Qualifications include Gemmology degrees from the Association of Great Britain, accreditation from the National Association of Goldsmiths and even experience working with the Queen’s jeweller, Mappin & Webb.

James Constantinou, owner of Prestige Pawnbrokers says, “We’re incredibly lucky to have an amazing team of gemmologists on hand to value the stunning items that come through our doors on a daily basis. Luxury jewellery is one of our biggest profit turners which is why we put so much time and effort into creating beautiful product listings.”

For ladies in search of stunning accessories that will have heads turning, Prestige Pawnbrokers is a mecca. Pieces such as the 18ct White Gold Tanzanite & Diamond Cluster Ring are the epitome of luxury, boasting a 12.77 carat faceted tanzanite surrounded by 16 3.1mm round brilliant cut diamonds.

While luxury is the name of the game, Prestige Pawnbrokers also tailors to customers with expensive taste yet limited budgets. With its regal trio of gems set in a delicate band, the 9 Carat Yellow Gold Garnet Ring is a steal.

Gents are equally as spoiled with a handsome range of rings and necklaces. Pieces are sourced from the world’s finest brands, including Bvlgari, Cartier, Gucci, Hermes and more.

Every item of jewellery has been beautifully photographed and is accompanied by detailed product descriptions. For an even greater range visit the Prestige Pawnbrokers locations in Hatton Garden, Richmond and Weybridge.

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for Christmas, you’ll love our stunning selection. And if you need a hand deciding on the perfect pressie, one of our team will be happy to help!

OK, we admit it: at Prestige Pawnbrokers we are a self-confessed team of handbag buffs. We LOVE designer labels and have a keen eye for flawless stitching, impeccable linings, butter-soft leather and beautiful embellishments. Hermès is without a doubt one of our absolute favourite labels, and whenever a genuine article enters our premises, we always take a moment to swoon. So can you imagine our excitement when this little number sauntered through our doors?

Hello beautiful!

The Hermès Birkin 35 – Ooh la la!

With its sumptuously soft calfskin leather exterior, Chevre goatskin leather interior, silver-tone hardware, contrasting white stitching and beautiful Blue Jean colour, this is one seriously sexy handbag. We’ve described it as a “mirage of delight”, and can confirm that it captivates everyone who sets eyes on it.

Named after legendary actress Jane Birkin, these exclusive bags are highly prized by the well-heeled fashionistas of the world. They come in a variety of colours, but, at risk of sounding biased, we think Blue Jean is definitely the prettiest!

At Prestige Pawnbrokers we’re all about securing high-end items that are 100% authentic. This Hermès Birkin 35 Blue Jean has been used a handful of times, but is in very good condition. As soon as we got hold of this beauty, our in-house team of leather experts meticulously cleaned and refurbished it, restoring the bag to its absolute best. This is all part of our commitment to ensuring that every luxury handbag that hits our store is in pristine condition. The lucky buyer will not only receive the handbag itself but also a rain coat, dust bag and box to keep the item looking immaculate.

Coveted by celebrities

With a price tag of £6,200 the Hermès Birkin 35 Blue Jean doesn’t come cheap, but it’s worth every penny. In fact, the model is so in demand that Kris Jenner was positively over the moon when she managed to get her hands on a pair of ‘Baby Birkins’ priced at a cool US$8,000 each. The ultra-stylish reality TV matriarch flaunted her latest fashion fix on Instagram, much to the envy of her army of followers.

“I LOVE my new Baby Hermes Birkin bags. So happy to find them !!!!!” she captioned.

The new series of hit Channel 4 show Posh Pawn is due to start on 26^th August. If you’re a regular viewer, you’ll know the show offers a behind-the-scenes look at the pawn industry and its inner workings, with Prestige’s own James Constantinou advising shoppers on how to spot fake designer items. All manner of luxury items appear on the show, and viewers get expert advice on how to buy, sell and ultimately care for expensive items such as jewellery, clothing and even vehicles.

In recent years, more and more people have been turning to pawnbrokers to get instant credit. But Posh Pawn is not just about those trying to stretch their funds until the end of the month by selling off valuables. Prestige Pawnbrokers specialise in high-end pawn, from handbags worth thousands of pounds, to a helicopter with a £1 million price tag. All of this and more plays out in front of the cameras as we’re filmed every day discovering exciting new items, and helping customers buy and sell.

Want a sneak peak of episode one? Read on to find out more about us and what you can expect from the new series…

Who are Prestige Pawnbrokers?

Based in London, the Home Counties and across the UK, we provide loans against jewellery, gold and other collectables such as Hermès and Louis Vuitton handbags. As long-trusted high street pawnbrokers, we often give three times more cash than other lenders.

Viewers of Posh Pawn will be aware of the stunning pieces brought into Prestige Pawnbroker locations in Weybridge, Surrey and Hatton Garden in London. James Constantinou, the Prestige Pawnbrokers MD, is one of our pawn specialists and has seen it all, from grand antiques to Old Master paintings – he has even dealt with a mini submarine! The team has a range of expertise, and jewellery is taken to leading specialist Ian Towning of Bourbon Hanby Arcade, who deals with all things diamond including bracelets, necklaces and rings.

What’s on Offer?

Prestige’s eShop is full of items that would not be out of place on the Posh Pawn show. From exclusive watches to designer bags, art and other luxury items, the online store has something for everyone with a comprehensive range of stunning key pieces. Ideal for every season, items come at a fraction of the original designer price tag, making the site a great find for bargain hunters.

There is also a selection of one-of-a-kind collectible items for sale including solid silver tankards, a 1961 August Bank Holiday Brands Hatch programme and a letter signed by Peter Sellers.

The site even features some of the most memorable items shown on Posh Pawn, such as the German High Gothic style life-sized full armour for man and horse.

Posh Pawn

Items presented to James on Posh Pawn have included classic cars, a 40 foot American motor home, and jewellery from a reformed 1930s cat burglar. The show sees many people taking loans out against beloved items: one person approaches Posh Pawn for a £100K against his luxury yacht, and we meet a divorcee who wants to pawn a £185K necklace to pay her children’s school fees.

Have you seen Posh Pawn? What is the most unusual thing you have ever seen pawned? Let us know on social media, we want to hear from you!