Mobile phones have arguably become a necessity in the modern world, we all need texts, calls, internet and emails, but what happens when humanity’s love of wanton excess takes over? When practicality and efficiency give way to mindless decadence?
Sure, you can send emails from it, but does it need to be made of diamond and gold? For some people that answer is yes, so here is a look at the top seven most expensive mobiles in the world.
7. Black Diamond VIPN Smartphone – £240,000
At £240,000 the Black Diamond VIPN is one of the ‘classier’ looking phones you could buy for an outlandish price.
Rather than diamonds embedded in gold, African Blackwood, or diamond snakes, the VIPN has just two diamonds on show, one on the back and one serving as the joystick, which certainly shows the phones age.
However, if you’re looking for exclusivity, it’s worth noting that only five of these phones were ever made.
Rubies and emeralds decorate the next phones – 439 rubies to be exact
6. Vertu Signature Cobra – £250,000
Significantly cheaper than the previous entry, the Vertu Signature Cobra will still set you back by about £250,000, and you’re not getting much for that.
The phone was designed by french jeweller Boucheron in a limited run of eight phones and as the name suggests the handset has a pear cut diamond cobra surrounding the casing.
In terms of materials, this one boasts an obscene 439 rubies and two emerald eyes for your new Cobra friend.
Sapphires are the jewel of choice for the next phone on our list
5. Gresso Luxor Las Vegas Jackpot
With a price tag almost as long as it’s name it’s easy to see why this £800,000 phone made the list.
In a refreshing change, this device goes slightly easier on the amount of gold used and instead most of the body is actually made from 200 year old African Blackwood, which may or may not be worse depending on how you look at it. The keypad is also made up of 17 etched sapphires, though the bulk of it’s price comes from the diamonds which cover most of the front.
There is also a £15,000 version available if you want to save that extra £785,000 for a rainy day. Though at that reduction you’ll have to forego the diamonds.
Despite being more expensive than a house, the next phone only has limited functionality
4. GoldVish Le Million – £1 million
As well as being one of the more garish looking phones on this list, the GoldVish Le Million, as it’s name suggests, is worth just over £1 million.
Goldvish SA, the Swiss manufacturer, has made a name for itself in the overly lavish phone business, however the Le Million was their first and certainly most expensive. The phone boasts a solid gold body studded with diamonds, something that at this point is becoming fairly run of the mill.
Perhaps most interestingly, because the phone was produced way back in 2006 for the ‘Moscow Millionaire Fair’ it’s functionality is probably pretty limited despite being worth more than most houses.
You couldn’t drop the next phone on the list – it has 6,000 small diamonds
3. Amosu Call of Diamond iPhone 6 – £1.7 million
At £1.7 million, the Amosu Call of Diamond version of the iPhone 6 has more than earned it’s place in the expensive phones hall of fame.
This phone comes from noted luxury designer Alexander Amosu, who in 2009 sold the world’s most expensive suit worth an incredible £70,000.
The phone itself is a not so standard Apple iPhone 6 with an 18 karat solid gold chassis, which is then smothered in a maddening 6,000 small diamonds, and one large 51 carat diamond cut into the shape of the rear logo. The entire design process takes roughly two months to craft a single phone.
If the diamond version is too expensive then there’s always the plain old solid gold version for £2000, which all of a sudden doesn’t seem like such a ludicrous decision.
Despite being more expensive than a house, the next phone only has limited functionality
2. iPhone 4s Elite Gold – £6 million
Also one of Stuart Hughes’ more opulent creations, the iPhone 4S Elite Gold has a market value of £6 million and was also the previous record holder of ‘worlds most expensive phone’.
If the 500 flawless diamonds, a 24 carat gold Apple logo, and a solid platinum chest wasn’t enough, the chest also contains pieces of actual Tyrannosaurus Rex bone. Yes, this phone is made from dinosaurs.
Only two of the phones were ever made and it’s quite easy to see why, dinosaur bones aren’t exactly the most common material in the world.
Last on the list is the most expensive smartphones you can buy today
1. iPhone 5 Black Diamond – £10 million
At a whopping £10 million, the iPhone Black Diamond has been dubbed ‘the worlds most expensive phone’. British designer Stuart Hughes, who will be mentioned again in this list, is known for his luxury modifications of Apple products but this one is on another level.
The phone itself is made of solid gold dotted with some 600 solid white diamonds, the home button has been replaced by a single 26 carat black diamond, while the Apple logo on the back is made up of another 53 small diamonds.
You’re probably asking who could afford such a thing? The answer is an unnamed Chinese businessman.
