Top 10 Most Expensive Mobile Phones in the World

Published January 5, 2007 by Dialaphone in Best of..., Features

WOW! We have just realised that this list is a little bit out of date, so head over to our new Top Ten Most Expensive Handsets In The World for 2012…

Until recently, the vast majority of mobile phones had been priced between £100 and £300 with only Vertu, a division of Nokia, manufacturing uber-premium phones. With prices starting at around £4,000 Vertu phones are only for the filthy rich and the super famous.

However, Vertu’s monopoly of the luxury phone market is coming to an end with the launch of several new luxury mobile makers including Gresso, Mobiado and GoldVish. A load of other mobile phone manufacturers are also working up partnerships with luxury brands get a piece of the action. We’re beginning to see premium mobile phones emerge from couplings such as LG and Prada, D&G and Motorola, and now Tag Heuer and Modelabs. Finally, there are the ridiculous, super-expensive one-offs made purely for headline grabbing such as Goldvish’s “Le million”, worth a cool $1,000,000, see below for details!

1. Goldvish “Le million” = $1,000,000 (£540,540)

                       A PR stunt it may be and they surely can’t be expecting to sell any, but the Goldvish “Le million” is officially the most expensive mobile phone in the world, according the Guiness Books of Records. There has even been talk of a $1.3million phone, but this has fewer diamonds than the Goldvish so I can’t see where the extra expense comes from! The “Le million” is a one off piece featuring a blinding 120 carats worth of VVS-1 grade diamonds, according to designer Emmanuel Gueit. If $1 million is out of your price range the Geneva-based Goldvish also offer several other diamond-encrusted 18k gold models in your choice of rose, yellow or white starting at a much more reasonable $25,600 (£13,837).

2. Vertu Signature Cobra = $310,000 (£167,567)

                                   Vertu is now taking orders for the Signature Cobra which is designed by French jeweler Boucheron, but you had better be quick as only 8 are being made. The Cobra will feature one pear-cut diamond, one round white diamond, two emerald eyes and 439 rubies. Vertu will also be offering a “cheaper” version, ruby free at $115,000 (£62,162).

3. Sony Ericsson Black Diamond = $300,000 (£162,162)

                             Apparently the Black Diamond will be available in 2007, not from Sony Ericsson but by a company called VIPN. Initially only 5 unique numered pieces will be available for the unbelievable price of, wait for it… $300,000.

With regards to the specifications, don’t expect anything remarkable for your money. It will have Quad-band with Wi-Fi, an Intel 400Mhz processor running Windows Mobile 5 and a touch sensitive 2″ screen. It will also include internal memory of 128mb and will come with a 2Gb SD card for external storage plus a respectable 4 Megapixel camera.

The designer Jaren Goh has used some pretty impressive materials for the build, featuring titane with polycarbonate, mirror-finish cladding and diamonds.

4. Vertu Diamond = $88,000 (£47,567)

                                      The Diamond is Vertu’s premium range of high-end mobile phones. As the name suggests the handsets in the Diamond range are diamond-encrusted handsets made from platinum. Only 200 of the handsets are being produced, the most expensive believed to be worth an estimated £50,000.

5. Motorola V220 Special Edition = £28,000 ($51,800)

                                    Austrian designer Peter Aloisson has taken a standard Motorola, studded it with 1,200 diamonds and added a keyboard inlaid with 18 carat gold. The outcome is a £28,000 handset, suitable only for footballers and film stars!

6. Gold Edition Nokia 8800 Phone = $2,700 (£1,459)

                               If you have $2,700 to spare, you can now buy the Nokia 8800 in 24K gold. However, be warned if you think you’ll be getting a better phone for your extra cash, you wont! The features found on the Gold Edition are the standard 8800 features which are pretty basic. It includes a 0.5 Mega pixel SVGA camera, 64 MB of internal memory, 64 voice polyphonic rigntones, FM Radio, Mp3 Player, video recording and 180 mins talktime. However, the Gold Edition does includes a special edition box and charging dock!

7. Mobiado Professional EM (wood) = $1,900 (£1,027)

                                 The Mobiado Professional EM is a wood-clad upgrade of their earlier Nokia-based phone that includes a 1.3 megapixel camera, music player, FM radio, Bluetooth and according to Mobiado it’s the first production phone with Titanium buttons. Only 200 are being made and each one has its limited number engraved on the back. At $1,900 however, you’re still paying an awfully high premium for a fairly basic phone encased in wood.

8. Bang & Olufsen (Samsung) Serene = $1,250 (£675)

                               Bang & Olufsen hooked up with Samsung to design the sleek but unconventional Serene. It’s not a bad looking phone and even has a built-in motor to assist you in opening and closing the phone. It’s not very practical however, requiring a special screwdriver to access the battery and the SIM card and the circular keypad will take some getting used to. Also for some strange reason they have positioned the camera lens on the side of the device, which will make it difficult to align snapshots via the viewfinder on the display.

9. Lamborghini 8800 Sirocco from Nokia = $To be announced

                               The Lamborghini Nokia 8800 Sirocco is another special edition, like the previously launch Aston Martin branded Sirocco. It will ultimately be a standard 8800 Sirocco but with the addition of the famous Lamborghini logo engraved on the font and the back, plus ball bearings from the auto company to in the slider phone mechanism. The Lamborghini phone will be a limited edition with only 500 being made. It will also feature Lamborghini graphics as wallpapers, screensavers, ringtones and even has a short documentary video.

10. Gresso Luxury Phone = £expensive

                                The Russia based Gresso, is a new entry into the luxury phone market. Their aptly name “Gresso Luxury Phone” is made of gold and African Blackwood. Apparently they will be releasing a collection of five models called the Black Aura collection, and the designer is a “well known” Italian designer. Currently there are two versions of the African Blackwood phone, one with pink gold highlights named the Gresso Blackwood Gold Edition and one made entirely of African Blackwood. In addition to the two African Blackwood phones Gresso also make a phone made entirely of pink gold named the Gresso Gold phone. Initially, the phones will be on sale only in Russia.

Costly and Fastest Cars in the World

1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport: 267 mph, 0-60 in 2.4 secs. Aluminum, Narrow Angle 8 Liter W16 Engine with 1200 hp, base price is $2,400,000. Although the Bugatti Veyron lost the title to SSC Ultimate Aero on March 2007, Bugatti challenge the record in Germany on July 10, 2010 with the new 2010 Super Sport Version and the Veyron once again claims the title of the fastest car in the world at 267 mph. The original Bugatti Veyron has a top speed of 253 mph, priced at $1,700,000 and equipped with 1001 hp.

#2 is a tie at 260 mph!

2. Hennessey Venom GT: 260 mph, 0-60 in 2.5 seconds, has a 6.2-liter LS9 Turbocharged V8 Twin Turbo V8 Engine producing 1200 hp, has a price tag of $950,000. The Venom GT has yet to be tested and proven, but could possibly hit a top speed of 275 mph. This might just be the Veyron Super Sport's closest competitor!

2. Koenigsegg Agera R: 260 mph, 0-60 in 2.9 secs. 5.0-liter V8 Engine with twin turbo’s, housing 1099 hp. Base price is $1,600,000. If you're into snow sports, the Agera R can be fitted with a Ski Box as well as winter tires, not that I would take one on a ski trip or anything like that. While the Agera R has a massive theoretical top speed, the current tested top speed is 260 mph. Expect this snow car to be the Bugatti's arch enemy for the next 5 years.
Also a tie for #3.

3. SSC Ultimate Aero: 257 mph, 0-60 in 2.7 secs. Twin-Turbo V8 Engine with 1183 hp, base price is $654,400. Tested in March 2007 by Guinness World Records, The SSC Ultimate Aero was the fastest car in the world from March 2007 to July 2010. On March 2011, the Koenigsegg Agera R also surpassed it, forcing this American made car to the #3 spot. Shelby SuperCars will continue their quest to reclaim the fastest car title, and their new SSC Tuatura might do the job (we'll just have to wait).

3. 9ff GT9-R: 257 mph, 0-60 in 2.9 secs. 4.0 Litre V6 Twin-Turbo Engine with 1120 hp, base price is $695,000. Based on the Porsche 911, the 9ff GT9-R 1120 hp version is limited to 20 units and the exterior may be modified to suit the owner.

4. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo: 248 mph, 0-60 in 2.8 secs. Twin Turbo All Aluminum V8 Engine with 750 hp, base price is $555,000. Smooth and bad-ass. It will make you want to show it off non-stop.

5. Koenigsegg CCX: 245 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. 90 Degree V8 Engine 806 hp, base price is $545,568. Made in Sweden, it is the older brother of the Agera R, only losing to 4 other supercars in the world.

6. McLaren F1: 240 mph, 0-60 in 3.2 secs. BMW S70/2 60 Degree V12 Engine with 627 hp, base price is $970,000. The fastest car in the 20th century with doors that looks like bat wings. Maybe Batman needs to order one and paint it black

7. Zenvo ST1: 233 mph, 0-60 in 2.9 secs. Twin-Charged 7.0 liter V8 Engine forging 1,104 hp. Base price: $1,225,000. The first Supercar from Zenvo Automotive, a Danish sports car company in pursuit of speed and perfection. This 100% Danish made supercar is limited to 15 units and the company even promised "flying doctors" to keep your baby functioning.

There is a tie for 8th place at 225 mph.

8. Gumpert Apollo: 225 mph, 0-60 in 3.0 secs, 4.2 liter V8 Engine that houses 650 hp. Base price: $450,000. Gumpert claims that the Apollo was designed such that it could drive upside-down in a tunnel with speeds at 190 mph or above. Of course, no one has tested this yet.

8. Noble M600: 225 mph, 0-60 in 3.7 secs. Twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 Engine with 650 hp. Base price is $330,000. The Noble M600 also happens to be a very cool car. Its inconspicuous design sports a slender and contoured body which does not scream out for attention at every second of the day.
There is a tie for #9!

9. Aston Martin One-77: 220 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 secs. 7.3 litre V12 Engine with 750 hp. Base price: $1,850,000. The production of this is limited to 77, hence the name One-77. This is beauty and power packed into One.

9. Ascari A10: 220 mph, 0-60 in 2.8 secs. 5.0 litre BMW V8 S62 Engine with 625 hp. Base price: $650,000. The company planned to produce 50 of these supercars at its factory in Banbury, England.
We have a tie for 10th place:

10. Lamborghini Aventador: 217 mph, 0-60 in 2.9 secs. V12 Engine with 700 hp, base price is $379,700. According to Lamborghini, Aventador is the name of a Bull that entered into battle at the Saragossa Arena on October 1993. This is the fastest bull in the world!

10. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 secs. Twin turbocharged AMG V12 engine that produces 678 hp. Base price is $1,850,000. The Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster is a limited-edition, with five ever produced. It is the quintessential exotic and exclusive supercar.

10. Ferrari Enzo: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 secs. F140 Aluminum V12 Engine with 660 hp, base price is $670,000. Only 399 were ever produced; the price goes up every time someone crashes.

10. Jaguar XJ220: 217 mph, 0-60 in 3.8 secs. Twin Turbo V6 Engine with 542 hp, base price was $650,000. Made in 1992, this car still has what it takes to make the list.

The Most Expensive Pets You Could Own

The Bengal Cat - $800-$3,000 

• This cat is one of the newer hybrid breeds, made by mating a domestic shorthaired cat with an Asian Leopard Cat. The goal of this cross is to create a cat with the disposition of a domestic cat, and exotic appearance of a wild cat. These cats are most expensive when they are about three generations removed from the original breed, which is the time when their appearance and demeanor are perfectly balanced.

Snow Macaque - $3,500

• The Snow Macaque, also known as the Japanese Macaque, is the most northern-living non-human primate. They have grey fur, a short tail and red faces, palms, soles, and bottoms. These primates are considered to be very intelligent; besides humans and raccoons they are the only known mammals that wash food before consuming it. Unfortunately, the Snow Macaque is currently considered a threatened species, and special licenses and permits are required to own one of these animals.

Squirrel Monkey - $4,000

• The natural habitat of the Squirrel Monkey is the tropical forests of Central and South America, although they can survive quite easily as pets. It is rare for these animals to grow any bigger than 2 pounds. Like most primates, Squirrel Monkeys are very intelligent, what sets them apart is their social and affectionate personalities.

Chinese Crested Hairless Puppies - $4,000

• These toy dogs are popular for their unique looks and entertaining personalities. They grow to be about 10-13 pounds, have soft hair-less bodies and tufts of hair on their paws, tail, and head. These dogs are energetic and playful, making them great family pets. The most famous Chinese Crested Dog was Sam, who was crowned the world's ugliest dog from 2003-2005.

English Bulldog - $2,000-$5,000

• With price tags up to $5,000, the Bulldog is considered the most expensive breed of dog. The reasoning behind their price is quite simple, it costs a lot to breed and raise bulldogs. With their awkward body structure and heavy weight, male bulldogs cannot naturally mount females, and artificial insemination is required for breeding. It's also almost always necessary to deliver bulldog pups with a caesarian section, due to the large size of the puppies' heads. Bulldogs are also known for having stillborns and unintentionally harming their puppies by squashing them. All of these medical issues require a lot of special attention and veterinary costs. Bulldog owners say they're well worth the cost as they are on of the most docile, friendly and loyal breeds of dog.

Mona Guenon - $6,000

• This primate originated in the tropical forests of West Africa, but like the Squirrel Monkey, can adapt to almost any environment. Despite the prevalence of this species, several licenses and permits are required before one can be taken in as a pet.

Savannah Cat - $4,000-$10,000

• These cats are a mix between a domestic house cat and a Serval (an African wild cat). Savannah's usually grow to be between 10-25 pounds, but have been reported to reach 40. Savannah cats, don't just look exotic, they have much more agility, and intelligence than their domestic counterparts. Their personalities are often compared to that of dogs, friendly, assertive, and loyal. Also like dogs, they can be trained to walk on a leash and play fetch.

Debrazza's Monkey - $10,000

• This Monkey was discovered in Central African swamp lands, and is best suited for warm climates. Due to the fact that they are excellent hiders, there is no accurate count of the species, but they are not believed to be threatened. When young, Debrazza's Monkeys are docile and affectionate, however, as they mature they can become territorial and unpredictable.

Striped Ball Python - $10,000

• Pythons have always been popular pets, and come in many different species, sizes and with unique markings. One of the most sought after markings is a continuous yellow dorsal stripe. Currently, only one breeder sells these snakes.

Hyacinth Macaw - $6,500-$12,000

• The Hyacinch Macaw of South America is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species in existence. It has solid blue feathers, and grows to be anywhere from 3-4 pounds. Unfortunately, their popularity as pets has taken a toll on their numbers in the wild, which is one of the reasons their captivity prices are so high.

Reticulated Albino Type II Tiger Python - $15,000

• Reticulated Pythons are some of the longest snakes in the world. In addition to their length, this type of python exhibits a co-dominant tiger pattern, which is extraordinarily rare.

Lavender Albino Ball Python - $20,000

• The first python with these markings was found in Africa in 2003. Instead of the traditional white coloring of albino snakes, these snakes have a light lavender color. The snake's eyes are a deep ruby red.

Chimpanzee - $60,000-$65,000

• Chimpanzees have been kept as pets for centuries, starting in African villages and spreading to Europe and America. They are very intelligent and closely related to humans. They grow to be just over 100 pounds and can live up to 60 years in captivity (many times outliving their owners). Not all states allow people to keep chimpanzees as pets, and those that do require that you have exotic animal permits and licenses.

White Lion Cubs - $138,000

• These white lions are not albino, instead they exhibit a rare recessive gene. They are extremely rare in the wild, but have begun to be bred in captivity. There are currently several white lion cub breeders worldwide. Unfortunately, due to excessive inbreeding, many white lions have severe health issues, and some don't even remain white as they mature