Glam Gadgets: The Priciest Personal Tech in the World

Diamond iPad

Price: $19,999

We live in an era of disposable technology, where a new laptop or mobile phone becomes outdated in a matter of months. So why would anyone want to fork out hundreds of thousands (even millions) of dollars for golden phones or diamond computers?

Rather than lamenting about how out of reach these high-roller accessories are, let’s take solace in the fact that most of these items be on the tech scrapheap tomorrow.

In case the upcoming Apple iPad isn't expensive enough, Mervis Diamond Importers recently announced the world’s first diamond studded iPad. The 11.43 carat iPad will sell for $19,999. Orders are being taken from 1 June, so if you’d prefer a shiny, twinkling iPad over, say, a new car, you’re in luck. Buyers will be happy to know that when the new Apple gadget becomes another piece of outdated technology, their diamond iPad can be used as a fancy digital picture frame.

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Republished with permission from PC World (view original version)

iDiamond iPod Shuffle

Price: € 32,000

A study released in 2008 linked iPod earphones to an increase in robberies. According to the study, the signature white Apple earphones made people a target for would-be thieves. Shortly after this study was released, Norwegian designer Thomas Heyerdahl released an iPod Shuffle and earphones made of solid 18 carat white and pink gold carefully hand set with 430 diamonds. The estimated price on this one-of-a-kind MP3 player was listed as €32,000 Euros. If the standard white ear buds were an enticement for sneaky hands as you walk down the street, imagine the attention a pair that shimmers with diamonds and gold will attract.

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iPhone 'King's' Button

Price: €1,790,000

Some say the standout feature of Austrian jeweller, Peter Aloisson’s solid 18 carat yellow, white and rose gold iPhone, lined with 138 diamonds, is the rare 6.6 carat diamond ‘home button’. We say it’s the €1,790,000 price tag. Thankfully, this price includes the transportation and insurance costs, just in case you were worried if it would arrive safely at your palatial mansion in one piece.

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GoldVish 'Le million' Mobile Phone)

The Guinness Book of Records jury must not have seen the King’s Button iPhone coming when they gave GoldVish’s ‘Le million’ limited edition mobile phone the world record for most expensive and most exclusive mobile phone. The phone, designed by Emmanuel Gueit, was originally sold in 2008 for $1,450,000. You can opt for an 18-carat rose, yellow or white gold to suit the rest of your bling — but it really is over-the-top when you add on the 120-carat diamonds encrusted over the whole surface (except the screen, of course; that’d just be silly).

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Vertu Mobile Phones

Price: $115,000

Vertu is a company that, like GoldVish, specialises in phones that mere mortals cannot afford. The Vertu Cobra, was the the company’s top-of-the-line model phone when it launched a few years back with a $310,000 price tag.

Don’t fret, a more affordable version was also released for a cool $115,000. The Signature Cobra is made from one pear-cut diamond, one round white diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies.

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Luvaglio’s Luxury Notebook

Price: Over $1,000,000

Laptops were invented for portability. Most of us like to take our notebook with us on the road, commuting to work or relaxing in the park. But would you take your million dollar laptop out in public?
Luvaglio, a UK-based custom luxury goods manufacturer, allegedly created the first million dollar laptop in 2007.

The million dollar notebook featured a rare coloured diamond that doubled up as a power switch, as well as security ID for users. According to Luvaglio CEO, Rohan Sinclair Luvaglio, his laptops aren’t just pretty diamonds with Ferrari prices.

“I didn't want us to simply re-house a laptop into a diamond studded casing, or diamond-encrust the entire thing simply to make it expensive. We've put thought in from the keyboard down to the power charger,” said Luvaglio. “We have used diamonds elsewhere but have given them purpose.”

The Luvaglio notebook incorporated a 17in widescreen LED backlit screen, a 128GB SSD and a slot loading Blu-ray drive. In the wake of the company announcing the laptop, speculation was rife over whether the company even produced the laptop.

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