Join an exclusive private membership club and as part of your hefty (often eye watering) membership fee you can expect VIP benefits like a 24/7 concierge service and invitations to exclusive parties.

Not to mention the prestige of being able to say you’re a member. Especially if joining is ‘by invitation only.’

Next comes the extremely satisfying act of whipping out your new member’s card to a cacophony of ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ from your colleagues and friends.

And nothing will do that better than diamond encrusted membership cards.

Bling-up your membership cards

Black Astrum, a British company based in London, makes ‘signature’ diamond encrusted business cards and membership cards. Just one will set you back around £1000, depending on your requirements. A recent set produced by Black Astrum for a client in Brunei featured matt-black engraving surrounded by black diamonds.

One wonders just how many were produced

In case you’re thinking about commissioning them any time soon, you should know that they only work by invitation. By which we mean they have to invite you. Which gives a whole new meaning to being exclusive enough to provide exclusivity in the first place. If you see what we mean.

Can’t quite stretch to diamonds?                                      

How about settling for gold plating or silver? You can pick up an 18-carat gold plated membership card or business card from BCE online for around £200 – a snip of the price of a diamond one. The more you buy the cheaper it gets: 10 will set you back around £1000.

If you want a 22 carat solid one (i.e. not plated) you’ll be looking at around £2000.

It could be a little weighty in the pocket, and you may be terrified of losing it, but it’ll certainly be a talking point.

Cards for the top brass

You can still make quite an impact with brass membership cards, and they do look a bit like gold. You’re nearly into the realms of affordability too - 200 of those will set you back around £500 from Pure Metal Cards in the US.

If your budget won’t quite stretch to bling, you could of course just go with a metallic printed plastic card for your Gold and Silver VIP members. Have the cards die-cut into an unusual shape, or cut-out your logo, and you’ll still stand out.

And what’s more, you won’t go bankrupt if you have to replace one of them.

Image below: Black Astrum Card