The Golden Eagle: One of the World’s Largest Gold Statues

The Golden Eagle is one of the world’s largest sculptures crafted from solid gold, with glittering diamonds encrusted all over it. Priced at six million US dollars, this piece of magnificent artistry is now up for sale, to raise awareness about breast-cancer.

The Golden Eagle gold statue is owned by Ron Shore, a Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist, who is also a treasure hunt expert. Ron Shore had previously commissioned this statue as part of a personal mission to create a unique treasure, which could be later sold, and the proceeds donated to help fight breast cancer. Mr. Ron Shore has been supporting this particular cause because his sister had died of breast cancer, just two days after she gave birth to a little girl.

The Golden Eagle Gold Statue

The Golden Eagle Gold Statue is considered to be the third largest gold sculpture in the world. The eagle statue measures 26cm x 10 cm, and has been hand-crafted from different types of gold, such as 14 carat yellow gold, 18 carat white gold, 10 carat yellow gold and 14 carat white gold. It features a rhodium fish, while the head and the neck of the eagle are encrusted with 763 round diamonds.

The eyes of the Golden Eagle gold statue are bezel set in white gold, with two pear-shaped diamonds that have been brilliantly cut. The beautiful base of the statue has been crafted from 10 carat yellow gold, and includes the famous 12.72 carat ‘Atocha Star’ emerald. This glittering green emerald was recovered in 1980 from the wreck of ‘The Atocha’, a Spanish treasure galleon that had sunk centuries ago in 1622. According to sources, it took more than 4,000 hours of painstaking work to create the exquisite Golden Eagle Gold Statue.

Sotheby’s, the acclaimed auction house, has estimated the Golden Eagle sculpture to have a market value of six million US dollars. Philanthropist Ron Shore has agreed to donate $1 million off the estimated market value of the Golden Eagle statue to charity. This money will be directly given to the breast cancer charity selected by the person who finally buys the treasure. In addition, another $1 million will be awarded to the winner of Shore’s ‘The World’s Greatest Treasure Hunt: Quest for the Golden Eagle’ contest.

The remaining profits from the Golden Eagle Statue sale will go towards contest promotion costs and other expenses for raising a further $24 million for breast cancer research. Moreover, Ron Shore has also agreed to award an amount of $100,000 as finder’s fee to anyone who helps facilitate the sale of The Golden Eagle sculpture. If you wish to buy this statue and contribute towards this noble cause,please contact Mr. Ron Shore by emailing him at Ron@GreatHunt.com.

Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille Watch

The lightest mechanical watch in the world, Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille watch, is also one of the most expensive. Priced at US $376,000, the Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillon watch is a light-weight, enigmatic timepiece, which is able to withstand high-shock loads in rough sporting events. You’ll always catch Rafael Nadal wearing the Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillon watch at professional tennis tournaments.

More About The Richard Mille RM027 Tourbillon Watch

Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille watch is made of light-weight materials such as titanium, aluminium, lithium, copper and magnesium. In fact, it only weighs 20 grams, with the movement weighing just under 4 grams. The escapement and balance wheel of the RM027 Tourbillon watch is placed in a rotating cage, to counteract the effects of gravity. It has a transparent dial and watch case back, enabling one to view its inner mechanisms.

Recently, Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille watch went missing from his room at a luxury five-star hotel in Paris. Later, the watch was found in the possession of one of the hotel’s staff (a barman), and handed back to the professional tennis star. However, this is not the first time one of Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille watches got lost. Way back in 2008, Rafael Nadal’s custom-built $525,000 Richard Mille watch disappeared from the locker room during the Rogers Cup in Toronto, and was never found.

Rafael Nadal has been promoting the RM027 Tourbillon watch since 2010, and it always sells like hot cakes. Only around 50 of these watches are made every year, because of the difficulty in crafting them. In 2010, Rafael Nadal’s RM027 Tourbillon watches were sold for as much as US $500,000, but with the fall of the Euro, they are available for the comparatively low cost of US $376,000 today. Other than the RM027 Tourbillon, Richard Mille has also being selling its entire production of around 2,900 watches per year, the cheapest being priced at a huge US $50,000.

Wealthy watch collectors have been the first to pick up Rafael Nadal’s Richard Mille watches, with the hope that the price will appreciate immensely in the future. According to sources, Richard Mille is currently working on a new watch for the tennis star, which will be lighter than his current RM027 Tourbillon. This watch is expected to be priced higher than US $500,000.

Lego Figure of Queen Elizabeth II With A Diamond Crown

In June 2012, Lego unveiled a special collector’s edition Lego figure of Queen Elizabeth II (with a diamond encrusted crown), to commemorate the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. With the launch of this exclusive Lego block, the company has joined many of the leading luxury brands who are celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee event with the launch of stylish and luxurious products (mostly limited edition pieces).

Unveiled to the public at the famous Legoland theme park situated in Windsor, just a short distance away from the Queen’s Windsor Palace, the bejewelled Lego figure of Britain’s monarch stands 10 centimetres tall. This figure has Queen Elizabeth II wearing a pure white gown, with the traditional blue sash (the Garter Riband). On the head of the Lego figure of the Queen is a little crown, encrusted with sparkling real diamonds.

Other than the bejeweled Lego figure of Queen Elizabeth II with its diamond-encrusted crown, Lego has also created Lego figures to portray other members of the Windsor Royal Family. The most famous of these limited edition Lego pieces was the figures of Prince William and his wife Kate, which were crafted to celebrate the Royal Wedding in 2011.

Related Articles You May Like:

• World's Most Expensive Scrabble Set
• Geoffrey Parker Gold Chess Set
• Convertible Foosball Tables and Pool Tables
• World's Most Expensive Backgammon Set
• Vintage Toy Airplane

Yellow Diamond Ring Sold For $623,000

A yellow diamond ring joined the list of the most expensive diamond rings in the world, when it was sold for US $623,000 at the Christie’s Paris Jewels Sale held in Paris on 6th June 2012. Yellow diamonds are very rare, and it is this rarity which ensures that they garner top prices in jewellery auctions held across the world.

This yellow diamond is a round 26.10 carat gem, which is brilliantly cut and throws light in amazing sparkles. Picked up by an unnamed buyer, it is set in a simple platinum ring, and could make a great gift for a millionaire’s wife or girlfriend.

With the yellow diamond ring becoming a top seller at the Christie’s Paris Jewels Auction, coloured diamonds have returned to the spotlight, and are expected to collect higher prices at jewellery sales in the future.

Have you ever owned a yellow diamond ring? Do you plan on buying one in the future?

Read about other pink diamonds:

• Martian Pink Diamond
• Argyle Pink Jubilee Diamond
• Birks Bubble-Gum Pink Diamond
• Yellow Diamond Ring

Atmos du Millenaire - Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Diamond Jubilee Edition Watch

The Atmos du Millenaire, is an exquisite watch crafted by Jaeger-LeCoultre to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen. Previously, Jaeger-LeCoultre had launched the 101 jewellery watch and the Diamond Jubilee Reverso watch, both of which were also designed to commemorate this special national occasion. Even in 2002, when the Queen was celebrating her Golden Jubilee, Jaeger-LeCoultre (official timekeepers of the royal event) had introduced a special Atmos timepiece.

Features of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atmos du Millenaire Watch

The Atmos du Millenaire is an exclusive watch that will be available in a three-piece limited edition. It does not require batteries, electricity or manual winding to work. Instead, the exclusive Atmos du Millenaire Diamond Jubilee timepiece runs on a single degree rise or fall in temperature (Celcius), which is enough keep it powered for a few days at a time.

Some of other features of the Atmos du Millenaire clock are:

• An engraving of a “Dieu et Mon Droit” seal.
• A detailed family lineage of Queen Elizabeth II.
• Indicators for hours, minutes, months and moonphases.
• Coverage of a lengthy time span stretching from year 2000 to 3000.

How is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atmos du Millenaire Watch Powered?

The Atmos du Millenaire timepiece is a brilliant combination of horological know-how and technical excellence. It works according to simple technological principles, which were invented decades back in 1928. The heart of the clock is a small capsule located at the back. This little capsule uses a technological mechanism to convert temperature variations into mechanical energy, thus keeping the clock running, without any restrictions.

In fact, the mechanism of the Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atmos du Millenaire watch can use sudden changes in temperature to store energy for more than 48 hours. Two features that guarantee the unhindered functioning of this exclusive Diamond Jubilee timepiece are the slow oscillation of the balance, and the use of an elinvar wire for hanging the balance.

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Atmos du Millenaire watch is also environmentally friendly and uses zero lubricants, thus minimising energy waste. In addition, the Diamond Jubilee timepiece uses a fraction of the energy that other watches use for power. In fact, it is so energy efficient that 60 million Atmos du Millenaire watches working together would only consume as much energy as a 15 watt light bulb!

Aquos - World’s Largest LED HDTV At 90 Inches

Japanese consumer electronics company Sharp has beaten its 2011 record of the world’s largest LED HDTV by announcing the commercial launch of its new 90 inch Aquos LED LCD HDTV. Last year, Sharp had introduced the 80-inch Aquos LC-80LE632U, as the world’s largest LED HDTV.

This announcement was made at a glittering event held in New York City, where it was also stated that the new 1080p Sharp Aquos LC-90LE745U uses less than 150 watts of power, and thus costs a customer only about $28 per year to operate. According to market analysts, the strategy of annually expanding both the size and the price of their HDTVs has helped Sharp expand its reach, considerably.

Features of Sharp’s 90 inch Aquos LED LCD HDTV

Priced at $10,999, Sharp’s 90 inch Aquos LED LCD HDTV is around four feet tall and more than six feet wide. Its picture quality is as great as its size, with the LED HDTV displaying crystal clear images at HD 1080p resolution. As the TV is very light and slim (weighing only 141 pounds without a stand), it is expected to be very easy for people to hang on the wall.

The 5-inch deep Aquos LED LCD HDTV includes Sharp’s proprietary SmartCentral, and offers users direct access to the most popular video-on-demand websites like YouTube, Netflix, CinemaNow and Hulu Plus. In addition, Sharp’s 90 inch Aquos LED LCD HDTV also allows web browsing and Skype communications, with its built-in Wi-Fi facility.

Moreover, the world’s largest LED HDTV is a fully active 3D TV, and comes with two 3D glasses to enable customers to watch their favourite 3D movies. It also has AquoMotion 240, which prevents pictures from blurring, especially during fast-paced action movies or live sports events.

Also, like other Wi-Fi enabled television sets manufactured by Sharp, the 90 inch Aquos LED LCD HDTV TV features Aquos Advantage LIVESM, a free service that allows customers to connect with a trained customer support executive, over the internet.

Sharp’s 90 inch Aquos LED LCD HDTV is currently only available at high-end electronic stores, for the fantastic price of $10,999.

Taj Mahal Table – World’s Most Expensive Memento

Priced at a staggering US $45,450, an upside-down Taj Mahal shaped table has become the most expensive memento in the world. Crafted by leading Belgium-based design firm Studio Job, the upside-down Taj Mahal table has been described by experts as an exemplary work of art, which combines innovation with tradition.

The Taj Mahal is a beautiful white-marble mausoleum in the city of Agra, in India, which has been widely recognised as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal has been noted for its architectural splendour, and has inspired artists and architects all over the world.

The exquisite Taj Mahal table created by Studio Job was unveiled at Art Basel Miami 2012. It takes inspiration to a new level, with a unique upside-down version of the Taj Mahal made from iconic bronze, with sparkling gilted domes.

It has been reportedly built according to the same architectural principles as the original white-marble Taj Mahal, except for a few changes to make it inverted. This limited edition Taj Mahal table costs a huge €36,000 (or US $45,455), and is believed to be the most expensive memento in the world. There are only eight pieces of this Taj Mahal table, which are all expected to be picked up by affluent millionaires for their luxurious homes.

Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition – Martell’s £100,000 Cognac Bottle

Liquor house Martell has unveiled a one-off bottle of expensive Cordon Bleu cognac called the ‘Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition’, to celebrate the centenary of their world famous cognac blend, Cordon Bleu. Exactly 100 years ago, in 1912, Martell developed an iconic cognac, which they named Cordon Bleu. Dedicated to discerning connoisseurs and the tables of the affluent, this distinctive blend of cognac has withstood the test of time, becoming a steady source of inspiration to cognac makers, worldwide.

Earlier this year, Martell had launched exclusive Cordon Bleu Centenary Limited Edition cognac bottles to celebrate the centenary of their Cordon Bleu blend. The liquor brand has now gone a step further, and partnered with the House of Boucheron (one of the oldest jewellery designers in Paris), to design a unique one-off bottle of their iconic cognac. This bottle has been christened the Martell Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition.

Features of the Martell Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition Bottle.

The Martell Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition bottle captures the passion of both houses for changing the finest raw materials into exquisite final products, whether a distinctive blend of cognac or a timeless piece of jewellery. It is made with the finest crystals and the best of materials, including white-gold.

The beautifully crafted cognac bottle artfully includes the signature motifs of the Martell liquor house in a very appealing way. This includes:

• The Martell swallow in gold, with a glittering diamond for an eye. 
• The centenary visual code.
• The infinity sign that also signifies the centenary figure 100. 

On the neck of the Martell Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition bottle is intricate gold sculpture work through the godron, one of the signature codes of the House of Boucheron. The final touch to the Martell Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition is the white-gold seal and white-gold lid. This lid is topped with a sparkling lapis-lazuli stone, inspired by the cabochon, another signature design of the House of Boucheron.

The Martell Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition bottle comes in a specially designed box in Martell’s trademark stunning blue colour, with a lovely ivory interior made from veal-skin leather. In addition, the box has a metal plate marking the centenary of the cognac, hidden away in a secret drawer in its base. This is expected to make the Martell Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition bottle highly-prized amongst collectors and connoisseurs, alike.

Martell will be taking this one-off Cordon Bleu Centenary Jewel Edition bottle on a world tour through a range of countries, before auctioning it off in China for the staggering price of $156,840 (or about £100,000).  This event is expected to mark the grand finale of the historic centenary celebrations of Martell’s Cordon Bleu cognac.

White 1921 - Louis Vuitton's First Luxury Hotel in Saint-Tropez

World renowned brand Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy, or LVMH as it is more commonly known, has launched its first ever hotel. Christened White 1921, this luxury eight-room hotel is situated in the heart of Saint Tropez in France, on the beautiful Place des Lices.

The LVMH Group (Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy) is a world leader in luxury products, and possesses a unique portfolio of more than 60 esteemed luxury brands, comprising clothing lines, jewellery, leather accessories and so on. With the introduction of White 1921, Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy has become one of several fashion houses to have recently joined the luxury hospitality industry.

Facilities At LVMH’s White 1921 Hotel 

Like other luxury hotels started by the fashion world, the White 1921 has all the bespoke luxuries to pamper well-heeled millionaires, who are on a sunny vacation in Saint Tropez. It has an 82-seat garden bar stocked with the world’s finest champagnes, and serves up a number of inspiring cocktails. This charming garden has been designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, and offers a great ambience to relax in.

The drinks served at the White 1921 bar are stored in the hotel’s magnificent wine cellar, which boasts of a number of top champagne brands, including a rare vintage of Moët and Chandon from 1921. The exclusive garden bar at LVMH’s hotel also serves up luxury snacks like ‘white truffle popcorn’, which can be washed down with Krug, and goes with many of the finest Champagnes.

Each of the eight rooms and suites at the White 1921 has a unique design, and are decorated in a contemporary chic style. The furnishings, fixtures and paintings in each LVMH room have been carefully selected by leading interior decorators, and give every room a truly distinctive personality.

If you’re wondering why Louis Vuitton - Moët Hennessy named their first luxury hotel White 1921, here’s your answer. The ‘White’ comes from the white paint and white theme of the hotel, while the ‘1921’ comes from the vintage Moët and Chandon champagne from 1921, which is stored in the hotel’s wine cellars.

LVHM’s White 1921 is open till 7th October, when it will close at the end of summer. The rooms are priced from $340 per day, while the suites are priced from $815 per day. The White 1921 is being managed and run by trained LVHM Hotel Management staff, who know exactly how to pamper its affluent clients and keep them happy.

Some of the other luxurious designer properties launched by leading fashion brands are:

• Giorgio Armani’s hotel in Milan.
• Bottega Veneta’s hotel suites.
• Hermes’ decorated apartment in Singapore.
• Missoni’s luxury homes in Manila.
• Limited edition Versace residences.

Million Dollar Tintin Comic Book Cover

Since 1929, when the series of ‘Tintin’ comics were first introduced, the hysteria has never really faded away. Now, in June 2012, a rare hand-drawn comic book cover, only one of five original pieces of art, has been sold for a whopping US $1.6 million. This proves once again, that the business of comic collectables is no laughing matter. 

Over the past few decades, collecting comic books has turned out to be serious business, with well-preserved collectibles/artwork constantly fetching hefty prices at comic book auctions.  Some of the most costly comic book auctions have taken place in the last five years. This includes the sale of the world’s best Marvel Comics multi-million dollar collection, and the Batman #1 comic book that garnered a staggering US $850,000, earlier this year.

With the sale of this rare Tintin comic book cover for US $1.6 million in a Paris auction, more millionaire investors are beginning to take the business of comic book collectibles seriously.

Tintin in America Artwork Sold For 1.6 Million Dollars  

The Tintin original artwork that has been sold for US $1.6 million is a rare hand-drawn ‘Tintin in America’ comic book cover, which was created way back in 1932. It is one of five remaining originals by Herge, and one of only two in private hands. The 1932 Tintin comic book cover is the very third outing created for the character, in the year 1929.

It was painstakingly drawn by Belgian comic book legend ‘Herge’ Geoges Remi, who both wrote and illustrated the Tintin comic book series, before he passed away in 1983. This rare comic book cover shows the young reporter-detective Tintin dressed like an American Cowboy, sitting atop a rock with his pet dog Snowy at his side. Behind him are three Red Indians, wielding two axes and sneaking towards him.

This rare Tintin comic book cover was purchased in a Paris auction by an unnamed buyer, from an ardent Tintin collector. It broke its previous record price of $950,710, which it had set in 2008, when it was previously bought by the comic book collector. After purchasing the rare comic book cover, a friend of the unnamed buyer said that his friend’s aim was not to beat the previous record, but to acquire the piece of interesting artwork.

World’s Most Expensive Car Licence Plates

If you’ve ever thought of purchasing personalised number plates for your luxury car, you’ll know just how much prices can vary. Depending on the digits required, personalised car license plates can cost as much as a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, or sometimes even more. Most of the world’s most expensive car license plates are owned by multimillionaires in Abu Dhabi, the oil rich emirate in the Middle East.

In fact, a licence plate with the number ‘1’, purchased for $14.3 million at an auction in Abu Dhabi, is currently the world’s most expensive car licence plate. Also, around 37 of the world’s 50 most expensive car licence plates are believed to have been purchased by people in Abu Dhabi.

Million dollar car license plates not only enhance the exclusivity of a car, but they also increase the car’s re-sale price, and the status level of the millionaire-owner. In addition, while the price of a luxury car will depreciate over time, the price of an exclusive licence plate number will only increase further.

Here is a list of the most expensive car license plates in the world:

1. Car licence plate number 1: This single-digit car registration number plate was sold for 14.3 million dollars in 2008, to a rich businessman named Saeed Abdul Ghafour Khouri. While purchasing the number ‘1’ licence plate at the seven-star Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, Saeed Khouri said that he had purchased this exclusive licence plate because he ‘wanted to be the best in the world’.

2. Car licence plate number 5: This personalised licence plate was auctioned off for 6.88 million dollars in 2008, to a super-rich businessman named Talal Ali Mohammad Khouri. According to officials, Talal Khouri intends to keep this expensive single-digit license plate until his death, after which he desires that the plate be sold for a higher price, and the proceeds donated towards charitable causes.

3. Car license plate number 7:  Car registration plate with the lucky number ‘7’ was sold for 4.6 million dollars in 2008, at a government auction held in Abu Dhabi.

4. Car license plate number 9: This single-digit car number plate was also purchased by a businessman in Abu Dhabi in 2008. This unnamed businessman bought this expensive personalised licence plate for a huge 4.19 million dollars.

5. Car number plate called FACEBK: Sold on the internet in 2012 for 1.2 million dollars, this personalised car registration number plate was put up for sale by its owner, a Ballarat based web developer named Tai Tran. One of the main reasons why this six-digit number plate managed to get such a good price, was because of its resemblance to the name of popular social networking website Facebook.

6. Car licence plate number F1: Breaking all previous records for a car licence plate in the United Kingdom, the ‘F1’ licence plate was purchased in 2008 for US $870,000 at an auction held by the Essex County Council. The buyer is Afzal Kahn, the owner of a car conversion firm, and a keen Formula One fan.

7. Car license plate number 6: This single-digit car registration number plate was sold for US $675,000 in 2008, to an affluent motorist called Frank Vasallo IV in the USA. Based in Wilmington, Delaware, Frank Vasallo really wanted to own this one-digit licence plate, and hence bid this huge amount at a state auction. Incidentally, purchasing personalised car licence plates is something that the Vassalo family regularly does. In fact, they also own Delaware license plate numbers ‘9’ and ‘27’.

Jewellery Collection for Pet Owners by Hellmuth

German jewellery manufacturer Hellmuth has announced the launch of ‘Hellmuth Hund’, a range of finely crafted jewellery pieces for dog lovers. Hellmuth has been in the jewelry design market for quite some time now, and had previously gained wide attention for its range of uber-masculine jewellery pieces with crocodile motifs.

This celebrated German brand of diamond and silver jewelry has now brought a smile to the faces of all pet loving jewellery enthusiasts, with the launch of its latest jewellery line. Named Hellmuth Hund (which means ‘dog’ in German’), this jewellery range consists of a line of diamond embellished charms, which feature 23 different American Kennel dog breeds.

While Hellmuth is not the first jewellery brand that has used pets as a theme for a jewelry collection, its dog-themed jewellery pieces are certainly unique. Previously, animal-themed jewellery has been seen in some of the most costly ranges of jewelry, brought out by leading jewellery designers. One of the more famous of these is the animal-themed jewelry pieces recently unveiled by Meche. This included a unique diamond dog pendant, priced at $16,000, which featured diamonds in the shape of a dog’s head.

With the Hellmuth Hund collection, German jewellery designer Hellmuth carries the jewellery-for-pet-lovers tradition further.

Hellmuth Hund Jewellery Collection For Dog Lovers

The Hellmuth Hund charms are being sold in three different sizes and metal variations. These are:

• The pieces with a body of 14 carat solid gold, each having Hellmuth’s signature crocodile patterns on the back. 
• The charms made from sterling silver, each studded with sparkling white diamonds. 
• The jewelry pieces done in plain sterling silver, each carefully embellished with icy diamonds. 

According to sources, these jewellery pieces from Hellmuth are expected to be priced from US $546 to $7,998.

If you are unable to find your prized dog among the 23 American Kennel breeds depicted in the Hellmuth Hund collection, you can ask Hellmuth to design a customised charm for you. All that you have to do is give the jewellery designer a high-resolution photograph of your dog, and the company will use it to craft a custom piece of jewellery. The best thing about having a customised charm is that you can tell Hellmuth to switch the diamonds for any other precious or semi-precious stones.

According to Gert Hellmuth, the President of Hellmuth, the Hellmuth Hund range of jewellery is meant for pet lovers across the world, who would like to be reminded of their four-legged friends, at every moment.

World’s Most Expensive Backgammon Set by Geoffrey Parker

Geoffrey Parker, a manufacturer of exclusive games and gifts, has designed a bespoke alligator-stingray backgammon set, priced at a stupendous US $387,890. With this huge price tag, Geoffrey Parker’s Backgammon Set has become the world’s most expensive backgammon set.

Since 1958, when it was set up, Geoffrey Parker, has been creating and designing some of the most exquisite games and gifts in the world. The exclusive creations of this traditional British manufacturer are usually picked up by multimillionaires, or the representatives of leading casinos, luxury stores, private commissions and international corporations.

Over the years, Geoffrey Parker has impressed the world with its amazing art pieces, which include:

• A luxury coffee game table: This beautiful traditional game table stores 33 games.
• A luxury poker set: Priced at $7.5 million, this set is the most expensive poker set in the world. 
• A luxury backgammon set: This is the $387,890 backgammon set mentioned above, which is currently the most expensive backgammon set in the world.

Geoffrey Parker’s Exclusive Alligator-Stingray Backgammon Set

Backgammon is a game that is mostly played by the uber-rich, who are well-versed with its gaming strategies, and have the leisure to play it. After designing hundreds of bespoke backgammon sets for the rich, Geoffrey Parker has now come out with the most expensive backgammon set in the world, designed to generate excitement among champions and backgammon aficionados, alike.

Geoffrey Parker’s luxury backgammon set includes a tournament-sized backgammon board, in a white gold backgammon case. When closed, the backgammon case measures 605 x 375 x 85 mm. The playing board is made of alligator and stingray. The exotic backgammon set includes an Alligator playing field with Shagreen points. It also has solid 18 carat white and yellow gold stones, each studded with a one carat diamond.

In addition to this, the world’s most expensive backgammon set also includes a doubling cube, set with sparkling diamonds. In fact, all numbers on the doubling cube comprise of diamonds that have been carefully embedded in 18 carat white gold. Moreover, the four dice of Geoffrey Parker’s alligator-stingray backgammon set have also been crafted from 18 carat white gold, and have been set with 27 diamonds each.

These bespoke alligator-stingray backgammon sets of Geoffrey Parker are being sold on GiftVault.com, a renowned website that sells luxury gifts. Other than this limited edition gold and diamond studded backgammon case, Gift Vault also sells other handcrafted games created by Geoffrey Parker.

Related Articles You May Like:

• World's Most Expensive Scrabble Set
• Geoffrey Parker Gold Chess Set
• Convertible Foosball Tables and Pool Tables
• Diamond-Studded Lego Block
• Vintage Toy Airplane

Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono Watches by Romain Jerome

Romain Jerome recently launched the Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono, a new generation time piece that inherits its celestial collection. This exclusive limited addition watch costs a considerable US $27,880.

Romain Jerome is a Swiss luxury watch brand, which is conventionally known for its brilliance in horology. Over the last few decades, it has attracted and maintained an affluent client base of billionaires and multi-millionaires by offering exclusive watch collections, such as the:

• Titanic inspired watches.
• The Moon Dust-DNA collection.
• TheMoon Dust pens that contain fragments of Apollo II.
• The Space inspired luxury watches. 

In fact, Romain Jerome’s Moon Dust DNA brand summarised the essence of the modern space odyssey very well, and truly set the watch maker apart from numerous other Swiss watch companies.

Romain Jerome’s Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono

Like other Romain Jerome creations, the Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono also carries the distinctive signature design codes of the brand. This includes the large notched pushers, the special screw-locked lugs, the four heavy ‘paws’, and satin-brushed 6 and 3 o’clock counters. In addition, the Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono’s 46mm circular red-gold case is topped by a bezel, coated with space-age carbon-fibre.

The Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono also has an exquisite lunar grey dial. According to watch enthusiasts, this dial is described to be a hand-sculpted model of the moon surface, and is made from special material that contains highly-prized Moon dust. Reminding one of a satellite’s solar panels, the round seconds counter at the 9 o’clock point features a four-blade ‘hand’, while the red-gold minutes counter is brushed with satin, and the hour counter is decorated with ‘blue emission’ Superluminova.

The Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono of Romain Jerome also has a dark black rubber strap, which validates the dreamlike dimensions of the moon. However, customers who hold the astro-horological and space missions in high esteem, will also be able to select a special alligator strap, which has fibres from an ISS spacesuit and carbon-fibres, woven into it.

The Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono is priced at $27,880. Only 1,969 pieces of this limited edition watch have been made, so if you are a millionaire who loves the moon, then you’d better pick up a watch soon, before it disappears off the shelves. The Moon Dust Red Mood Chrono watches are available at authorised RJ-Romain Jerome authorized retailers only.

Most Expensive Hamburger – Serendipity 3’s Le Burger Extravagant

After doling out burgers to the rich and famous at their celebrated Upper East Side restaurant in New York, Serendipity 3 has now surprised everyone with an haute cuisine variant of the iconic American hamburger. Priced at US $295, Serendipity 3 has named their burger ‘Le Burger Extravagant’. If you want to bite into this hamburger, you’ll have to place your order at least two days in advance (48 hours to be exact). The Le Burger Extravagant will be sold at the posh-New York restaurant for a limited time only.

Previously, Serendipity 3 had attracted eyeballs for its US $25,000 dessert, the most costly ice-cream sundae and most expensive dessert, ever to be served up.

Serendipity 3's Le Burger Extravagant 

Serendipity’s most expensive hamburger is a feast that contains Japanese Waygu beef, 10-herb white truffle butter, cheddar cheese and a seasoning of Salish Alderwood smoked Pacific sea salt. Serendipity’s Le Burger Extravagant is also infused with other expensive foods like black truffles and a fried quail's egg. In addition, customers will be supplied with a tempting truffle-buttered campagna roll.

Each haute burger will be served with a gold Fleur de Lis toothpick. If you are wondering what else is so unique about this golden toothpick, let me add that this exquisite toothpick is overlaid with sparkling diamonds, designed by Euphoria, the famous New-York based jewellery designer.

Serendipity 3 also has a generous side. According to a spokesperson for the restaurant, the company will be donating all profits collected from the sale of their $295  ‘Le Burger Extravagant’ hamburgers to the Bowery Mission, which works to feed the hungry and homeless people of New York. As this expensive burger will be available only for a short time, interested people should hurry up and place their orders, and potentially contribute towards helping the less fortunate in society.

Just in case you were wondering which burger is the world’s most expensive burger, let me tell you; it’s the FleurBurger 5000. Priced at US $5,000, the FleurBurger 5000 is available at Fleur de Lys, the restaurant of world renowned chef Hubert Keller in Mandalay Bay. This burger is served with a bottle of 1990 Chateau Petrus, poured in imported Italian Ichendorf Brunello stemware.

World’s Largest Bottle of Rosé Champagne – Nebuchadnezzar

In June 2012, Armand de Brignac released the world’s largest bottle of rosé champagne, christened the ‘Nebuchadnezzar’. Known as the luxury champagne brand of super-rich billionaires, Armand de Brignac is recognised world over for having guided the early pioneers of champagne, with true passion and innovation. This champagne brand is also famous for being sold in its signature opaque metal bottles.

Last year, Armand de Brignac was in the news for its 15 litre bottle of champagne, which was sold for a massive US $100,000, to an unnamed billionaire from Russia. This year the champagne brand has presented its limited-edition new 15 litre ‘Nebuchadnezzar of Armand de Brignac Rosé’ to the public, from the 1st of June. This massive bottle of rosé champagne was publicly unveiled at the private members club on Nikki Beach in St. Tropez, France.

As roses are synonymous with summer, this sunshiny part of the year is the perfect time to release the Nebuchadnezzar, also termed as the ‘world’s largest bottle of rose champagne’.

Armand de Brignac’s 15 Litre Bottles of Rose Champagne

Each 15 litre bottle of rose champagne equals 20 standard 75cl champagne bottles. They are packed and presented in the trademark opaque metal bottles, for which Armand de Brignac is recognised worldwide. Each pink bottle has been painstakingly finished with an ace of spades, as is the signature trademark of the champagne manufacturer.

The Nebuchadnezzar has been counted amongst the finest blends of pink champagne that has ever being conceived. According to the world’s best champagne connoisseurs, Armand de Brignac’s Rose Champagne has been described to be fresh and full-bodied on the palate. It holds aromas of strawberries and blackcurrants, and a rich bouquet of fresh fruits.

In addition to the Nebuchadnezzar Rose Champagne, Armand de Brignac has also unveiled the world’s largest champagne bottle to the public. This 30 litre bottle has been christened the ‘Midas’, after the mythological Greek God-King Midas, who had the ability to turn anything he touched into gold.

World’s Most Expensive Car is Vintage 1962 Ferrari GTO

Built for Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss (British racing driver), this apple-green 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, is one of only 39 pieces that were ever produced. Today, this Ferrari has become the most expensive car in the world, when it was sold for a whopping $35 million, in a private transaction.

In 2011, another vintage Ferrari was listed as the world’s most expensive car. It was a 1963 GTO 250, which sold for $32 million in Britain. This year, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO with its artistically crafted machinery has shattered all previous auction records, with its almost unbelievable sale price of $35 million.

The vintage Ferrari had been listed amongst high-end sales on Anamera.com, an excusive website for dealers of classic cars. It was sold by Eric Heerema, a Dutch-born businessman (who owns the Nyetimber Vineyard in Sussex, UK), to US based telecommunications magnate Craig McCaw, who recently listed his private island near Vancouver in Canada for sale.

Previously, Eric Heerema had acquired the rare 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO from a Japanese vintage car collector named Yoshiho Matsuda, more than ten years ago. He had bought it for a comparatively low price of $8.5 million.

About the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

Considered the ‘most desirable Ferrari’ by many vintage car collectors, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO was crafted for Sir Sterling Moss in 1962, to compete at various Grand-Touring car races, like the Le Mans 24-Hour race. Unfortunately, a bad car crash in 1962, left Sir Moss paralysed on the left side for six months, and ended his racing career. Later on, Sir Moss’s British team-mate Innes Ireland raced the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO at the Le Mans 1962, where it was finally retired. Soon after, the Ferrari entered the expensive world of private car collectors.

While the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO may not have participated in any car race after the Le Mans 1962, it has certainly won the race of the most expensive car in the world. It has been noticed that vintage car collectors usually prefer Ferraris as an investment car. In fact, over the last few years, a good number of the most expensive classic cars sold were Ferraris. This includes a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa that sold for $16.39 million, and a 1957 Ferrari 625 TRC Spider that recently sold for $6.5 million.

What do you think of the world's most expensive car? Were you expecting something else?

Birks Bubble-Gum Pink Diamond Ring

The rarity of coloured diamonds has made them extremely popular with diamond collectors and investors, alike. One of the latest colored diamonds to attract public attention is an exquisite bubble-gum pink diamond worth $2.5 million. This diamond will make its debut public appearance at the Birks Jewellery Store in the city of Edmonton, in Canada. This pink diamond is the anchor exhibit of a sparkling collection of 45 precious stones and jewellery pieces.

This collection of precious stones will be making its way to select stores all across Canada, until a suitable customer is found. If you want to catch a glimpse of the bubble-gum pink diamond, you’ll have to place a booking in advance. According to sources at Birks, many billionaire investors have already booked appointments to view the pink diamond, and may even purchase it, if it meets their expectations.

Birks Bubble-Gum Diamond Ring

Compared to other diamonds, the Birks Bubble-Gum Pink Diamond has distinctive pink and purple hues, which when combined, generates an extremely rare shade of bubble-gum pink. The 10-carat diamond is quite big in size, and was carefully cut and polished from a 21.35 carat stone, harvested from a mine in Africa. After this, the Bubble-Gum Pink Diamond was set in a beautiful platinum ring.

According to a Birks official, the Bubble-Gum Pink Diamond ring has been freshly created in the jeweller’s workshops. The source claimed that the pink gem had almost never been used by its previous owner, and is more of a collector’s piece. The giant ring is not a piece of jewelry that one could wear everyday, and it is expected that it would be purchased only by a jewelry collector, who has in-depth knowledge about the value of diamonds.

About Pink Diamonds

Most of the pink diamonds available in the market have been mined in Australia’s Argyle mine. As a matter of fact, officials recently discovered a 12.76 carat rock, right there. Pink diamonds are extremely rare. Here’s a fact to prove it: Christie’s (the famous auction house), is believed to have auctioned only a few pink diamond over 10 carats, in the past three hundred years.

However, the Bubble-Gum Pink Diamond in the platinum ring is not the first pink diamond to garner public attention in Canada. Two years ago, a pink diamond was sold at the Circa Auctions in Toronto for a staggering $2.3 million. This price has been recorded as the highest price ever paid for a precious stone in Canada, ever!

Read about other pink diamonds:

• Martian Pink Diamond
• Argyle Pink Jubilee Diamond
• Birks Bubble-Gum Pink Diamond
• Yellow Diamond Ring

Louis XIII Diamond Jubilee Cocktail For £10,000

The Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Queen Elizabeth has attracted the attention of Britons, as well as the International press. According to financial experts, it is estimated that people in the UK will spend as much as £823 million to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation. Most of this money is expected to be spent on nationalistic items and special edition souvenirs that have been designed to mark the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen. People are also expected to splurge on signature cocktails and dishes to mark this historic national event.

Louis XIII Diamond Jubilee Cocktail


Keeping in mind the celebratory atmosphere of the nation, The Four Seasons Hotel in London has come out with the ultimate cocktail. Created by Davide Guidi, the Amaranto Bar Manger at the Four Seasons Hotel in London, this celebratory cocktail has been christened the Diamond Jubilee Fizz. This cocktail contains expensive Louis XIII Cognac and Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne, and has been priced at a whopping £10,000 or US $15,362.

The Diamond Jubilee Fizz is an exotic blend of Louis XIII Cognac, rose essence and raspberry liqueur, with a topping of Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne. Besides a high from the costly cocktail mix, each customer will also take home a sparkling Leviev diamond. Billionaires and other people who wish to sip on this luxury cocktail, can walk up to the Amaranto Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel in London at Park Lane, and place an order. The Louis XIII Diamond Jubilee Cocktail will be available for sale throughout the month of June, 2012.

While this cocktail is pretty expensive, it is not the world’s most expensive cocktail. Just like this cocktail, the world’s most expensive cocktail also contains Louis XIII Cognac, but it also includes half a bottle of Cristal Rose champagne, as well as a little brown sugar, angostura bitters, and a few flakes of 24-carat edible gold leaf. The world’s most expensive cocktail is priced at a monstrous $71,011 a glass, which only the most uber-rich folks would be able to afford.

Diamond-Studded Leather Luxury Bicycle For Sale

Designed by award-winning jewellery designer Nicholas James, this leather-clad bicycle studded with real diamonds, is priced at $38,350. Known for pioneering new styles, Nicholas James had once impressed the world with a diamond-studded titanium bike. This time the jewellery designer has taken its passion for diamonds to new heights, and partnered with Harcourt Design (a company that specialises in leather design and interiors) to create a one-of-its-kind bicycle named ‘Brogue’.

The Brogue has a 1970s Triumph 531 frame, covered in immaculate, hand-stitched leather. This two-wheeled wonder bicycle also comes with exquisite luxury accessories, such as a matching leather saddle bag and individually woven leather handlebar grips.

The idea to craft a diamond-studded leather bicycle was born when Simon Harcourt of Harcourt Design, showed his leather-clad bike to Nick Fitch, the designer and founder of Nicholas James. As soon as Nick set eyes on the bike; he felt that the use of some careful diamond work would improve the appearance of the bicycle, immensely. When he told Simon about his thoughts, Simon just loved it, and work soon began on the creation of this diamond-studded leather bicycle.

Nick started by adorning the handlebar ends with sterling silver. He then set each end with natural brown diamonds, so that they matched the brown tones of the Italian vegetable-tanned leather.

Next, Nicholas James crafted a pair of silver Conway buckles set with diamonds, for the leather saddle bag on the back of the luxury bicycle. With punched hallmarks and flawless polish; the bespoke bejewelled adornments gave the diamond-studded bicycle an almost regal look, completing the bike perfectly.

All parts of the diamond-studded Brogue bicycle were crafted and fitted in Harcourt Design’s workshops. This cycle was also displayed at the London May 2012 Tweed Run, where it garnered the attention of the participants and the press, alike. Currently, the Brogue is on display at the Nicholas James l’Hatton Garden showroom, which is situated in London’s famous jewellery quarter. It is priced at $38,350.

McCaw Private Island Listed For $75 Million

What do famous people like Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Leonardo Dicaprio, Eddie Murphy and Craig McCaw have in common? Well, they are all American, super-rich, and have their own private islands.

As of now, one of the people on this list, namely, Craig McGaw, is inviting people to buy his property. Yes indeed, the beautiful 780 acre island called ‘James Island’, belonging to Craig and his wife Susan, is up for sale. Located off the coast of Vancouver in Canada, this private island has been priced at a whopping $75 million.

James Island is a scenic piece of property that beats its counterparts, hands down. The McCaw private island has miles of sandy beaches, as well as its own airstrip, marina and golf course (designed by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus). It also has a gorgeous four-bedroom residence, built from reclaimed cedar.

This house on the McCaw private island adds a lot to the beauty and grandeur of the property. Spread across a 5,000 square foot area, the residence is furnished with all the luxuries one would expect to see in a billionaire’s home. Another feature of the property is a huge warehouse which has been converted into an entertainment centre. This McCaw warehouse also has a storage area, a fitness centres and six guest cottages.

In addition, guests at James Island near Vancouver have lots of other entertainment options. This includes water sports activities like surfing and water-skiing, as well as fishing, hiking, and biking. If all this is not worth $75 million, then what else is, we wonder?

The news of Craig and Susan McCaw deciding to sell their property comes just a few days after another Canadian celebrity, Celine Dion, invited people to buy her private island. While the press was surprised by Celine Dion’s decision, the case of Craig McGraw did not cause much of a flutter. In fact, Craig McGraw has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Since 2002, when he filed for bankruptcy for XO Communications, his businesses have not being doing well, and have fallen under huge debts. So, it was only expected that some of his properties would have to be sold.

More About James Island

The McCaw private island in Vancouver was the site of a Dynamite Plant from the World War II era, and originally had a population of around 800 persons. In the 1980s, efforts were made to convert the property into a holiday resort. About ten years later, in 1994, Craig and Susan McGraw purchased James Island. Other than the Vancouver private island, the McGraws also own other major properties, such as the Hunts Point Estate on the shores of Lake Washington.

Related Articles:

• Alex Rodriguez's Miami Beach Home
• John Lennon's Hollywood Hills Home in California
• Heath Hall Mansion in Hampstead, London
• Aby Rosen's Manhattan Townhouse
• Gianni Versace’s Casa Casuarina in Miami
• Castillo Caribe Mansion - Cayman Islands
• Other Luxurious Homes and Properties

Four Car Accessories For Rolls-Royce Owners

Luxury car maker Rolls-Royce recently launched of a line of car accessories, designed to enhance the already sophisticated appearance of their exotic cars. Most buyers of Rolls-Royce cars include royalty, celebrities or business moguls; and such elite customers should always be given the choice of adding something ultra-special to their high-end luxury vehicles.

Here is a list of some of Rolls-Royce’s amazing car accessories:

1. Rolls-Royce Starlight Headliner:

This option enables the car owner to turn the interior roof of their car into a glorious night sky, sparking with stars. The Rolls-Royce Starlight Headliner consists of hundreds of tiny fibre optic lights, which twinkle through a perforated roof of smooth leather, creating an illusion of a panoramic starry night sky.

The brightness of the fibre-optic lights in the Rolls-Royce Starlight Headliner can easily be adjusted to match the moods and needs of the owner. These lights can also be switched off, if not required. Currently, this Rolls-Royce accessory is available for the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe and Sedan only.



2. Rolls-Royce Picnic Cabinet Set: 

This beautiful Picnic Cabinet Set contains exquisite dinnerware, enclosed in a box made of polished aluminium and leather.

It was originally designed for four people, but Rolls Royce owners may also order more tableware in this bespoke Picnic Cabinet Set, if they think they will be hosting more guests. This customised picnic set is a great addition for Rolls-Royce customers who have to travel a lot, and often have lunch or dinner in their car.



3. Rolls-Royce Purse Holder: 

This Rolls-Royce accessory has been specially designed for those classy ladies who love to have their purse at hand’s reach, at all times.

The Rolls-Royce Purse Holder is in the form of a special slide-out tray, which can easily hold a small to medium sized ladies' handbag. Presently, this Rolls Royce feature is available in its 200EX Phantom model.

4. Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Teak Decking:

Rolls-Royce initially tested this teak decking feature on its 100EX experimental car, before rolling out this beautiful functional luxury for the Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe. 

As teak is known for its inherent sturdiness, and resistance to moisture and decay; it was considered the perfect wood from which the decking for the rear hood cover could be crafted. Another point to note: this gorgeous teak decking hood is the largest of any other sports car.