World’s Most Expensive Christmas Ornament

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Art, World on November 6th, 2009

World's Most Expensive Christmas Ornament

The holidays are coming up and the UK’s Hallmark Jewelers are ringing in the season with the most expensive Christmas ornament in the world.

Adorned with 500 diamonds—three of them one carat apiece—arranged along a snowflake pattern and orbited by 188 rubies, The World’s Most Valuable Christmas Bauble, as they call it, is a truly exquisite and unique piece of holiday décor.

Work on the Bauble began on Boxing Day (December 26th, for stateside readers) 2008 and took almost a year to complete. The two halves of the interior orb were cast in London’s Hatton Garden Jewellery Quarter. The bulb was unveiled at a VIP gala and its designer, Mark Hussey, plans to display it in his Titchfield store should a buyer not be available.

The Christmas Bauble is valued at £82,000—over US $136,000.

(0) Comments

World’s Most Expensive Soda Can

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Art, Luxury on November 5th, 2009

World's Most Expensive Soda Can

The subtitle on the website of Robin Antar’s Antar Studios inc. proclaims his work as “Realism in Stone.” Antar’s work consists mostly of mundane objects such as denim jackets, potato chip bags, tubes of toothpaste and even M&Ms bags rendered in stone. While you can’t drink from it, Antar’s “Soda Can” is likely the most expensive soda can in the world.

The costly can is carved from a single block of marble, polished and capped with a sculpted, silver-painted lid. Antar chose to carve a slightly crushed can rather than a boring, pristine can. At 10” by 18”, it’s not the largest of Antar’s oversized works, but it’s still larger than your average soda can. It weighs in at 150 lbs.

The most expensive soda can is valued at $36,000.

(0) Comments

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on November 3rd, 2009

If you’ve come into your fortune but don’t know how to spend it, then you’ve come to the right place. After all, you don’t want to be the guy who owns a mansion but barely has any furniture, do you? Of course you don’t. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of some of the most expensive furniture in the world.

Northland refrigerator – $11,000

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Northland Refrigerator

Northland, a 100-year-old provider of custom refrigerators, has really outdone itself with this 72” side-by-side refrigerator/freezer. It has a glass door and stainless steel wrap, features “daylight” interior lighting and easily cleaned glass shelves. The spacious fridge has a total capacity of 48.3 cubic feet

Vividus Mattress – $59,750

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Vividus Mattress

The Vividus, Latin for “full of life”, is the most expensive bed in the world. Sleeping on the bed, designed in Sweden by Hastens, has been described as “sleeping on a cloud.” It’s made from a variety of luxury materials, including cashmere, flax, silk, lambswool and hand-tufted horse hair.

Archeo Copper Bathtub – $67,557

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Archeo Copper Bathtub

Made of solid copper, this tub is hand-crafted by the very people who refurbished Lady Liberty’s torch. Over five feet long and two-and-a-half feet wide, the tub is spacious enough to comfortably accommodate just about anyone. The fluted faucet and hand-held shower unit are designed with the same aesthetic quality as the rest of the tub, featuring a finely engraved starfish-on-seashell knob. The extravagantly made tub easily takes its place as the world’s most expensive bathtub with its $67,557 price tag.

Parnian Furniture desk – $200,000

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Parnian Furniture desk

Created by Parnian Furniture Design & Manufacturing of Scottsdale, AZ, this luxurious desk is made of six different kinds of exotic wood, including ebony and Carpathian elm, and a piece of custom glass. Each of their desks is custom built to fit the room it’s destined to grace. This particular desk was built to show off Parnian’s unique design in their North Scottsdale showroom.

Solid gold stool – $1.3 million

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Solid gold stool

Sold by a jewelry store in China’s Jiangsu province, this expensive stool is made of 110 lbs of solid gold and is priced at $1.3 million. Unfortunately, that’s about all we know about it.

Pininfarina’s Aresline Xten – $1.5 million

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Pininfarina’s Aresline Xten

Created by Pininfarina, an Italian car design firm best known for designing luxury cars like Ferraris and Cadillacs, the Aresline Xten could be the most comfortable chair ever made. The Dynamic Synchronized Tilting system allows users to tilt the back and the seat independently while the Technogel in the cushions makes them conform to the shape of the user. The chair is also made from a durable fabric called Dynatec, which is also used by Olympic athletes.

Ruijssenaars magnetic floating bed – $1.6 million

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Ruijssenaars magnetic floating bed

Ruijssenaars reportedly worked on the technology for this expensive bed for six years in collaboration with Bakker Magnetics. Permanent opposing industrial-strength magnets allow the bed to float around 40cm off the floor and can hold 900kg. This visually pleasing technology could also be applied to other areas in home decor like coffee tables, sofas, and Japanese dining tables. How cool would it be to eat sushi and drink sake off a floating table?

Tufft table – $4.6 million

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Tufft table

The Tufft pier table, named after its creator, Thomas Tufft, was hand-carved in the late 1700s for general store owner Richard Edwards of Lumberton, New Jersey. The antique table features pierced fretwork and long legs ending in narrow ankles and detailed ball-and-claw feet. It was sold by Edwards’ descendent, a Philadelphia architect by the name of Samuel Harrison Gardiner.

”Dragons” Chair – $27.8 million

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Dragons Chair

This expensive armchair belonged to a Paris-based art dealer before finding its way into the hands of Yves Saint Laurent, founder of the eponymous YSL luxury brand. Reportedly, that very same art dealer is the person who paid ten times the chair’s estimated value to procure it at a Christie’s auction. The chair was made by Irish designer Eileen Gray sometime between 1917 and 1919. Called the “Dragons” chair, it is one of Gray’s masterpieces and was expected to sell for €2-3 millions.

Badminton Cabinet – $36.7 million

Top 10 Most Expensive Furniture - Badminton Cabinet

The Badminton Cabinet (or Badminton Chest) was commissioned by Henry Somerset, 3rd Duke of Beaufort, at the age of 19. It took thirty experts six years to create and is named after the Duke’s seat of power, Badminton House in Gloucestershire, where it sat until it was auctioned by his descendents in the late 20th century.

(0) Comments

World’s Most Expensive Lunch

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Food, Luxury on November 2nd, 2009


View Larger Map
Nello’s Restaurant

Manhattan’s Nello’s restaurant on the Upper East Side may have hosted the most expensive lunch in the world as Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and nine other guests dined in for $52,000.

According to TMZ, the bill for the ten patrons came to $47,221. That includes three bottles of La Tache, two bottles of Chateau Petrus and two magnums of Cristal Rose—each wine being $5,000 per bottle. Other highlights of the lunch include three plates of truffle tagliolini at $195 each and two plates of truffle carpaccio for $100 each.

The group was apparently feeling generous, as they supplemented the over-$7,000 automatic gratuity with an additional $5,000.

(0) Comments

World’s Most Expensive Beatles Memorabilia

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Art, World on October 30th, 2009

Yesterday and Today with the “butcher cover”
Yesterday and Today was the Beatles’ twelfth US release, a collection of tracks from LPs and singles that hadn’t been released in the US. While the band didn’t appreciate the mishmash approach Capitol Records took with the album, they were able to exert some creative control over the cover—at [...]

Luxury Boxer Shorts

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Fashion, Luxury on October 30th, 2009

Whether to wear briefs, boxers or boxer briefs is an important decision in a man’s life. Luckily for those of us who wear boxers, there are some high end boxer shorts available. These may not be the most expensive boxers in the world, but we’ve put together a list of the most expensive luxury boxers [...]

World’s Most Expensive Yachts

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury, Vehicles, World on October 28th, 2009

The Jacht was originally a lightweight Dutch naval vessel used to pursue pirates in shallow waters. When King Charles II chose to sail in one on his return to England in what would later be known as the English Restoration, the Jacht became a symbol of important and, eventually, wealth and luxury. Today, that tradition [...]

World’s Most Expensive Flag

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 26th, 2009

Even before the Gregorian Calendar’s year 1, the Romans used vexilloids—flag-like objects—to represent their empire. Nowadays, every nation has its own proper flag. Sometimes a particular flag will gain monetary value from its presence at a particular event. What is the most expensive flag in the world?
Recently, a Union Jack—Britain’s flag—was sold for a record-breaking [...]

World’s Most Expensive Wedding

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury, World on October 23rd, 2009

Few things could come closer to that clichéd fantasy of young girls, to be married to a dashing prince in an extravagant wedding, than the nuptials of celebrities and billionaires. These weddings can be events that draw thousands of guests, feature lavish decorations and include performances by superstar musicians.
The wedding of Vanisha Mittal, daughter of [...]

World’s Most Expensive Coffin

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury, World on October 22nd, 2009

From the pyramids of the Egyptian Pharaohs to the costly funerals of the modern day elite, one truth is made quite clear—first impressions may be important, but final impressions last longer. That’s why Michael Jackson was buried in one of the most expensive coffins in the world.
Inspired by James Brown’s 2007 funeral, the late King [...]

World’s Most Expensive Shoes

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Fashion, Luxury on October 20th, 2009

Shoes come in nearly as many shapes and sizes as people do, so we’ve made sure to cover a few different varieties of the most expensive shoes in the world. Below, you’ll find the most expensive flip flops, sneakers and men’s and women’s shoes.
PechePlatinum crocodile flip flops – $400

The most expensive flip flops in the [...]

World’s Most Expensive Wine Bottle

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 19th, 2009

Even if you’re not a wine drinker and don’t recognize the name “Chambord,” you’re certain to recognize their distinctive round bottle. Chambord Liqueur Royale de France is a black raspberry liqueur that comes in a bottle styled after the globus cruciger—a medieval symbol of Christian authority featuring the cross atop a globe. Now Chambord and [...]

World’s Most Expensive Pokémon Cards

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 16th, 2009

Pikachu Illustrator
The Pokémon craze may have died down somewhat, but Nintendo’s media franchise still has a devoted fan base. While originally released as a pair of Game Boy games, Pokémon’s popularity led to a cartoon series, several feature length films and, of course, a collectible card game.

Charizard
The most expensive Pokémon card in the world [...]

World’s Most Expensive SUVs

Written by: tom Filed Under: Luxury, Vehicles, World on October 14th, 2009

Extremely expensive sports utility vehicles are nothing new. Porsche and Hummer currently produce some of the world’s most expensive SUVs. An infatuation with high-priced gas-guzzlers has produced a market of jaw dropping SUVs that are sure to impress even the toughest critics.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S – $112-150,000

This 520 horsepower beast is capable of handling even [...]

World’s Most Expensive Rifles

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 13th, 2009

Rifles—firearms with helical grooves carved into the barrel to impart greater range and accuracy—have been in military use since the Seven Years War in Europe. While originally used only by sharpshooters and hunters, today’s rifles are the standard arms of the modern infantryman. Of course, none of them get to carry the most expensive rifle [...]

World’s Most Expensive Luxury Baby Strollers

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 12th, 2009

There are two main varieties of baby transport—the stroller and the baby carriage. Baby carriages, or prams, have the baby lying down while facing the pusher. Strollers, on the other hand, keep the baby seated and facing away from the pusher. With that in mind, we present the top examples of either method of baby [...]

World’s Most Expensive Cologne

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 8th, 2009

Clive Christian No. 1 isn’t just the most expensive perfume—it’s also the most expensive cologne in the world.
Clive Christian No. 1 for Men features top notes of bergamot, lime, Sicilian mandarin and cardamon; a heart of Lily of the Valley, rose, jasmine and ylang ylang; and a base of cedarwood, sandalwood, vetyver and ambery woods. [...]

World’s Most Expensive Breakfast

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Food, World on October 7th, 2009

A West End stage production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, featuring Anna Friel in Audrey Hepburn’s iconic role, has opened this month and Chambord has crafted the most expensive breakfast in the world to mark the occasion.
Chambord, known for their black raspberry liqueur, has combined the culinary arts and the jeweler’s craft with a croissant embellished [...]

World’s Most Expensive BlackBerries

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Electronics, Fashion, Luxury, World on October 5th, 2009

RIM’s BlackBerry has come a long way in the years since its introduction as a two-way pager in 1999. Known for its push e-mail feature, the BlackBerry series held a place among the elite smartphones before anyone had even heard of an iPhone.
If that doesn’t scream “Cover it in diamonds,” well, I don’t know what [...]

World’s Top Ten Most Expensive Foods

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 3rd, 2009

If you’re looking to expand your horizons into the world of excess culinary expense, then you could do worse than starting with a few items on the list below. We’ve collected some of the most outlandish, outrageous and, above all, the most expensive foods in the world.

Matsutake Mushrooms – $1000/pound
The matsutake, or mattake, mushroom is [...]

World’s Most Expensive Lamborghini

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on October 1st, 2009

Italian carmaker Lamborghini is known for their sleek and swanky performance cars, rivaling fellow Italian company Ferrari S.p.A. since their founding in 1963. It’s only natural to ask “What is the most expensive Lamborghini in the world?”
The Lamborghini Reventón 2008 is true to the company’s enduring legacy of exclusive automobiles. It sports a body straight [...]

World’s Most Expensive Binoculars

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Electronics on September 30th, 2009

Whether you’re into bird watching, hunting or *cough* private surveillance, a pair of expensive binoculars can be a useful thing. That’s why Leica produces several lines of luxury binoculars, including the most expensive binoculars in the world.
Leica’s Duovid 10+15×50 features a 50mm lens and can switch between 10x magnification and a 15x magnification comparable to [...]

World’s Most Expensive Belt

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Luxury on September 26th, 2009

Whether used for its more utilitarian purpose or as a fashion statement, a belt can be an important part of any person’s wardrobe. Check out these two very expensive belts.

Selfridges & Co. gold belt – $32,000
You can never have enough gold on your body—at least, that’s what Selfridges, a chain of high end department stores [...]

World’s Most Expensive Baseball Bat

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: United States on September 25th, 2009

When the Louisville Slugger used by legendary baller Babe Ruth to hit his first home run at Yankee Stadium in 1923 went up for auction, some feared that the winner might destroy it—either to end the dreaded “Curse of the Bambino” and allow the Red Sox victory in that year’s World Series or to sell [...]

World’s Most Expensive Backpack

Written by: jeremy Filed Under: Fashion, United States on September 23rd, 2009

What can you carry in the most expensive backpack in the world? From the look of it, you could stuff just about anything you need for a good day’s hike in one of its many pockets.
Leather goods producer Mulholland has made this luxury backpack out of deerskin, a supple but strong leather. The buckles are [...]