When it comes to gadget purchases, most of us have to stay within the confines of a budget. But some techies can fulfill their caviar tastes for tech, wrapping them in precious metals and jewels. For those of you that prefer a heaping side of opulence with your smartphone, we present the most expensive phones in the world. Dripping with trappings of gold, platinum and diamonds, expect to shell out at least $1,600 to join this ultra-lux club.
Savelli Jardin Secret (Starting at $9,000)
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Expensive enough for a man, but made for a woman, jewelry maker Savelli has launched a line of high-end phones specifically for the ladies. Consisting of 12 luxuriously named Android smartphones, the Jardin Secret collection leaves no corner without bling. The company incorporates all manner of ritzy materials into the design, including iguana leather, 18-karat gold, ceramic and, of course, diamonds. In fact, our favorite phone in the series, Champagne Diamonds, features a whopping 395 white and cognac diamonds, 18k rose gold, ceramic and satin. Nothing like a little bling with your bubbly.
Gresso Radical Black R1 ($2,500)
Gresso's gone back to black. The company's latest luxury smartphone, the Radical Black R1, is a limited edition series with only 100 units being made. Gresso's understated design shows that sometimes, less is definitely more. The Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) smartphone chassis is made from sleek aerospace-grade black titanium with an white titanium inlet of the company's logo. Rounding out the expensive frame is a 4.5-inch 940 x 540 display, a 1.2-GHz quad-core processor, 36GB of storage and a pair of SIM card slots.
Mobiado Professional 3 AF ($1,600)
The third entry in Mobiado's Professional line, the 3 AF knows how to stand out in a crowd. The aircraft-grade aluminum frame is gorgeous, but it's the vertical machined grooves combined with Mobiado's trademark stainless steel buttons that give the device a rather regal look. As with most luxury smartphones, the Professional 3 AF has a sapphire crystal display and dual-SIM capability.
Black Diamond iPhone 5 ($15,867,000)
Yep, you read that right. There's a $15 million iPhone out there in the world for those of us with pockets deeper than the Mariana Trench. Created by Stuart Hughes, this bespoke phone features a solid gold chassis with 600 flawless white diamonds lining the edges. However, it's the 26k black diamond acting as the phone's home button that is this smartphone's claim to fame. We have to say, that Siri looks simply marvelous draped in diamonds.
Tonino Lamborghini Antares ($4,000)
Tonino Lamborghini's life style brand is all about effortless luxury with a healthy dollop of joie de vivre. The company’s latest smartphone, the Antares, doesn't incorporate jewels into its design, relying instead on strong, powerful lines with thoughtful accents to draw the eye -- just like the iconic sports car. The $4,000 smartphone sports a 0.53-inch stainless steel-and-leather chassis with a 4-inch Gorilla Glass display. The Android 4.2 device is powered by a 1.5-GHz quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The phone also features a Yamaha audio amplifier for those who like their phones to sound as good as they look.
Vertu Signature Touch ($10,300)
Finally, a luxury phone with specs any Android aficionado would love. As usual, Vertu's newest device, the Signature Touch is absolutely stunning. featuring gorgeous, yet durable titanium casing with a sumptuous hand-stitched genuine leather rear panel. smartphone is outfitted with Android 4.4 (KitKat), a 2.3-GHz quad core Snapdragon 801 processor with 64GB of storage, a 4.7-inch 1080p sapphire crystal display, LTE and NFC with wireless charging capabilities. The phone's also packing a 13 megapixel Hasselblad camera and Bang & Olufsen speakers with Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound technology.
Tag Heuer Meridiist 2 ($5,305.17)
Elegance, thy name is Tag Heuer, or Tag Heuer Meridiist 2, to be exact. The renowned watchmaker has once again taken its considerable talents to the smartphone, merging a stainless steel frame with a rear panel that implements gold, rubber and diamonds to captivating effect. The dual-SIM device's sapphire 240 x 360 display is rather puny at 2.4 inches, but the company added a small watch face along the top of the phone to compensate. Speaking of time, the Meridiist 2 comes with Tag Heuer's round-the-clock exclusive concierge service to ensure you get the best seats in the house no matter where you go.
Gold HTC One ($4,489.17)
We love gooooold! After Apple unveiled its faux gold iPhone 5S, HTC stepped in and created its own authentic, lustrous device. Valued at $4,489, there are only five of these gilded smartphones in the world. Aside from the expensive 18k plating, however, this is the same old HTC One we know and love. Complete with Blinkfeed, Zoe and BoomSound.
Porsche Design P'9982 ($2,244.86)
Porsche Design loves BlackBerry, even if no one else does. The latest blinged-out BlackBerry from the design firm, the P'9982 is an all-touch affair. We have to admit that the stainless steel frame with the black Italian leather rear panel is a modern beauty. The company also has a crocodile leather option for those who want top-of-the-line luxury. Running on BlackBerry 10.2, prospective buyers can look forward to features such as BBM Video with Screen Share, BlackBerry Priority Hub and BlackBerry Keyboard, which learns your typing habits over time, predicting which words you’re most likely to use.
Sherri L. Smith is a Senior Writer at Tom's Guide. When she's not reviewing the latest headphones and speakers, you'll find her gaming on her Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or PC. Follow Sherri at @misssmith11. Follow us @TomsGuide and on Facebook.
