Dec 5, 2006

Most Expensive

Most expensive shoes: 1 million pounds

Would you feel like a princess or what when you wear something worth 1m pounds? The most expensive shoes in the world were on sale at Harrods in London. After a photo-call for the press, the shoes were locked away in a bullet-proof case where they will be guarded round-the-clock. The shoes, inspired by the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, were woven from platinum thread and set with 642 rubies. They were designed by Stuart Weitzman.

Most expensive hair cut: 1,925 pounds

If you want London stylist Lee Stafford to cut your hair, make sure you are extra loaded. He calls it a "couture cut". And the only place where you can get one is his house. Champagne, hors d'oeuvres and a follow-up trim as part of the package.

Most expensive house: 70 million pounds

This one is hardly a secret: The infamously lavish new estate in England known as Updown Court in Windlesham, north Surrey. 103 rooms, 58 acres, a private helipad, five swimming pools. Forbes put the mansion at the top of its list of "the priciest residences on the planet" which are for sale.

Most expensive tea bag: 7,500 pounds

To celebrate PG Tips 75th birthday, Boodles jewelers produced this tea bag. It took three months to make and has been hand-crafted using 280 diamonds. Pete Harbour, spokesman for PG Tips has been quoted: "As it's our 75th birthday, we wanted to do something special to remind people just how much they love the great British cup of tea."

Most expensive jeans: Over $ 4,000

They wanted to be "the Mercedes-Benz, the Maybach of the denim industry". And APO jeans have done just that with a pair costing as much as $ 4,000 or more. They offer mens and ladies jeans with Silver Buttons and Rivets at $1,000, 14k White or Yellow Gold Button and Rivets at $1,500, Platinum Button and Rivets at $3,250, and the Diamond Button and Rivets start at $4,000. All Jeans will come with Authenticity Number as well as an Appraisal Sheet from a top Jeweler in the NY diamond district. Of course, you could buy the economy version: they run only $1,000 a pair. APO jeans are constructed from denim woven in India that costs $40 a yard, compared with the $2- to $3-per-yard cost of materials for most designer denim. Buttons and rivets are made with precious metals or, if a customer is willing to shell out $4,000 or more, up to a dozen white diamonds on the main button.

Most expensive watch: $11 million

One of the most complicated watches ever made, it also became the most expensive watch ever sold when it was hammered down for $11 million at Sotheby's. The gold pocket watch features 24 complications, (Complications are mechanical functions of the watch other than the hours, minutes and seconds.)


Most expensive phone: 28, 000 pounds

Peter Aloisson, who makes phones covered in gold and diamonds for affluent clients, is the man responsible for making the most expensive phone ever. It costs more than a BMW 3-series convertible, or a Jaguar S-Type. A Motorola covered in 1200 diamonds and featuring a keyboard soaked in 18-carat gold, the phone is priced at 28, 000 pound sterling. The new phone beat the previous record held by another Aloisson 'Diamante' phone - an identical model featuring a paltry 950 diamonds laid into the gold bodywork. That phone retailed for 23, 000 pound sterling. "The people who buy my phones don't have to worry about security - they all have bodyguards," he told UK tabloid The Sun.

Most expensive nail polish: $250

How special could you feel by wearing sheer nail polish that has platinum dust in it? And how many people would be mad enough to do that? Many! The 'I Do' polish, the most expensive in the world, is a collaboration by Allure magazine, platinum supplier Johnson Matthey, PGI and Essie Cosmetics. The polish costs $250 per bottle. However, the first bottle was displayed in special bottle made with a platinum top and base that is valued at $55,000.

Most expensive tie: 1 crore (INR)

When fully dressed Salman Khan paraded on a red ramp displaying the most expensive tie in the world, the picture was splashed all over the globe. The tie, studded with 261 diamonds of 77 carat each and made of pure silk with 150 grams of gold, is priced at a whopping Rs 1 crore. It is designed by Satya Paul and the Suashish Diamond group.

Most expensive perfume: 47,500 pounds

At 47,500 pound sterling, it is the world's most expensive perfume. Indeed, the best things come in small packages. The fragrance, created by renowned British perfumer Arthur Burnham, is held in a 4 in bottle made with platinum, 24 carat gold, rubies and diamonds. Encasing the bottle is a very special box constructed by Rolls-Royce coach builders, locked with a gold and jewel-studded key. Inspired by the Rolls-Royce Phantom Six, it is called Parfum VI. Who pays pounds 47,500 for a bottle of perfume? Michael Jackson has ordered two and Mike Tyson three. Only 173 are being made.

Most expensive pen: $265,000

Swiss company Caran d'Ache made 'La Modernista Diamonds' a pen that was sold in Harrods, London, for $265,000. Created in memory of architect Antonio Gaudi, the rhodium-coated solid silver pen has an 18-karat gold pen point and is pave-set with 5,072 diamonds and 96 half-cut rubies.

Most expensive work of art: $104 million

A masterpiece by Pablo Picasso, painted in 1905 when he was just 24 years old, became the most expensive piece of art ever sold when it went under the hammer at Sotheby's in New York for $104m. The painting, Garcon a la Pipe (Boy with a Pipe) is one of the most important early works by the artist ever to appear on the market.

Most expensive truffle: 28,000 pounds for 1.88 lbs

An expensive little Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge, Zafferano bought the most expensive truffle in the world. For how much? Just take a deep breath! Zefferano paid 28,000 for just 1.88 lbs of Italian white truffle during a charity auction in Tuscany.