Bling Bling: The ultimate iPhone

Owning one of the new iPhone 5s is already something of a status symbol.

That was clear to see when Apple’s new gadget launched to incredible hype, with wannabe customers queuing round the clock, and the block, to be one of the first to lay their hands on the updated version of the iPhone.

But now Stuart Hughes, a designer from Liverpool, has considerably upped the game by offering a limited edition of just 100 handsets blinged up in 18-carat gold with gold and diamond embellishments.

The gold phone is perhaps rather apt given that Apple chief executive Phil Schiller proudly described the new iPhone 5 as “an absolute jewel” while launching it.

But anyone who wants to own one of the limited edition iPhones will need to have more than £20,000 burning a hole in their pocket so it looks like the 100 on offer will go to millionaire business people, lottery winners or music stars.

It takes weeks for Stuart and his design team to make the handmade bespoke items, based on the 64GB iPhone 5.

Describing the blinged up device, Stuart said: “This beautiful handset will take weeks of detailed intricate work to re-create the original chasis of the iPhone in solid gold, all of which was started and finished by hand. There will be gold dressing for the rear section,” he added, “with the logo in solid gold with 53 flawless diamonds amounting to one carat.”

Stuart already claims to have made an ultra-expensive iPhone 4S Elite Gold, which he says sold for £6m to an anonymous businesswoman from Australia.

He also offers bespoke tablets and laptops, like the iPad in solid platinum, gold-plated fish tanks and blinged up furniture.

Victoria Beckham was spotted when the iPhone 4 was first released with a custom-made gold version of the device.

The couture cellulars certainly are things of beauty but are only affordable for those to whom this kind of money is a mere drop in the ocean.

The rest of us will simply have to content ourselves with one of the regular iPhone 5s. And its normal black shade certainly seems to have kept lots of consumers happy.

Apple sold an incredible five million iPhone 5s in the first three days of trading alone after the product’s launch. The sales set a new record for the American technology giant, with more than two million people pre-ordering the iPhone 5, twice the number that pre-ordered its predecessor.

Stuart, who works along with design partner Jo-Emma Larvin, however believes his philosophy for “letting the technology embrace luxury” is the reason his exclusive items are so sought after.

We’ll just have to wait and see whether Mrs Beckham snaps up one of the limited edition new iPhone 5’s – perhaps she will put it on her Christmas list. After all, when you’re part of one of the world’s wealthiest and most successful couples, it must be pretty difficult thinking of what to buy your other half.

Further Reading

• Now you can bling up your high tech gadgets with gold plate and diamonds!
• iPhone 5: Release day
• Cheaper iPhone set to cost half the price
• Raspberries, Apples and why Amazon isn’t earning a penny from Kindle Sales (End-of-Week Roundup)
• Apple has announced a new 128GB model
• $250,000 for World’s Most Expensive Black Diamond Nail Polish!
• Apple, Apple and a bit more Apple – iPad mini reaction (Mid-week round-up)