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$1.9 Million Handbag Goes Up for Sale

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

I can't believe that a handbag made of platinum, over 2,000 diamonds, and valued at almost $2 million doesn't have a name other than "diamond and platinum handbag." We first mentioned this beauty of a bag about a year ago when it was on display in Tokyo and now it seems it will be making it's way around London in honor of London Jewelry Week.

Designed by Ginza Tanaka, the bag features a diamond shoulder strap that can be removed and worn as a necklace, plus the large (8ct) pear-shaped diamond decorating the front of the bag can be removed and worn as a brooch.

The bag is available for sale but due to security concerns the locations where it will appear will not be given to the public ahead of time -- I guess it's just a lucky "right place at the right time" kind of guessing situation if you want to see it!

Tags: diamond, diamonds, ginza tanaka, GinzaTanaka, handbag, handbags, most expensive, MostExpensive, platinum, tanaka

The Most Expensive Watermelon

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Auctions

Watermelon is one of the signature fruits of summer, and although (considering today's economy) I'm willing to pay more for it than I used to I'm not so sure I'd be willing to pay upwards of $6,000 for a single melon! But at least one man in Japan was as he bid on and won an auction for a 17lb Densuke watermelon for a whopping $6,100. Despite the fact that watermelon is considered a luxury in Japan and that this particular kind of melon only grows in one place (on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan), this auction marks the highest selling price ever for a watermelon in Japan, and most likely the world.

Tags: auction, auctions, fruit, japan, most expensive, MostExpensive, watermelon

The $2 Million Tanzanite Sandals

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes

Our friends at Aisledash recently did a post on some of the world's most expensive shoes but they didn't mention the pair I actually got to see last week. At the Le Vian party in Las Vegas one of the displays included these $2 million shoes from Stuart Weitzman. The silver leather heels feature over 185 carats of tanzanite and 28 carats of diamonds. The front strap features a slim strap of diamonds but the heavy gemstones are designed to curve around the ankle with a 16 carat pear-shaped tanzanite drop surrounded by diamonds that dangles down over the top of the foot. The shoes were behind glass so I didn't get to examine them up close but the stones do seem to be mounted directly onto the leather rather than being immediately removable.

Tags: most expensive, MostExpensive, shoes, stuart weitzman, tanzanite

There's a $5,000 Burger in Las Vegas

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The Fleur de Lys restaurant in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay may serve French cuisine but that hasn't stopped them from adapting their own version of an American classic: the hamburger. Called the "Fleurburger 5000" it's no Plain Jane either, featuring a juicy Kobe beef patty topped with a rich truffle sauce and served on a brioche truffle bun. And this burger comes with its own beverage, a bottle of 1990 Chateau Petrus, that is served in Ichendorf Brunello stemware that you get to keep.

It sounds (and looks) delicious -- as well it should for the whopping price tag of $5000. And if you do decide to indulge no worries about bragging rights: you can bring a friend (they get a free burger when you order yours) and you'll also get a certificate in the mail (along with your keepsake glass) so you'll have both a witness and paper proof.

Gallery: Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay

Tags: burger, dining, fleur de lys, fleurburger, FleurDeLys, hamburger, most expensive, MostExpensive, restaurant, restaurants

The $1,000 Sushi Roll

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Going out for sushi always runs slightly on the expensive side, but Koi restaurant in New York is taking it to the extreme with their latest menu addition, the High Roller sushi roll that sells for $1000.

So what does a thousand dollars look like in the form of sushi? Well, it starts with marinated and poached fois gras that is covered with succulent Langoustine (lobster). Then the roll is brushed with saffron/vanilla bean butter and encrusted with caviar. Finally, when the roll is served the Chef comes tableside to shave white Alba truffles and drizzle them with 100 year balsamic.

Enjoy! (I wonder how many people have so far?)

Tags: dining, high roller, HighRoller, koi, koi restaurant, KoiRestaurant, most expensive, MostExpensive, sushi

Krug's Champagne Balloon Trips

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

It's a dream of mine to go up in a hot air balloon someday, but something tells me my first trip will probably not be via the "Krug is in the Air" program. Krug has come up with a new way to attract luxury consumers by offering the world's most expensive balloon rides, available in locations all over the world for a price tag of €50,000 for a group of up to 8 people. Besides the obvious trip up in a luxury balloon (gleaming hardware, basket lined with premium white leather) you also get gourmet dining complete with champagne and butler service while you're in the air.

Sigh. Sounds dreamy.

Tags: balloon, ballooning, balloons, hot air balloon, hot air balloons, HotAirBalloon, HotAirBalloons, most expensive, MostExpensive

World's Most Expensive Champagne

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

We've seen expensive bottles of champagne before but this is a new record. The combination of a once-in-a-lifetime offer with a personalized box of twelve champagne bottles may be the most amazing bubbly offer ever -- but you will have to dig deep into your pockets to pay for it. For €50,000, a limited-edition box set of Perrier-Jouet 2000 Belle Epoque, with a unique twist of liquor added, you can have your own personalized champagne and even store it in their famous cellars for a short time. These pricey bottles o' bubbly will go on sale this Thursday and will only be available for customization to one-hundred people.

Tags: 2000-belle-epoque, belle-epoque, champagne, custom-champagne, most expensive, MostExpensive, perrier-jouet, personalized-champagne

The Price of Education: What is the World's Most Expensive University?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Services

The cost of a good education is notoriously expensive, and whether you're after the best possible edge in your career of choice or simply the prestige of having graduated from a big name school there's no doubt that the sky's the limit when it comes to how much you may end up paying. So how much do the richest of the rich pay? The most expensive 4 year university in the world appears to be George Washington University in Washington D.C. -- tuition per year runs just under $40,000 (which doesn't even include extras like room & board and books).

Gallery: The Top 5 Most Expensive Universities

#1 George Washington University, Washington D.C.

#2 Kenyon College, Gambier OH

#3 Bucknell University, Lewisberg PA

#4 Vassar College, Poughkeepsie NY

#5 Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville NY

Tags: college, colleges, education, most expensive, MostExpensive, rich, richest, tuition, universities, university

The Richest Counties in America

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

I admittedly know very little on the topic, but if I had to guess which was the richest county in America I would probably go with somewhere over in California, where all the celebrities, TV producers, and directors have their beach homes and mansions. According to Forbes, though, that guess would be way off. On their list of the richest counties in America the top 3 are all in the suburbs of Washington D.C., populated with wealthy government officials and government-related businessmen, and all but 1 of the top 10 are located in the eastern part of the country.

Tags: counties, county, most expensive, MostExpensive, rich, richest

Fazioli Pianos: The Best Sound, The Highest Prices

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

People who are serious about music -- piano music -- have most certainly heard the name Fazioli. It's a brand that's been quietly but steadily building a reputation for itself in the most exclusive of circles since the 1970s, and daring to give the well-established Steinway name a run for its money. The Fazioli line, which includes some of the most expensive pianos in the world, starts with an entry level 5'1" grand piano priced at $86,000 and tops out with their priciest creation, the Brunei, priced at $409,000. They also proudly sell the largest piano in the world, and many others with unique features and appearances. Great sounds meets great design? You be the judge.

Gallery: Fazioli Pianos

Malachite

Walnut California Brier

M.Liminal

Chiocclola

Marco Polo

Tags: Fazioli, most expensive, MostExpensive, music, pianist, piano, pianos

Frank Sveid's Corkscrew Earns "Most Expensive" Title

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Gadgets, Wine

Since my father is quite the avid wino I have certainly seen my share of interesting gadgets with which to open bottles of wine. But Frank Sveid's corkscrew made of aviation titanium and 18K gold (or platinum if you prefer) definitely takes the cake. Presented in a beautiful cigar-esque box and handcrafted to perfection when ordered it is a work of art. The video of its exquisite movement suggests the reason behind its luxury-level price tag of £36,000.

Gallery: Frank Sveid's Corkscrew

Tags: corkscrew, frank-sveid, most expensive, MostExpensive

The Top 10 Highest-Paid Actresses

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

It's not easy to be successful in Hollywood as an actress these days -- the competition is pretty fierce. Making it big is defined in a few different ways, from winning the best awards to getting the best parts to making the biggest money. And although careers go up and down on a dime and everything can change overnight, somebody has to be making the biggest money of them all. That somebody right now? Reese Witherspoon.

She's doing well for herself, earning between $15 and $20 million per movie -- despite her latest work "Rendition" not doing all that well in theaters. And she's in good company, too, with actresses like Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, and Jody Foster joining her in the ranks of the top 10 highest paid actresses.

Gallery: Top 10 Highest Paid Actresses

#1 Reese Witherspoon

#2 Angelina Jolie

#3 Cameron Diaz

#4 Nicole Kidman

#5 Renee Zellwegger

Tags: actress, actresses, angelina jolie, AngelinaJolie, cameron diaz, CameronDiaz, celebrities, celebrity, drew barrymore, DrewBarrymore, jody foster, JodyFoster, jolie, julia roberts, JuliaRoberts, most expensive, MostExpensive, nicole kidman, NicoleKidman, reese witherspoon, ReeseWitherspoon, renee zellwegger, ReneeZellwegger, sandra bullock, SandraBullock

Damien Hirst Orders Serious Solar Power

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Green

Damien Hirst, the world's most expensive living artist, is going green in a major way: he recently placed an order for Britain's second largest solar panel system. The system will be used to switch his Gloucestershire country home and studios over to total solar power. I can imagine he's got a lot of electricity needs for his entire estate, but I'm wondering if a 310 watt system (enough power to supply electricity to the equivalent of over 150 homes and will account for 2% of the entire country's solar power) isn't a bit overkill?

Tags: artist, damien hirst, DamienHirst, eco, environment, green, hirst, most expensive, MostExpensive, solar power, SolarPower

$62,000 Diamond Studded Lipstick

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cosmetics and Fragrance

Finding the right shade of lipstick is not easy to do, and women are willing to pay big bucks for the perfect one. But $62,000?

French cosmetics house Guerlain is releasing KissKiss Gold and Diamonds this week, and for the $62,000 price tag you'll get a consultation with Guerlain's artistic director Olivier Echaudemaison and a lipstick shade customized just for you that comes in an 18-karat gold lipstick tube encrusted with 199 conflict-free diamonds, plus rubies and emeralds. It can be engraved and comes in a black lacquer case with a suede pouch.

Sound good? Get ready to make an appointment, as they will only be available at Bergdorf Goodman via private consultation.

Via Born Rich

Tags: cosmetics, diamonds, gold, guerlain, lipstick, makeup, most expensive, MostExpensive

Damien Hirst Napkin Doodle Sells for $37,000

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

I guess it should be no surprise that the most expensive living artist has very valuable doodles. This was proven recently when Damien Hirst did a little ink sketch on a linen napkin from The Ivy restaurant. It's a depiction of his diamond-encrusted skull, plus a couple of steaming coffee cups in the eye sockets and, of course, the all-important Hirst signature. He donated the sketch to MacMillan Cancer Relief's "coffee art" auction, where it sold to a private collector for £18,000.

So do you think it was really just a doodle? Or a creative way to come up with something for the auction?

Via Lussorian

Tags: Damien Hirst, DamienHirst, Hirst, most expensive, most expensive living artist, MostExpensive, MostExpensiveLivingArtist, napkin, skull

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