Worlds most expensive

The $5 Million Per Month 'TV' Megayacht Charter

Steven Spielberg's new high-tech $200 million megayacht may be the world's most expensive yacht charter, but the 257-ft. TV (pictured above) launched by Lürssen in 2008 isn't far behind.

Designed by the brilliant Espen Oeino, it's now available to well-heeled yachtsmen for a cool $5 million a month. With a stunning Alberto Pintor interior the impressive craft was built to entertain a large number of guests with plenty of space for different salons, dining and relaxation areas.

Rare woods combine with dark blue leather upholstery in a pleasing interior scheme. A dedicated spa area expands onto a large fold-down sea terrace which allows said guests to go from a swim to the sauna, on to massage treatments and inside/outside gym activities in "a matter of seconds". Chief among the TV's top drawer touches is a very large owner's deck with its own Jacuzzi and sunbathing areas, in addition to a helipad which also incorporates a fueling station. The luxe craft can accommodate 12 guests in all along with 25 crew.

Gallery: 'TV' Megayacht Charter

[via JamesList]

Tags: Espen Oeino, superyacht, worlds most expensive, yacht, yacht charter

Charter Steven Spielberg's New Superyacht for $1.3 Million a Week: The World's Most Expensive

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wealth

Luxist recently reported about Steven Spielberg's amazing new $200 million megayacht the Seven Seas (pictured above). Now it seems as though the famed director wants to recoup some of his impressive investment – he's offering the ultra-luxurious yacht for charter at $1.3 million per week. That makes it the world's most expensive yacht charter, leaving the likes of P. Diddy and Simon Cowell's crafts in the dust.

Tags: celebrity yacht, Hollywood, megayacht, Oceanco, Seven Seas, Steven Spielberg, Steven Spielberg yacht, superyacht, worlds most expensive, worlds most expensive yachts, yacht, yacht charter

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The Classicist: VO Guns Debuts the Falcon, World's Most Expensive Rifle, for $820,000 [EXCLUSIVE]

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Men's Style, The Classicist, Wealth

Swedish gun and rifle maker VO Vapen, founded in 1977 by master gunsmith Viggo Olsson, fashions the world's most exclusive handmade hunting rifles. Their newest creation, the VO Falcon Edition (above), is the world's most expensive priced at about $820,000. The VO Falcon Edition is a tribute to the deep rooted traditions of falconry in the Arabian world, covered by beautiful engravings of Peregrine and Saker falcons among other luxurious finishes.

Tags: bespoke, falconry, guns, gunsmith, hunting, luxury goods, most expensive guns, rifles, shooting, sports, Sweden, UAE, Vo guns, VO Vapen, vo+falcon+rifle, vofalconrifle, worlds most expensive

Continue reading “The Classicist: VO Guns Debuts the Falcon, World's Most Expensive Rifle, for $820,000 [EXCLUSIVE]”

World's Most Expensive Poker Set for $7.5 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Men's Style, Wealth

World's Most Expensive Poker Set for $7.5 Million

Talk about high stakes – Geoffrey Parker, London-based maker of the finest games on the globe, is offering the world's most expensive poker set for $7.5 million. The bespoke set comes housed in a genuine alligator skin case finished in any color the client chooses, fitted with 18k white gold combination locks and hardware. The case' suede lining features an 18k gold and diamond frame holding 384 18k white gold chips, each inlaid on both sides in shagreen (stingray skin). The chips can be in any currency and denomination the client desires; the display set features chips marked €100,000 – or about $140,000 at today's rates.

The edge of each chip is set with precious stones – white diamonds for the white chips, sapphires for the blue, rubies for the red, emeralds for the green and black diamonds for the black. The dealer button is be a larger 18 karat white gold chip set with two rows of diamonds to the edge. The set will feature an estimated 22,364 stones in all, totaling 1,012 carats. Finally there are four platinum-plated decks of poker cards. Orders are now being taken with an expected delivery time of six to nine months; the price may go up if the precious stones and metals market fluctuates.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: alligator, alligator+skin+poker+set, alligatorskinpokerset, bespoke, cards, diamond, diamonds, exotic leather, gambling, game sets, games, Geoffrey Parker, gold, gold and diamonds, London, mens style, most+expensive+poker+chips, most+expensive+poker+set, mostexpensivepokerchips, mostexpensivepokerset, platinum, playing cards, poker, precious stones, shagreen, UK, white gold, worlds most expensive

EXCLUSIVE: Abramovich Said to Be Owner of World's Most Expensive Painting

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art, Wealth

EXCLUSIVE: Abramovich is Likely Owner of World's Most Expensive Painting

When we first reported back in May that Pablo Picasso's 1932 painting Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust (above) had sold for a record-breaking $106.5 million at Christie's we heard whispers that the buyer was a certain Russian oligarch known for his eye-popping acquisitions: Roman Abramovich. Now that the world's most expensive painting has been lent to the UK's Tate Modern museum by the unnamed "private collector" who bought it (as my colleague Deidre Woollard reported), a strong indication that the owner is based in London where Abramovich spends most of his time, we're hearing them louder. [cont'd]

Gallery: Record-Breaking Art

Tags: abramovich, art, art auction, art collectors, auction, billionaire, chelsea, London, modern art, most+expensive+painting, mostexpensivepainting, museums, oligarch, Pablo Picasso, Picasso, Roman Abramovich, Russian billionaires, Tate Modern, UK, wealth, world record, worlds most expensive, worlds most expensive painting

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EXCLUSIVE: Ralph Lauren to Exhibit Car Collection Classics for the First Time

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, The Classicist, Architecture & Design

Ralph Lauren to Exhibit Car Collection Classics for the First Time

Images exclusive to Luxist, courtesy of Ralph Lauren; click for high-res gallery

Some of the most precious gems in famed fashion designer Ralph Lauren's incredible car collection will be exhibited for the the first time ever in Paris this spring. Lauren's collection, in our opinion the finest one in private hands on the planet, features impeccable examples of the rarest and most valuable vehicles in the world. We can reveal exclusively that four of his exquisite automotive works of art, which have never before been seen in public, will be on view at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from April 28 – August 28: a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM; a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Scaglietti; a 1956/1958 Jaguar XKSS; and a 1931 Alfa Romeo Monza 8C 2300.

13 other Lauren cars will also be on display during the exhibit, entitled The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection, including an amazing 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (above), a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, and a 1938 Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Coupé. The last two alone are worth about $30 – $40 million each, and are among the world's most expensive cars. The Paris exhibit will focus on European models created between the 1930s and the 1990s, "illustrating the evolution of car design in the 20th Century." They were selected by curator Rodolphe Rapetti and will be arranged by scenographer Jean-Michel Wilmotte, with the "kinetics" and sound of the vehicles conveyed by means of various films and recordings. The museum will also be producing a luxe book to celebrate the occasion.

Gallery: Ralph Lauren's Cars Headed to Paris

Tags: Alfa Romeo, Bentley, billionaire, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Bugatti, car collection, car design, celebrity cars, classic cars, designer, exclusive, exhibit, exhibition, fashion design, fashion designer, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GTO, ferrari+250+gt, ferrari250gt, France, Jaguar, McLaren, mens style, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, museum, museum show, Paris, Porsche, Ralph Lauren, ralph+lauren+car+collection, ralph+lauren+cars, ralph+laurens+car+collection, ralphlaurencarcollection, ralphlaurencars, ralphlaurenscarcollection, supercars, The Classicist, worlds most expensive, worlds most expensive car, worlds most expensive cars

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Paris Celeb Haunt Le Bristol to Unveil One of World's Most Expensive Suites

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Paris' luxurious Hotel Le Bristol (above), opened in 1925 on the famed rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré, is a favorite of celebs including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalia Vodianova. Now, the elegant property is getting ready to to unveil a $33 million revamp that includes an ultra-luxe penthouse suite occupying the top floor, poised to become one of the most expensive hotel suites in the world. The 2,583-square-foot, two bedroom suite encompassing the entire eighth story will feature incredible views of the rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré and the Le Bristol's famed private gardens – the largest of any Parisian hotel. In May, the French-style Le Bristol Spa will double in size to include ten treatment rooms as well as a separate fitness center, while the property's signature Michelin three-star Gastronomic Restaurant will move into a new space featuring expansive views of the hotel's garden, a chef's table and fireplace.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Hotel Le Bristol

Tags: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, France, George Clooney, hotel, Hotel Le Bristol, hotel suites, Le Bristol, Leonardo DiCaprio, luxury hotels, Natalia Vodianova, Paris, penthouse, rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré, Spa, worlds most expensive

A Look Inside Ralph Lauren's Billion-Dollar Garage

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

We've written before about the automotive treasures in Ralph Lauren's car collection; now Vanity Fair has gotten an inside look at the lavish garage / gallery the designer recently built near his posh Westchester, NY estate to house them. Lauren transformed a former car dealership's storage facility into a shrine to the best in automotive design, with rooms dedicated to famous marques; the Ferrari room is pictured above, with a rare 1958 Testa Rossa taking center stage. The 60-plus ultra-valuable vehicles are all kept registered and ready to drive anytime the designer feels like going for a spin.

The eye-popping collection includes a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic worth an estimated $40 million alone – the world's most expensive car – a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix, a 1938 Alfa Romeo Mille Miglia roadster, the world's only 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK "Count Trossi" roadster, a 1957 Jaguar XKSS, a McLaren F1, a 1929 "Blower" Bentley, a Ferrari 250 GT, and the only Lamborghini Reventon Roadster in the U.S. All have been maintained carefully since new, or restored to perfection – and "sometimes beyond perfection," the magazine notes, as some have been painted in colors that the billionaire decided were better than the originals.

Tags: Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, car collection, classic cars, designer, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GT, Jaguar, Lamborghini, McLaren F1, Mercedes-Benz, Ralph Lauren, Vanity Fair, wealth, Westchester, worlds most expensive

Europe's Richest Man Building Scotland's Most Expensive Mansion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal is building the most expensive mansion ever erected in Scotland, next to the famed Gleneagles golf resort in Auchterarder, Perthshire. The London-based tycoon, Europe's richest man and the fifth richest man in the world with a fortune of $28.7 billion, is spending a record $23 million on the posh estate, including the $6 million mansion he tore down to make way for his new luxury fortress. His lavish private palace in London is reckoned to be the city's most expensive as well. Costs on the Perthshire project soared after Mittal decided some of the finished weren't up to standard, Scotland's Daily Record reports.

At one point he demanded a $125,000 bathroom be torn out and done over. "We are all very aware that Lakshmi Mittal has bought the property and he has been very particular about the specifications," one neighbor told the paper. "He has flown in several times and I have spoken to his wife, who seemed very down to earth. I get the impression she is more likely to use the facilities up here than her husband. I think their priority is getting it perfect." The six-bedroom main residence will have furnishings by Ralph Lauren, a state-of-the-art entertainment system, two kitchens and staff quarters among other amenities.

Tags: billionaire, estates, Europe, Gleneagles, India, Lakshmi Mittal, London, mansion, Perthshire, real estate, Scotland, UK, wealth, worlds most expensive

World's Most Expensive Book Sells For $11.5 Million

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Books

One of the most monumental printed books ever produced, John James Audubon's Birds of America, sold at Sotheby's London this week for £7,321,250 ($11,542,683) setting a new world record for any printed book ever sold at auction. There are only around 100 copies of this book which contains 435 hand-colored prints and is more than three feet tall. A different copy sold for $8.8 million in 2000.

Four collectors bid on the phones and in the room, driving the price above the estimates of $6.3 million to $9.5 million. The book was purchased by London dealer Michael Tollemache, who was bidding in the room and who described the work after the sale as "priceless." The Audubon was part of the sale of Magnificent Books, Manuscripts and Drawings from the Collection of Frederick, 2nd Lord Hesketh that brought in a total of £14,971,950 ($23,604,776 ) sailing over the high estimate of approximately $18.6 million and setting a record as the highest price ever achieved for a single-session sale of Books and Manuscripts ever held in London.

The sale also featured a first folio of Shakespeare's plays dating back to 1623, one of the most important books in English Literature. It sold for £1,497,250, right around the high estimate of £1.5 million and was purchased by Stephan Loewentheil. Forty letters relating to the imprisonment of Mary, Queen of Scots, including four letters signed by Queen Elizabeth I, sold for £349,250 ($550,628) (estimated at £150,000-200,000), a record for a group of Elizabethan manuscripts at auction.

Tags: audubon, birds of america, john james audubon, most expensive, sothebys, worlds most expensive, worlds most expensive book

World's Most Expensive iPad Case & More from Designer-to-the-Stars David August

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Celebrity Shopping, Men's Style

Back in August we reported that famed Italian luxury goods firm Tod's was offering the world's most expensive iPad case in genuine alligator for $4,900. Now David August, the California-based boutique luxury brand that creates bespoke wardrobes for the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Will Smith, Robert Downey Jr. and various billionaires, has topped that with his new collection of exotic leather goods including an even pricier iPad sheath. Crafted of the world's finest alligator skin hand cut and stitched in Italy by a skilled family of artisans, the collection of five luxe pieces is available in both a glazed and matte finish in over 20 different colors.

The entire collection is priced at $37,800 with each piece also available individually. The five pieces include the iPad cover (above, center) for $6,900, a soft laptop attaché case for $12,900, a Dopp kit for $7,800, a watch holder for $7,800, and a change tray for $2,400. All items are made strictly to order with a 2–4 week delivery time and several personal customizing options are available as well. While far from the priciest item in the collection, the iPad case is nonetheless the world's most expensive cover for the trendy gadget, costing nearly 14 times as much as Apple's basic 16GB model itself.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: David August Exotic Accessories

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Antarctic Nail Ale, A New Rival For The Title of Most Expensive Beer

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Auctions, Charity

There's a new contestant for the title of world's most expensive beer. At the Sea Shepherds auction in Fremantle,Australia this week the number one bottle (of 30) of Antarctic Nail Ale sold for $800. The beer was brewed with ice brought back from the Antarctica from the Sea Shepherds last campaign. Proceeds went to the Sea Shepard, which fights to stop Japanese whaling ships killing whales in the Antarctic sanctuary. The buyer was the Elliot Syndicate. The new beer rivals the £500 "The end of History" created by Brewdog. The Scottish brewery brewed eleven bottles of the beer which has an alcohol content of 55 percent ABV and was sold in animal carcasses. Antarctic Nail Ale was brewed by Nail Brewing Australia at Edith Cowan University. Sea Shepherd has bottles #2 to 10 available for purchase.

[via Ecorazzi]

Tags: antarctic nail ale, beer, most expensive, most expensive beer, worlds most expensive

New Bombardiers Will Be World's Most Expensive Business Jets

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Wealth

Canadian aviation company Bombardier is aiming to displace Gulfstream as the world's most expensive business jet with the introduction of two new models. The Global 7000 and 8000, which will cost about $65 million apiece, will beat the high-speed range of the $58.5 million Gulfstream G650. Both new private jets will have a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90; the 7000 will have a range of 7,300 nmi at Mach 0.85, while the 8000's range will top out at 7,900 nmi at Mach 0.85. Both will borrow elements from the existing Global Express XRS and 5000.

New wings, new tech and luxe amenities added to increased fuel efficiency will be the hallmarks of the new craft, aimed to appeal to ultra-wealthy customers in India, Asia and the UAE. The 7000 will have the largest cabin in business aviation while the 8,000 will boast the longest range. The 7000 will be able to fly from London to Singapore, New York to Dubai or Beijing to Washington non-stop with 10 passengers, while the 8000 can do Sydney to Los Angeles, Hong Kong to New York and Mumbai to New York non-stop with eight. Unfortunately the first one won't be ready for delivery until 2016.

Tags: aviation, Bombardier, Gulfstream, jet, most expensive, private jet, worlds most expensive

A. Testoni Offers World's Most Expensive Men's Shoes

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes, Men's Style

For the astronomical price of $38,000 per pair, Italian luxury leather goods label A. Testoni is now offering the world's most expensive men's dress shoes. Testoni, founded in Bologna in 1929 by Amedeo Testoni, painstakingly handcrafts the Moro monk-strap model in the world's finest exotic alligator skin using the techniques of Norvegese, or Norwegian construction, for durability and added water resistance. Stiched with custom-made linen twine, the shoes are lined with glove-soft goatskin and adorned with a rich but discreet gold and diamond buckle. To make the eye-poppingly elegant footwear Testoni also employs a second proprietary process, called the piuma rapid, which requires some 200 manual operations to complete. Each pair is made up, deconstructed, and then put back together again in a patented method that results in a shoe as light as a feather yet which guarantees protection from hot, cold and humid weather.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: A. Testoni, alligator, diamond, exotic leather, gold, Italian fashion, leather, mens style, most expensive, shoes, worlds most expensive

Rent the Entire Mandarin Oriental Tokyo For One Night at $670,000

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wealth

To celebrate its fifth anniversary Tokyo's luxurious Mandarin Oriental Hotel is offering the opportunity to rent the entire property for one night for 55 million yen, or about $670,000. The price includes the exclusive use of all the hotel's 157 guest rooms and 21 suites, including the posh Presidential Suite, its nine restaurants, cocktail bars, spa, fitness center and Grand Ballroom. The package, available until Nov. 30, 2011 and easily the world's most expensive hotel offering, also comes with a cocktail reception for 500 people with the dessert portion catered by an award-winning Japanese pastry chef, the Wall St. Journal reports. Gen Yoshida, the hotel's communications officer, says it is the first time for any Mandarin Oriental to offer such a package. The Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group currently operates, or has under development, 41 luxury hotels spread across 27 countries.

Gallery: Mandarin Oriental Tokyo