As technology gets more accessible and cheaper in some ways, the prices of some consumer electronic goods get more expensive. Incorporating the latest advancements in technology and the best in aesthetics, many electronic products take luxury to the next level. One primary example is the mobile phone. Developed for faster and more convenient communications, the mobile phone has become one of the most coveted electronic products everywhere in the world.

Aside from being a multi-tasking communications tool, mobile phones are taken to a completely new level with the introduction of jewel-studded high tech mobile phones. Mobile phone technology is always evolving: what is high tech this year may be outdated next year. For this reason, people do not purchase the most expensive mobile phones. Nevertheless, for those who have more money to burn, mobile phones are not only communications tools, but are also status symbols. This top ten list ranks the most outrageously expensive mobile phones today.

1) Goldvish “Le Million”

Price: $1,450,000

The most expensive mobile phone in the world, as verified by the Guinness Book of World Records, the Goldvish is more expensive than the fastest car in the world. Peppered by a set of blinding diamonds, 120 carats total, all VVS-1 grade, the Goldvish is truly a status symbol. Designed by Emmanuel Gueit, the Goldvish was introduced at the Millionaire’s Fair in France last year. One unit of the Goldvish, aptly nicknamed “Le Million”, was bought by a filthy-rich Russian executive for his wife. For those who want the “Le Million” but cannot afford it, Goldvish offers several other diamond-encrusted mobile phones made from 18k gold models at a more reasonable price of $25,600 a piece.

2) Ancort Diamond Crypto Smartphone

Price: $1.3 Million

Designed by the world-renowned jeweler extraordinaire Peter Aloisson, the Diamond Crypto Smartphone is currently the world’s second most expensive mobile phone. Developed by the Russian company JSC Ancort, the Diamond Crypto Smartphone is Windows CE-based, and has a powerful encryption technology that claims to provide the owner with information protection from kidnapping, “financial racketeers”, “technological blackmail”, and “corrupted state officials”. Many are skeptical as it seems nothing more than just marketing speak for a password-protected phone application. The phone has 50 diamonds, with ten rare blue ones. With a phone like this, it’s more likely you’ll need protection from bankruptcy and mugging.

3) Vertu Signature Cobra

Price: $310,000 (£167,567)

Vertu, the luxury mobile phones division of Nokia, is the brain behind the third most expensive mobile phone in the world. The French jeweler Boucheron designed the Signature Cobra, which fetches a whopping price of $310,000. What set the bar high for the Vertu Cobra’s price is the jewels: one round white diamond, one pear-cut diamond, two emerald eyes, and 439 rubies! For a cheaper version, you can get a ruby-free one for $115,000. If you have more than a third of a million dollars to spare for a mobile phone, then move fast as there are only eight of the Vertu Signature Cobra to be released on the market.

4) Sony Ericsson VIPN Black Diamond

Price: $300,000

Sony Ericsson, one of the world’s biggest mobile phone manufacturers, teamed up with a company named VIPN to release a special edition mobile phone packed with techie features and blinding jewels. Only five of these sleek and stylish Black Diamonds are for sale all over the world. Although the price tag is high, the specs are not as high tech as expected from Sony Ericsson. The phone has an Intel 400MHz processor running Windows Mobile 5, and is quad-band with Wi-Fi connectivity. With an internal memory of 128 MB and a 2 GB external SD card, the Black Diamond can rival some of the pricey phones on the market. Its 2 inch, touch sensitive screen, paired with a 4 megapixel camera, makes it a multimedia phone. Designer Jaren Goh, however, gave the phone an impressive design using titanium with polycarbonate and diamonds.

5) Vertu Diamond

Price: $88,000

Vertu makes it to the list yet again with its Diamond mobile phone. Made from platinum, the Vertu Diamond is studded and encrusted with, yes you guessed it, diamonds. Sleek and stylish, the Vertu Diamond comes with a quality you can expect only from Vertu. Only 200 Vertu Diamond phones will be made, so get your hands on these babies as quickly as possible—if you have almost a hundred thousand dollars to spare, that is.

6) Gresso Black Aura Collection

Price: Up to $13,000

The Gresso Black Aura Collection is said to be the ‘oldest’ mobile phone at around 200 years old. The phone’s case, made with African Blackwood, adds elegance, style, and a hefty price tag to the phone. Priced starting from $6,500 to $13,000, Gresso Black Aura Collection mobile phones are not for the low roller. With the most expensive unit having an 18-carat gold front panel, the Gresso is a steal for the filthy rich buyer. There are said to be five models in the collection, with two versions already out on the market: the African Blackwood Gresso Gold phone with pink gold highlights, and the African Blackwood only Gresso phone.

7) Nokia 8800 Gold Edition

Price: $2,700

The Nokia 8800 is a big hit for rich corporate people. With the sleek and stylish look of titanium, and the elegance of design, the Nokia 8800 is already a class on its own. Nokia, not satisfied with the unit’s elegance, makes a 24K gold edition. For a market price of $2,700, it is way cheaper than other luxury phones. If you think that a higher price tag equates with better features, you are wrong. The Nokia 8800 Gold Edition has the same features as the Nokia 8800 regular edition, which are, truth be told, pretty basic. A 0.5 megapixel camera and polyphonic ring tones are not exactly high-tech. The added FM Radio, Mp3 playback, and video recording capabilities do not push this phone to the top of any worth-buying mobile phones list.

8) Mobiado Professional EM

Price: $1,900

The only mobile phone to use ebony wood in its design, the Mobiado Professional EM is an upgrade of the company’s previous Nokia-based release. A 1.3 megapixel camera, music playing capability, FM radio, and Bluetooth connectivity make this phone pretty standard. What makes it unique, (and pricey, mind you), is the stylish combination of ebony wood and titanium. There are only 200 units of the Mobiado Professional EM made, each one with a limited number engraved on the back. Priced at a little less than $2000, the Mobiado is a good buy for a standard featured, differently designed mobile phone.

9) Porsche Cellphone by Sagem

Price: $1,600

With a name attributed to luxury cars, the Porsche mobile phone is destined to be a luxury commodity. Engineered and manufactured by the France-based company Sagem, the Porsche handset’s design is strictly Porsche-developed. Currently available only in Britain, Dubai, and a few other luxury markets worldwide, the phone has a market price of $1,600. The phone will make its debut on American markets in early 2008 via Porsche dealerships. For the Porsche fanatic, this is the best accessory to complete any Porsche collection.

10) Bang & Olufsen and Samsung Serene

Price: $1,250

Cutting-edge audio and video gadgets-manufacturer Bang & Olufsen tied up with Samsung to create this sleek, stylish and unconventional-looking phone, ironically named Serene. Embodying bang & Olufsen’s mantra of incorporating breakthrough designs on electronics, the Serene indeed has an eccentric design. The Samsung Serene has a built-in motor to help open or close the phone, a special screwdriver to access the SIM card and battery, and a circular hard-to-use keypad, making it impractical and requiring some time getting used to. For added strangeness, the phone’s camera lens is positioned at the side of the device, making it difficult to take perfect snapshots via the display’s viewfinder. Nevertheless, for a little over a thousand dollars, the phone is a remarkable piece.

 

If you thought you paid too much for the phone in your pocket right now, you can rest assured that there are much more expensive phones available. If you’ve got more than a thousand, or even a million, dollars to burn on your phone, we better not hear you complain about your monthly bills!

 

(Get most out of your expensive cellphones by fidgeting with the most habit playing cellphone games and learn the latest tips on extending the battery life of your mobile phones.)