SEMUANYA MAHAL

Top 10 Most Expensive Paintings

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:21:00 +0000

Millions and Hundreds of Millions of dollars are spent every year by the wealthy seeking a highly sought after piece of art. Following is a list of the Top Ten Most Expensive Paintings of All Time and an explanation of what makes them so special and worth the exorbitant price.

1. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Gustav Klimt ($135,000,000)

This record breaking sale was enabled by a court order by the Austrian government to return the painting to the Artist's rightful heir. The entire dispute lasted over a year and was necessary to return the painting that was looted by the Nazis during World War II.

Skillfully painted in 1907 by the art nouveau master Gustav Klimt, the painting was purchased by Ronald S. Lauder, the cosmetics heir, in 2006.

2. Garçon à la Pipe by Pablo Picasso ($104,100,000)

Created during the Rose Period, Garcon a la Pipe showcases Picasso's exceptional use of cheerful orange and pink palatte.
The oil on canvas painting, measuring 100 × 81.3 cm (slightly over 39 × 32 inches), displays a Parisian boy holding a pipe in his left hand.

The record price auction at the time on May 4, 2004 in Sotheby's was a bit of a surprise to the core art buyers, because it was painted in the style not usually associated with the pioneering Cubist artist.

3. Dora Maar with Cat by Pablo Picasso ($95,200,000)

Another enormous surprise followed in 2006, when this painting near doubled its inaccurate presale estimate and brought in new record $95,200,000 at auction at Sotheby's on May 3, 2006.

Painted in 1941, Picasso's controversial portrait (one of his last) is sometimes described as an unflattering depiction of his mistress, Dora Maar, who was an artist/photographer and mistress of Picasso whose relationship lasted ten years during the 1930s and 40s.

4. Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh ($82,500,000)

This painting by the Dutch Impressionist master Vincent van Gogh suddenly became world-famous when Japanese businessman Ryoei Saito paid $82.5 million for it at auction in Christie's, New York. Saito was so attached to the painting that he wanted it to be cremated with him when he died. Saito died in 1996 ... but the painting was saved.

Vincent van Gogh actually painted two versions of Dr Gachet's portrait. You can view the other version, with a slightly different color scheme, at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.

5. Bal Au Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir ($78,000,000)

Bal au moulin de la Galette, Montmartre was painted by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1876. On May 17, 1990, it was sold for $ 78,000,000 at Sotheby's in New York City to Ryoei Saito, who bought it together with the Portrait of Dr Gachet (see above).

6. Massacre of the Innocents by Peter Paul Rubens ($76,700,000)

This painting by Peter Paul Rubens, painted in 1611, is the only painting in this list which was not painted in the 19th or 20th century. It was sold to Kenneth Thomson, 2nd Baron Thomson of Fleet for $ 76,700,000 at a 2002 Sotheby's auction.

7. Portrait de l'Artiste sans Barbe by Vincent van Gogh ($71,500,000)

Portrait de l'artiste sans barbe ("Self-portrait without beard") is one of many self-portraits by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. He painted this one in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France in September 1889. The painting is a oil painting on canvas and is 40 cm x 31 cm (16" x 13").

This is an uncommon painting since his other self-portraits show him with a beard. The self-portrait became one of the most expensive paintings of all time when it was sold for $71.5 million in 1998 in New York.

8. Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier by Paul Cézanne ($60,500,000)

This painting by Paul Cézanne, painted in ca. 1893-1894, sold for $60,500,000 at Sotheby's New York on May 10, 1999 to "The Whitneys". Whitney, born into one of America's wealthiest families, was a venture capitalist, publisher, Broadway show and Hollywood film producer, and philanthropist.

9. Femme aux Bras Croisés by Pablo Picasso ($55,000,000)

This work, painted in 1901, was a part of Picasso's famous Blue Period, a dark, sad time in the artist's life. The beautiful & various tones of blue are typical. The painting depicts a woman with her arms crossed staring at the endless nothing.

Femme aux Bras Croisés was sold for $55,000,000 November 8, 2000, at Christie's Rockefeller in New York City.

10. Irises by Vincent Van Gogh ($53,900,000)

Vincent van Gogh painted this at Saint Paul-de-Mausole in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France in 1889, only one year before his death. In 1987, it became the most expensive painting to date. It was sold for $ 54,000,000 to Alan Bond and later resold to the Getty Museum.

NOTEWORTHY

No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock ($140,000,000?)

Unconfirmed rumors buzzing in the art world now place this painting at the top of the list, at least temporarily. If true, the $140 million price tag would be the highest ever for a painting, besting the $135 million paid for the Gustav Klimt painting Portrait of Adele Block Bauer in June 2006.

Top 10 Most Expensive Gadgets

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:16:00 +0000

Posted date: July 24, 2012 | No comment

Insanely Expensive Gadgets for the Elite

Gadgets are meant to make life easier for people. But there are certain gadgets that are too expensive that it becomes difficult to justify their uses for such exorbitant amounts.

Here are ten of the most overly expensive gadgets that may save you time but definitely not money:

Ecosse Titanium Series FE Ti XX Motorcycle: $300,000

Yes, there is the $555,000 Dodge Tomahawk that can compete as the world’s most expensive motorcycle. But it technically has four wheels! Many have christened the Ecosse Titanium Series FE Ti XX Motorcycle as the world’s most expensive motorcycle. It gives other motorbikes a run for their money with its price tag of $300,000 and a high-end titanium chassis fit with carbon fiber wheels. This motorcycle also delivers 210-foot pounds of pure torque.

Harry Winston Opus 12 Watch: $260,000

The Harry Winston Opus 12 wristwatch has no typical minute and hour hands. It has elegant blue metal arms that look more like sharp weapons. It takes pride in its sophistication, well enough to cast a price tag of $260,000 for their wristwatch.

This watch can work for about 45 hours with 607 parts, 80 jewels and 3 barrels. It even renders animation of the 12 hour hands for each hour change. It also animates the minute hands for every five minutes. The watch has a diameter of 46mm with a white gold case and anti-reflective sapphire crystal.

It has an air of exclusivity because only 120 units will be created to tell time in a Copernican-inspired revolution fashion.

Megatrend MKIII Speakers: $80,000

When the volume of sound is overwhelming, it is often referenced as a “wall of sound.” But Transmission Audio’s Megatrend MKIII Speakers take this idiomatic phrase to a whole new literal level. Standing seven feet tall and three feet wide, this is a real wall of speakers for the steep price of $80,000.

MWE Emperor 200 PC WorkStation: $45,000

The MWE Emperor 200 will definitely make working easier with this sophisticated workstation featuring three monitors, a touch screen interface, air filtration system, an electric powered leather seat and light therapy illumination. In short, this has everything you need for a comfortable work experience – all for the exorbitant price of $45,000.

These workstations are made to order according to customer specifications. One can even add peripherals such as iPhone docks. But it can take up to six months to construct a unit.

S-Works + McLaren Venge Bicycle: $18,000

With the sudden spike in popularity of biking, it has been increasingly difficult to buy an inexpensive bicycle. The normal range is from $2,500 up. But a specific kind of bicycle integrates exceptional technology to propel the price tag of the bicycle to $18,000. This is the S-Works + McLaren Venge Bicycle.

The S-Works + McLaren Venge Bicycle uses its technological advantage to lessen the stiffness of an already lightweight carbon-fiber rocket. This directly translates to speed. But for the price, will it be better to buy this technology or just pedal harder?

Vertu Constellation Smartphone: $13,800

When considering the price of a smartphone, many people probe the features and specifications of the gadget. But the Vertu luxury smartphone takes it up a notch. A unit costs around $13,800. But the only glaring difference of this smartphone is that it’s running a Symbian operating system and a Swype keyboard. It also has a red gold exterioir with 24/7 Concierge Live application. This also helps you secure exclusive access to clubs, arrange travel trips, order expensive wine and even get in touch with a security specialist.

The Kohler Numi Toilet System: $6,400

For the rich and powerful, it is not enough to take care of your excretions through normal means. The Kohler Numi breaks all boundaries when it comes to toilet systems with this contraption worth $6,400. This unit has a touchscreen interface and a smart bidet for easier cleaning. The seat is also heated and there is a vent underneath that blows warm air for additional comfort.

Stax SR-009 Earspeakers: $5,250

“Beats by Dre” has successfully established itself as the brand of choice when it comes to headphones. This brand is already expensive with its rapper endorsements but it pales in comparison to the headphones of a certain Japanese company. The Stax SR-009 can handle a frequency response between 5 to 42,000 Hertz and you can have this sonic flexibility for $5,250.

Even with its design, Stax maintains that these should not be called headphones but rather as ear speakers. Moreover, you need an amplifier worth $2,000 to power the unit further.

Victorinox 1TB Swiss Army Knife: $3,000

We know Swiss knives should be everything you need in a nice and neat package. With the advent of the digital revolution, why not include a thumb drive with it? This is the new feature of the upcoming Victorinox 1TB Swiss Army Knife. Yes, that’s one terabyte of data storage in a little bundle in the comforts of your pocket.

For practical purposes, the USB 2.0 thumb drive can be detached from the Swiss Knife so that there won’t be a dangling hazard each time you have to transfer files. But for a thumb drive with a few practical knives and features, are you really willing to shell out $3,000?

iPhone 4 Docking Station Made of Crystal: $500

A docking station is a convenient way to sync files and to charge an iPhone. But will you shell out more than $500 for an iPhone docking station made of crystal and painted with platinum? The price of the gadget alone is almost enough to buy a new iPhone 4 altogether.

Top 10 most expensive cameras

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:12:00 +0000

With experience, training and a fair dose of talent, photographers needn't buy the most expensive camera on the planet to take great pictures, but it doesn’t cost anything to dream about being able to afford the very best in photography! Here is a list of the most expensive cameras available today, with approximate prices ranging from $6,000 to $43,000. Also included are two antique cameras that sold for almost a$1 million and $2 million at auction!

10. Nikon D4 Digital SLR Camera Body
Nikon’s D4 digital SLR features an FX-format 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor. The sensor, combined with Nikon’s EXPEED3 processor delivers stills up to 11 frames-per-second. The D4 can also handle 1080p HD video. Multiple connectivity makes the D4 a favorite for multimedia artists. The D4 is a fast Nikon digital SLR with the most affordable price on list. Price: $6,000.

9. Pentax 645D 40MP Digital SLR Camera A medium-format digital camera offered at a more affordable price, the Pentax 645D delivers 40-megapixel image quality, with high resolution images for large print sizes. Its light-weight body is “weather sealed,” resisting snow, rain and dust, making it a good choice for professional outdoor photography. The 645D handles 14-bit RAW files in PEF and DNG formats. Other features include the ability to shoot up to 1.1 frames per second at full 40MP resolution. This hot new camera even on "Camera of the Year" at the Camera Grand Prix Japan in 2011, with a stylish red-lacquered edition released to celebrate. camera Price: $10,000.

8. Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III SLR Digital Camera
A popular SLR camera for fast, high-quality shooting, this Canon model is prized for its speed. Even the video output interface and FireWire are designed with speed in mind. The full-frame 16+ megapixel image sensor combines with a fast image processor to deliver shots as fast as four frames per second. High resolutions make this digital SLR a useful tool for commercial photography as well as for actions shots. Price: $12,000.

7. Leica S2-P Camera
A digital SLR camera with the size and handling of a 35mm model, The S2-P by Leica is a favorite choice for professional photographers on the road. The S2-P has a sensor with 30 by 45 mm and 37.5 megapixels, creating images with exceptional sharpness, clarity and color. Resistant to water and boasting a long battery life, the S2-P is ideal for professional outdoor photography. Auto-focus features range from ultra-wide to super telephoto. Price: $30,000.

6. Panoscan MK-3 Digital 360 Degree Panoramic Camera
The Panoscan Mark III MK-3 can scan a full 360 degree image in less than 8 seconds. The MK-3 has the ability to capture flat, panoramic images and can be used with most virtual reality players as well, including Flash VR, QuickTime VR and JAVA-based players. The MK-3 is also used by the military for tactical mapping and by police departments for forensic crime scene photography. The camera uses a dedicated digital signal processor to create a 360-degree image in less than eight seconds. Price: $40,000.

5. Phase One P65+ Back with 645DF Body
Medium-format digital cameras have sensors that are about twice the surface areas of high-end SLRs, but they command a high price in exchange for maximum image quality. The sensor alone accounts for about $40,000 of the camera’s price. The Phase One P65+ features 65 MP resolutions, a full frame 645 sensor, three USB ports and a FireWire 800 slot. The P65+ is built to handle constant zooming, to print poster-sized pictures and to display on giant monitors. The camera’s cost when it was first introduced was $54,860. It’s selling now for about $40,000.

4. Seitz 6×17” Digital Panoramic Camera
Founded in 1955, Swiss camera manufacturer Seitz has long mastered the art of shooting panoramas. Until the launch of the 6×17” digital model, Seitz cameras featured a mechanism that rotated the camera. The 6×17” does not swivel but generates a single image of 160 megapixel resolution. Seitz boasts that the camera is the only camera in the world that creates high resolution 6-inch by 17-inch images with such range and color. Price for this specialty camera: $43,000.

3. Hasselblad H4D-200MS Digital Camera
Professional photographers have yet another reason to lust after Hasselblad cameras with the launch of the company’s H4D series. The H4D features medium format sensors of 50-megapixel or 60-megapixel with Hasselblad’s True Focus Absolute Position Locks, greatly enhancing auto-focus for commercial photographers. H4D also uses multi-shot technology that combines six shots into a single RAW image, working with a piezoelectric motor that marginally moves the sensor between each shot. Price: $45,000.

2. Susse Frères Daguerreotype Camera
Before the stunning Leica 0-Serie Nr.107 sale last year, the world’s most expensive camera was the antique Susse Frères daguerreotype camera. The 173-year-old camera is considered an “attic find,” with ownership of the camera having been transferred privately for many years. The camera is a rare example of the daguerreotype method and features an oval lithographic stamp signed by Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre. Today, the camera is on exhibit at Westlicht in Vienna, Austria. Estimated value: $978,000.

1. Leica 0-Serie Nr.107
Leica’s cameras never come cheap, but even the most sophisticated camera buffs gasped when this 1923 Leica camera sold at auction last year. The Leica 0-Serie Nr.107 is one of the only 25 cameras in the series produced, and was one the first Leica exported to New York. It is the only camera known to have the word “Germany” engraved on its top plate. Its worth was estimated at between $500,000 and $650,000. In just two minutes, an unnamed collector from Asia put up the winning bid: $1.9 million.
For the very best in photography, it can take the very best of cameras. Whether looking for a camera that can handle treks through the Himalayas, a camera that can take on fast-paced sports events or a camera perfect for close-up fashion photography, a camera can be both a luxury or an investment for a photographer.

This was a guest post by Liz, a blogger for social photography site ViewBug.com, where photographers can connect and share photos and compete in photo contests and photo competitions.

Top Ten Most Expensive Jeans

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:06:00 +0000

When you think of Haute Couture, you probably don’t think of faded denim. But in fact, the latest crop of designer jeans comes in a variety of custom-made options decked with rich embellishments, from embroidery to platinum rivets to precious diamonds accents. And the prices are just as extravagant, with some pairs costing as much as a luxury car or even more. Not all denim is created equal. When the price tag is sky high, you can expect the finest materials, including the best weaves, rarest batches of fabric and lots of hand-work and details that you won’t find in more mass produced clothing. And when the budget is unlimited, there are many fresh and eye-catching options to choose from. In addition, while style is important, so is fit. That’s why the best pairs of jeans are cut, finished and accented in all of the right places to enhance the wearer’s shape. Just keep in mind that not every buyer thinks newer is better. In fast, some prefer to stick with the real tried and true styles. That’s why several items on this list are either distressed or, in the case of number 9, date very, very far back in time.

10. Levi Strauss & Co.

The name Levi Strauss & Co. may conjure up images of basic, practical jeans, but the well-known company has recently taken its reputation up to new heights with the introduction of its premium denim. Called the Levi Capitol E jean, these high-end pants are sewn by hand out of high-quality denim and it can take as many as 30 people from start to finish to craft just one pair. Such intensive workmanship doesn’t come cheap. In fact, the most expensive cuts of these jeans sell for as high as $500 a pair and no two are exactly alike. (And it’s interesting to note that these actually aren’t even close to the most expensive Levi’s out there. See number 9 on this list for more about noteworthy Levi sales.)

9. 7 For All Mankind

The popular 7 For All Mankind brand has become known for its high quality fabric and exceptional cut. Pairs start at a few hundred dollars and are readily available at better department stores in a variety of colors, weaves and styles. The top of the line pairs can run as high as almost $1,000, and some fans of this line swear that the cut gives the illusion of thinner legs and leaner thighs, which just may make it a worthy buy. (DenimBlog editor’s note: I’ve never seen a pair of $1,000 Seven jeans, have you?!)

8. Earnest Sewn

Imagine having a pair of jeans made for your exact measurements and taste. That’s the lure of the Earnest Sewn Custom Fit Jeans, which are a hit among fashion lovers who demand a perfect fit. These jeans are also made from rare batches of fine hand-dyed denim, making them unique. When you order a pair, they are made to perfectly fit your individual size and body shape. In addition, you can select the details that you would like to add, such as rivet material and size. The cost for such a customized style is about$1,000.

7. Roberto Cavalli

If bling is your thing, then consider the bejeweled premium denim jeans offered byRoberto Cavalli. This is a favorite among celebrities and fashion insiders, including Jennifer Lopez, who is known for her cutting-edge style. The well-dressed cast of Sex in the City have also been known to wear the Cavalli clothing line. You can find these extravagant jeans at high-end department stores, or at the Roberto Cavalli boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City. A pair will cost you close to $1,200.

6. Dolce & Gabbana

The Italian design team of Dolce & Gabbana has an excellent track record for designing beautiful clothes for some of the best-dressed women. Therefore it should come as no surprise that they’ve captured a piece of the high-end jean market. Their take on this item is a distressed faded denim with an embroidered butterfly design. The finishing touch is an elegant gold D&G logo centered on a pink leather patch that decorates the back pocket and let’s people know who is the creator behind this attractive and eye-catching design. The price for a pair is just under $1,200 and this unique item is in limited supply, resulting in a waiting list worldwide.

5. APO Jeans

Do you prefer silver, gold or platinum hardware? When you select APO Jeans custom denim, you can choose rivets made from any of these three metals and can even opt for real diamonds in the place of a regular button. Further, the pockets are lined in pure silk and the zipper is polished and plated to perfection. Of course such luxurious details, in addition to the finest denim, doesn’t come cheap. APO considers its premium denim and detailing “cream of the crop,” and charges accordingly. In fact, the price tag for this product with all of the bells and whistles is $4,000. But in return, you receive a written appraisal from a prestigious New York City jeweler so you can protect your investment.

4. Gucci

There is an elegance and timelessness that is conveyed by anything Gucci. This premise holds true even when the item in question comes tattered and ripped. At least that’s the idea behind the Gucci Genius jeans, which were made from a pair of regular jeans that were specially treated and torn to make them look old and worn. Then the jeans were covered with African beading, feathers and buttons to give them a unique look. The finished product, which was unveiled on the Milan back in 1998, was priced at just a bit more than $3,100, earning it a mention in Guinness World Records. (Today this would be equal to just over $4,000.)

3. Escada

Do you like to be the center of attention? If so, then consider luxe designer Escada’sversion of the custom jean, which lets the buyers select any details and styling their hearts desire. The finished item is priced accordingly. Some fans of this jean really exercise their creativity, adding a range of embellishments worthy of a princess or queen. The most expensive custom pair to date was decked in Swarovski crystals. The price for this indulgence was $10,000.

2. Levi Strauss & Co.

While most of the jeans on this list are new, the ones that hold the number two spot are a pair that is actually very, very old. These jeans are a pair of original Levi Strauss & Co. that date back to the 1880s and lots of history is captured within the weave of its vintage fabric. These jeans, which are an original example of the Levi 501 style, sold at auction on eBay in 2005 for a shocking $60,000. This translates today to more than$65,000. The winner was a Japanese collector who asked to remain anonymous.

While this is a record-breaking Levi sale, there are two others that are worth mentioning here. The first was a pair of Levi’s also from the late 1800s that were bought by Levi Strauss & Co. in 2001 for about $46,000 (today this equals more than $55,000). In addition, a recent EBay auction for a pair of Levis more than century old that were found in a California goldmine sold for more than $36,000.

1. Secret Circus

And the winner for the most expensive jeans is . . . an unusual pair that is designed by a new company called Secret Circus. The creators are banking on the idea that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, no matter whether you wear them around your neck or on your back pocket instead. That’s why they included a design made from a large collection of high-quality (and substantially-sized) diamonds on their pants. Rumor has it that the first pair was sold for a shocking $1.3 million.

The 10 Most Expensive Film

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:01:00 +0000

Due to the secretive nature of Hollywood accounting it is not clear which film is the most expensive film ever made. Spider-Man 3 officially holds the record with an acknowledged cost of $258 million, while Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and its sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End were produced together on a combined budget of $450 million, making them the most expensive production. Although the Pirates of the Caribbeansequels shared many costs it is estimated that around $300 million was spent on producingAt World's End. More recently there have been reports that Avatar is the most expensive film ever made with speculation that it cost $280 million.

The cost of film production was mostly stable prior to World War II, with Ben-Hur (1925) setting an early record, which lasted well into the sound era. Costs started to escalate due to the effects of inflation and as television started to compete with the cinema for audiences, culminating in 1963 with Cleopatra which did not earn back its $44 million production costs despite being one of the highest earning films of the year. Cleopatra is still often cited as the most expensive film of all time, costing over $300 million when adjusted for inflation. The 1990s saw two thresholds crossed, with True Lies costing $100 million in 1994 and Titaniccosting $200 million in 1997, both directed by James Cameron. Since then it has become normal for a tent-pole feature from a major film studio to cost over $100 million, and an increasing number of films are costing $200 million or more.

This list contains only the films that are already released to the general public, and no films that are still in production, post-production or just announced films, for the reason that these costs can still change in the production process. Listed below is the negative cost: the costs of the actual filming, and not including promotional costs (i.e. advertisements, commercials, posters, etc.). The charts are ordered by official budget amounts where they are known. Most studios, however, will not give a statement on the actual production costs, so only estimates by professional researchers and movie industry writers are available. Where budget estimates conflict the productions are charted by lower-bound estimates.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Only productions with a budget over a nominal value of $150 million U.S. dollars are listed here. Due to the effects of inflation, all but three of the films on the chart have been produced since the turn of the century, with Waterworld (1995) being the oldest film to be included. Nine films costing more than $150 million were produced in 2009, while only four films were produced in 2011.

Most expensive films
Rank	Title	Year	Cost (est.) (millions)	Refs & notes
1	Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End	2007	$300	^[1]^[2]^{[nb 1]}
2	Tangled	2010	$260	^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]
3	Spider-Man 3	2007	$258^*	^[7]
4	John Carter	2012	$250^*	^[8]
4	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince	2009	$250	^[9]^[10]
6	Avatar	2009	$237^*	^[11]^{[nb 2]}
7	The Dark Knight Rises	2012	$230	^[12]^{[nb 3]}
8	The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian	2008	$225^*	^[13]
8	Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest	2006	$225	^[1]^[14]^{[nb 1]}
10	The Avengers	2012	$220	^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]
11	Men in Black 3	2012	$215^*	^[19]^{[nb 4]}
12	X-Men: The Last Stand	2006	$210	^[20]^[21]
13	Superman Returns	2006	$209^*	^[22]^{[nb 5]}
13	Battleship	2012	$209^*	^[23]
15	King Kong	2005	$207	^[24]^[25]^[26]
16	Titanic	1997	$200^*	^[27]^[28]^[29]
	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	2009	$200^*	^[30]
	2012	2009	$200^*	^[31]
	Spider-Man 2	2004	$200	^[32]^[33]
	Quantum of Solace	2008	$200	^[34]^[35]
	Terminator Salvation	2009	$200	^[36]^[37]
	Toy Story 3	2010	$200	^[38]^[39]
	Green Lantern	2011	$200	^[40]^[41]^[42]
	Cars 2	2011	$200	^[43]^[44]^[45]
	The Amazing Spider-Man	2012	$200	^[46]^[47]^{[nb 6]}
26	Transformers: Dark of the Moon	2011	$195	^[48]^[49]^[50]^[51]
27	Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull	2008	$185	^[52]^[53]^[54]
	The Dark Knight	2008	$185	^[14]^[55]^[56]
	Brave	2012	$185	^[57]^[58]^[59]
30	The Golden Compass	2007	$180^*	^[60]^[61]
	The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe	2005	$180	^[62]^[63]^[64]
	WALL-E	2008	$180	^[65]^[66]
33	Troy	2004	$175^*	^[67]
	Evan Almighty	2007	$175	^[68]^[69]^[70]
	Monsters vs. Aliens	2009	$175	^[71]^[72]^[73]
	Up	2009	$175	^[74]^[75]
	A Christmas Carol	2009	$175	^[76]^[77]
38	Waterworld	1995	$172	^[78]^[79]^[80]
39	Snow White & the Huntsman	2012	$170^*	^[81]
	Wild Wild West	1999	$170	^[82]^[83]
	Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines	2003	$170	^[84]^[85]^[86]^{[nb 7]}
	G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra	2009	$170	^[87]^[88]
	Iron Man 2	2010	$170	^[89]^[90]^[91]^[92]
	Tron: Legacy	2010	$170	^[93]^[94]^[95]^[96]
45	How to Train Your Dragon	2010	$165	^[97]^[98]^[99]
46	Cowboys & Aliens	2011	$163^*	^[100]
47	Sahara	2005	$160^*	^[101]
	Van Helsing	2004	$160	^[102]^[103]^[104]
	Poseidon	2006	$160	^[105]^[106]^[107]
	Shrek the Third	2007	$160	^[108]
	Inception	2010	$160	^[109]^[110]^[111]^[112]
52	Robin Hood	2010	$155^*	^[113]^[114]^{[nb 8]}
52	Alexander	2004	$155	^[116]^[117]

Most expensive multi-film productions
Rank	Titles	Year(s)	Cost (est.) (millions)	Refs & notes
1	Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End	2006–07	$450	^[118]^{[nb 1]}
2	The Lord of the Rings film trilogy	2001–03	$260^*	^[119]^[120]^{[nb 9]}
3	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 & Part 2	2010–11	$250^*	^[121]
4	The Matrix Reloaded The Matrix Revolutions	2003	$237	^{[nb 10]}

10 Most Expensive Gemstones

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:55:00 +0000

On the following post, we are going to discover 10 unique minerals on that top chart of world’s most expensive gemstones. As little information, Gemstone is a form of crystalline mineral came from tectonic activities and geo chemical process for tens of millions years. In the list, we can find pink gemstones, yellow, blue, white crystal, red diamond include with their current market value.

This following gemstone shared same destiny with white, blue, pink and other rare diamonds. Big pocket collectors demanded them and gemstone traders provide them. Finding one of this gemstone is of course requiring hard work and extensive research. This is 10 most expensives gemstone in the world

Our first gemstone on the list, the cheapest one, is Jeremejevite.

10. Jeremejevite

Gemstone hunter found our cheapest gemstone Jeremejevite for the first time in 1973 in the seaside of Namibia’s coast. Jeremejevite current market value is estimated US$ $2000/Karat

9. Black Opal

Our second cheapest gemstone is a Native Australian. Aborigine has used Black Opal as necklace, earring and other accessories eyes since hundreds of years ago. Black Opal has current market value around US $2,355/Carat

Our last gemstone in this post is Red Beryl Emerald

8. Red Beryl Emerald

Red Beryl Emerald or Red Emerald or Red Berry is popular as the rarest gemstone from the family of beryl in the world. The current market value of Red Beryl Emerald is USD $10,000.00/Carat

Read More, Let's go to top 7 Most Expensive Gemstones In the world.

7. Musgravite

Musgravite is among the family of taaffeite (Beryllium Magnesium Aluminum Oxide). Gems hunters found it for the first time in Musgrave Range of South Australia in 1967. The current market value of the gem is USD $35,000/Carat

6. Grandidierite

Alfred Grandidier found Grandidierite for the first time in Madagascar. Alfred was born in 1836 and until 1912. He was a French Naturalist and Explorer. Grandidierite has unique character bluish-green color. The current value of the gems is $50,000/carat.

5. Painite

C.D Pain found Painite for the first time in Myanmar around 1950s. Painite is a rare crystal composes new type of mineral. In the last 6 decades, miners only found and registered 25 Painites. Current market value of Painite is $50-$60,000/carat.

4. Blue Garnet

Blue Garnet composes rich unique mineral called Vanadium. Vanadium turn crystal changes color. In a day, vanadium turns blue garnet become blue-greenish and at night, vanadium turns Blue garnet purple. The current value of Blue Garnet is $1,500,000/carat. A 4,2 karat blue garnet hit a record sales $6,800,000 in 2003.

3. Serendibite

Serendbite is a rare translucent and crystallized mineral. The origin of Serendibite is in Mogok Burma, Sagaing District, and Mandalay Division until Sri Lanka. Current market value of Serendibite is $1,800,000-$2,000,000/karat

2. Red Diamonds

Red Diamond is second most expensive gemstone in the world. The largest red diamond available in collector’s hand is a 5,11 carat red diamond. The owner named it Red Shield and it has market value $10,000,000 and beyond (Market value$2-2.5 Million/Carat)

1. Jadeite – over USD $3 Million/Carat

Jadeite is our most expensive gemstone in the world champion. Current value of Jadeite is $3.000.000/carat. Some explorer had found Jadeite in Guatemala and California. In November 1997, In Hong Kong, 27 pieces of 0.5mm Jadeite hit news highlight after one collector purchased it for $9,300,000.

Most Expensive Bottled Water

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:47:00 +0000

Bottled water is big business–I mean, really big. In less than ten years, bottled water consumption has doubled, with prices about 100 times that of tap water. Whether you think bottled water is healthier or it tastes better, or even if you happily drink tap water, it’s clear that bottled water is here to stay.

Bling h2o – $40+ per 750 ml bottle

Hollywood writer-producer Kevin G. Boyd tapped into the bottled water market with an image approach. His water, Bling h2o, has been spotted in the hands of numerous celebrities and even at awards ceremonies like the Emmy’s, Grammy’s, and the MTV Video Music Awards.

The water is bottled in Dandridge, Tennessee, probably the least notable quality of the most expensive bottled water. Boyd’s approach to the bottled water market is as extreme as the limited edition bottles themselves. They come frosted, corked, and boasting hand-applied Swarovski crystal. Bling H20 boasts that it has won the gold medal at the Berkely Springs International Water Tasting Festival with its nine-step purification process. If you are a water elitist, be prepared to spend $40-60 for a 750ml bottle. If you are buying your expensive bottled water at a club, be prepared to spend more.

Hawaiian deep seawater – $33.50 per 2 oz bottle

This seawater is so lucrative that the Hawaiian government is now allowing bottlers to use a state-certified logo for their deep seawater for a nominal fee. Hawaii Deep Marine Inc.’s Kona Nigari water, for instance, sells for $33.50 per 2 oz bottle. It’s extracted from a depth of 915 feet, over 700 feet more than is necessary for the water to be considered deep seawater.

Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani – $60,000 for a 1.25 ml bottle

The world’s most expensive bottle of water is truly unique. Designed by Fernando Altamirano of Tequila Ley, who holds the records for the world’s most expensive tequila and cognacbottles, the 24k gold-coated bottle is based on the work of late Italian painter and sculptor Amedeo Clemente Modigliani. It holds 1.25 ml of blended spring water from France and the Fiji Islands, as well as glacier water from Iceland.

The world’s most expensive bottled water went up for auction on March 4th, 2010. Proceeds from the auction went to the Planet Foundation.

Altamirano also produced a similar “dummy” bottle of gold, silver and platinum festooned with 6,000 diamonds. It was valued at $3.3 million.

The 10 Most Expensive Desserts in the World

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:16:00 +0000

If you’re a food fanatic or simply have a stronger sweet tooth than the rest of us, you’d naturally want to experience all that gastronomy has to offer in terms of sweets. And you’re not going to settle for the cheese cake you find around corner, you know you want to try something refined, exotic and luxurious. After taking a look at the most expensive and exotic cocktails, it’s time to see what the rich and famous have for dessert. Forget about pie, pudding or fruits, here are the 10 most expensive desserts in the world:

10. Starting off with a decently expensive dessert, the $640 Chocolate Variation comes in at #10 in our list. Served at the Mezzaluna, an Italian restaurant within the Lebua Hotel in Bangkok, the refined dessert features edible golden leaves, champagne serbet made from the champagne Roederer Cristal Brut 2000 and crème brûlée. To top it all off, the dessert ends with Perigord truffles, strawberry chocolate mousse and a slice of chocolate cake.

9. The chocolate made by Noka is known for being one of the finest and most delicious chocolates in the world. With cocoa from the finest regions in the world, such as Venezuela Ecuador or Côte d’Ivoire, their Vintage collection at $854 per pound delivers a unique, classic aroma with no emulsifier whatsoever. Chocolate can’t get any better than this!

8. Served at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul, the $1000 Sultan’s Golden Cake is one of the finest tasting experiences you will ever come across. The dessert that takes 72 hours to make contains figs, quince, apricot and pears soaked in Jamaican Rum for 2 years. The topping contains caramel, black truffles and, as you might have guess, a gold leaf.

7. One of the most expensive and refined truffles in the world is the white truffle or alba truffle coming from the Piedmont region in northern Italy. Up until now, sows were used to find the truffles since they produce a scent that mimics a male pig sex hormone. They were replaced with dogs since the sows usually ate the truffles when they found them. The white truffle sells for a price of $3,000 – $5,000 per kilogram. The most expensive truffle ever to be sold was a specimen weighing 1.5kg. Macau casino owner Stanley Ho paid a whopping $330,000 for the big one.

6. Chocopologie by Knipschildt is another amazing experience for your taste buds. The chocolate store founded in 1999 by Fritz Knipschildt sells the most expensive chocolate truffle around the world at around $5,000 per kilogram or $250.00 each. These beauties are only made available by pre-order but you can head down to 12 South Main Street Norwalk in Connecticut to get a taste of the magic yourself.

5. Pierre Hermé is an artist when it comes to sweets of all shapes and sizes. With two headquarters in Paris and Tokyo, every season comes with new and exciting recipes. But the one that stood out from the crowd is the Macaroons Haute Couture. The macaroons the company is famous for are meringue puffs with ingredients the customers can choose themselves. For personalized recipes on a larger scale, the chef meets with the client for “fittings”; based on the ingredients, these desserts can reach even $7,000 per kilogram.

4. A hotel in Sri Lanka is charging $14,500 for a taste of what used to be the world’s most expensive dessert. The Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence is now the runner-up for that title, but as delicious and savory as all the others. It contains golf leaf cassata, mango and pomegranate compote. The thing that makes is the decoration – a chocolate carving of a fisherman and an 80 carat aquamarine stone.

©The Fortress

3. Up until recently, Serendipity 3 was famous for creating the most expensive sundae, at $1,000 a piece. Now they’ve outdone themselves, creating the world’s most expensive dessert, as decided by the Guinness Book of Records. The $25,000 Frrozen Haute Chocolate is a product of Serendipity 3 and luxury jeweler Euphoria New York. The desert is a blend of 28 cocoas, 14 of which are the most expensive and exotic in the world. As any dessert on the list, it has to have some trace of precious metal. This one is infused with 5 grams of edible gold and has a gold bracelet with diamonds at the base. Even more, the dessert is eaten with a gold spoon, pimped out with white and chocolate diamonds, which you can fortunately keep.

2. Even though it’s not produced on a larger scale, we couldn’t help but noticed this shinyplatinum cake with a price tag of $130,000. It was created by the famous Japanese pastry chef, Nobue Ikara, as a tribute to beautiful women. Nobue teamed up with a jeweler that helped drape his cake in platinum necklaces and foils, some of which are edible. The cake was dedicated to famous Japanese women such as Rinko Kikuchi and Chie Kumazawa, the pastry chef hoping to encourage more women to wear platinum jewelry.

1. We all know the recipe for Strawberries Arnaud – ice-cream strawberries with citrus, and red wine. But the strawberries found at Arnaud’s restaurant in New Orleans French Quarter is not just some sliced fruit. The difference lies in the topping – a one-of-a-kind 4.7-carat pink diamond ring once belonging to the British financier Sir Ernest Cassel. To make it worth the $1.4 million, the strawberries are served with a $24,850 Charles X crystal liquor.

Top 10 Most Expensive Sunglasses in the world

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 02:54:00 +0000

10. Maui Jim (Hawaii H310)

Hawaii H310

Maui Jim is a designer of famous sunglass brand Hawaii 310. Come with starting price $350, Hawaii 350 is first choice for most people who prioritize budget over style. For some who consider Hawaii 350 is not trendy enough they surely pick sunglass on the next list.

9. Oakley (Romeo) $500

Oakley Romeo is coming with a sharp, elegant look and completed with polarized lenses. The frame is sturdy because it is full titanium. Every Oakley Romeo is worth $500. Once you buy it, you can wear it for years.

8. Oliver Peoples Balmain ($500+)

Oliver peoples Balmain is our next expensive sunglasses and it is coming with 2 optional colors silver with gradient and gold combined with gold mirror. With a price tag start from $487-S594, now you select one that will not weight your pocket.

7. Bvlgari model 8016 (U$700)

Bvlgari model 8016 is wide frame sunglasses that are studded with crystal-studded arm. The frame is not only sleek but also perfect to block any incoming UV light from the sun. The model is matching with almost any face contour

6. Fendi (411 Aviator) $1,200

Fendi 411 Aviator is multi functional and you do not have to purchase another sunglass if you go to the beach because the sunglass will be enough to comfort your eyes from the heat of UV rays. This brown color sunglass is matching to all skin color

5. Louis Vuitton (Evasion) ($1,200)

Louis Vuitton Evasion

If you already big fans of this expensive brand, you should familiar with this Louis Vuitton Evasion. The designer designed the sunglass with lightweight but sturdy titanium frame. The unique feature of the sunglass is it owns two folding hinges and bridge to connect both arms

4. Chrome Hearts Kufannaw II ($1,350)

Chrome Hearts Kufannaw II is chick, slim, and has a classic look of motorist enthusiast. The glass is a high UV resistant and it matching for any occasion. It is available in Black, purple, brown and pink gradient.

3. Moss Lipow ($3,800)

Moss Lipow is worth more than 3 grand because the seller completed the sunglass with genuine alligator leather frame and ostrich. Out of PETA controversies, Moss Lipow is a stylish item for a classy person. Sure, to own the sunglass being wealthy is must.

2. Luxuriator ($65,000)

Luxuriator is available in 23 twins and people should spend 65 grand to own one of it. The frame is a combination of 18k gold, 132 hand-cut diamond and ivory buffalo horn rims. If you have investor mind in your head, you should know that the diamond sunglass could be valuable investment.

1. D&G (DG2027B) ($386,609)

D&G DG2027B

The limited edition D&G DG2027B is our recent most expensive sunglasses in the world. It is coming with brown tinted frames encrusted with gold dotted with diamonds on the both rims. D&G as the Most Expensive Designer Sunglasses should be very proud with the product.

The Most Expensive Laptop

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:07:00 +0000

The Most Expensive Laptop in 2012 - It will be signed by Luvaglio, London brand of luxury, the world’s mostexpensive notebook: a completely black box studded with diamonds, enclosed within a precious casket. Even notebooks become precious objects, made by the skilled hands of jewelers, and engravers, following a trend started by another British company, Vertu, a manufacturer of exclusive and expensive cell phones. And here are top 2 The Most Expensive Laptop in the world in 2012.

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2. Tulip E-Go Diamond laptop: : $ 355,000

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The form, however, whilst providing the features of this laptop, it is also a limit, because it forces you to embed the keyboard and screen in an area a little sacrifice, with wide empty margins. What you lose in terms of functionality, however, the Tulip Ego retrieves it in terms of luxury and aesthetic grace: the body is completely covered with two interchangeable shells (one upper and one lower), made using leather and other fine materials. These coatings are known as “skins” are available in a wide variety of models, and are, in a sense, the distinguishing feature of this laptop.

Tulip Ego Diamond notebook designed by the Dutch company, as well as a 12.1 “WXGA (1280 × 800) widescreen and an ATI Radeon Xpress 200M, the specific features of the number of diamonds in the logo is covered with tulip-shaped stylized. In fact, this very exclusive model has 470 bright, pure and precious skins for a total cost of $ 350,000, slightly more than 270,000 €. Thats Tulip E-Go Diamond laptop, 2nd The Most Expensive Laptop in the world.

Specifications (the Tulip Ego notebook, the skin Ego Love Edition is purchased separately):

Processor: Mobile AMD Turion 64 Mobile
Memory: 1024 MB DDR SO-DIMM
Display: 12.1 “WXGA widescreen anti-glare (1280 x 800)
Video Card: Integrated in chipset ATI Radeon XPRESS 200 M
Optical drive: DVD +-RW Front
Hard drive: 80 GB SATA
Ports: S-Video out, 1 PC Card slot (1 Type II), 3 USB 2.0, 100 Mbit RJ 45, VGA, Microphone / line-in jack, Headphones / speaker / line-out consupporto S / PDIF, 1 mini-USB 2.0, 4-player dischede memory in-1
Networking: 10/100 Ethernet, WiFi 801.11 abg, Bluetooth
Dimensions and weight: 36 x 28 x 6 cm, 2.6 kg
Other: 2 interchangeable skins

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1. Luvaglio Laptop : $ 10,00,000 (1 Million)

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The Luvaglio, a must for the luxury, has produced what might be called the “million dollar laptop” computers from one million dollars.

In fact the details are small, but sufficient to make the idea of the reason for a cost that is many times greater than the average. First, the screen is 17 “LED (but still little chat technology implemented), designed to avoid glare and make images more vivid.
The hard drive is 128GB SSD (solid state) and owns a Blu-Ray “comfortable” with him.

The power button is made with a colored diamond that acts as a security identifier (and if someone tells me how to thank you!) And also has an integrated and automatic cleaning of the screen.
The CEO explained that the diamond is not to make a difference or something, but that is the whole machine to be expensive. Thats The Luvaglio, 1 Million dollars Laptop for the The Most Expensive Laptop.

World’s Most Expensive Motorcycles

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:15:00 +0000

Motorcycles have had mass appeal to the general public for roughly a century and a half. An American named Sylvester Howard Roper designed one of the first motorcycles in the 1860s. The motorcycle was displayed at fairs and circuses around the eastern U.S.. Europeans also had their hand in popularizing motorcycles and, during the World Wars, motorcycles functioned as a quick means of transportation.

As the motorcycle progressed, the engines and frames became bigger, sleeker, faster and more powerful, resulting in the high-tech and expensive motorcycles of today. If you can afford one, a custom motorcycle built to your exact specifications is within reach.

MV-Augusta F4CC – $120,000

This expensive motorcycle was created by Claudio Castiglioni, MV’s director. He wanted to create a spectacular motorcycle that met strategic marketing needs while also being something truly special and unique. The expensive motorcycle bearing his very own initials “CC” has a top speed of 315 kph (195 mph), 1078 cc’s and a 198 hp engine. Each bike boasts a platinum plate located near the top of the steering column showing the model number from 1 to 100, making this motorcycle all the more special to its owners.

MTT Turbine SuperBike – $150,000

Not only is this motorcycle expensive, it’s also extremely fast. This bike, also known as the Y2K Turbine Superbike, is the Guinness World Record holder for the “Most Powerful Motorcycle Ever to Enter Series Production”. The turbine engine in this one is made by Rolls Royce and is capable of over 300hp. The motorcycle also boasts carbon fiber fairings, a rear mounted camera with LCD color display, forward-and rear-looking radar detector with laser scrambler, one touch “Smart Start” ignition, and many other cool gadgets. This bike seams to be pretty popular in Hollywood. It starred in the movie “Torque” and even Jay Leno owns one!

Icon Sheene – $160,000

This bike was created by Andrew Morris in honor of legendary British Grand Prix motorcycle champion Barry Sheene, who died in 2003 at the age of 52. As such, only 52 of these 250 hp, turbocharged 1400cc motorcycles will be created, each emblazoned with a playing card hand-painted by the same artist who painted Sheene’s helmets, Mike Fairholme. Each of these bikes will be bespoke, tailored to fit the purchaser’s unique requirements.

Macchia Nera concept bike – $201,000

Built around a Ducati 998RS engine, this motorcycle’s Italian designers and engineers set out to create an extremely high tech and expensive motorcycle that would be thought of as “the ultimate track bike” that is “simply beautiful and beautifully simple”. The Testastretta engine is fitted with lightweight metals and alloys, like titanium and aluminum, making it very lightweight. The view from the side of the Macchia Nera shows exposed belts and engine components, giving its design a minimalist feel while still being aesthetically pleasing. We should add that this bike is a one of a kind and not in produced for retail at this point, but if you have an extra 150,000 Euros (US $201,000) laying around for an expensive toy, your dream might come true.

Ecosse Titanium Series RR Limited Edition – $275,000

This luxury motorbike features a titanium chassis with clear coated carbon fiber bodywork and wheels. It features a fuel injected, intercooled, supercharged 2,150cc billet motor and is capable of over 200 hp. Its saddle is ergonomic and adjustable. The bike also comes with a timepiece, designed by French watchmakers BRM, which is made to match the bike and is engraved with the same serial number as the handlebar clamp and VIN plate. This bike is limited to only 10 units.

Dodge Tomahawk V10 Superbike – $555,000

This reproduction of Dodge’s concept bike is considered an “automotive sculpture,” as it is not street legal in the US. Ten of these bikes were offered by Neiman Marcus in their 2003 Christmas Book. The Dodge Tomahawk V10 superbike boasts an 8.3 liter engine (505 cubic inch), and the 10 cylinders can bring the bike to a maximum speed of almost 400 mph. The 1500lb bike has an independent 4-wheel suspension and can reach 60 mph in around 2.5 seconds.

World’s Most Expensive Diamonds

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 02:12:00 +0000

Carat for carat, rubies and emeralds generally outprice the common diamond. Certain rare specimens of diamond, however, will eclipse even the priciest examples of those other gemstones. While some priceless gems exist, such as the world famous Hope Diamond, these are the most expensive diamonds ever sold.

The Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond – $23.4 million

The Wittelsbach-Graff diamond is a 35.56-carat blue diamond mined in India. The historic diamond was chosen by King Philip IV of Spain as part of the dowry for his daughter, the Infanta Margarita Teresa. Her suitor, Leopold I, later became Holy Roman Emperor and passed the diamond on to his heirs after she died in 1673. When the Archduchess of Austria married Bavaria’s Crown Prince in 1722, the diamond became known as “Der Blaue Wittelsbacher” (The Blue Wittelsbach) after the Crown Prince’s family. This diamond became the most expensive diamond in the world after being sold to London-based jeweler Laurence Graff in 2008. Graff immediately had the gem altered in order to enhance its color and remove some damage to its girdle, an action decried by some gemstone experts.

The Graff Pink – $46 million

Before this 24.78-carat “fancy intense pink” diamond was sold in 2010 to Mr. Graff at a Sotheby’s in London auction, it had last been sold by renowned jeweler Harry Winston. Pink diamonds are extremely valuable and only the rarest weigh more than 20 carats. It is unknown whether or not Graff plans to alter the Graff Pink. Sotheby’s made an additional $60 million on diamonds at the same auction.

Top Ten Most Expensive Books Of The World

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:38:00 +0000

	The Codex Leicester is a collection of largely scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci. The Codex was purchased in 1980 by wealthy industrialist, art collector, and philanthropist Armand Hammer from the Leicester estate, and renamed the “Codex Hammer”. In 1994 Bill Gates bought it at auction for $30.8 million, making it the most expensive book ever, and renamed it the Codex Leicester.
	The Gospels of Henry the Lion were intended by Henry the Lion, The manuscript, containing 266 pages with the text of the four gospels, 50 of them full page illustrations, was sold by auction on 6 December 1983 at Sotheby’s in London for £8,140,000.The gospel book, kept in the Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbuttel, and for security reasons is displayed only once every two years.
	The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century (two of them in prose, the rest in verse). The tales, some of which are originals and others are not. This is the one of the most expensive book. It have been sold (£4,600,000) pound In 8, Jul 1998.
	The Gutenberg Bible, This is the one of the first book ever printed by, Johan Gutenberg and Johan fust in 1455. This is one of the greatest treasures in the Ransom Center’s collections. The Center’s Bible was acquired in 1978 and is one of only five complete examples in the United States, and this is the one of the most expensive books. It have been sold ($5,390,000) in 22, Oct 1987 London.
	The Northumberland Bestiary was one of the most important traditions to emerge from medieval England. It served as the most famous picture book of its time. This book hold the record for an English manuscript, and this the one of the most expensive book. The book have been sold (£2,700,000) in 29,Nov 1990 London.
	Autograph manuscript of nine symphonies By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart this book is on music manuscript, and this the one on the most expensive book of the world. This book hold the record for any music manuscript. It have been sold ($3,600,000) (£2,292,993) in 22,May 1987 London.
	The Birds of America is the title of a book by naturalist and painter John James Audubon, containing paintings. This book holds the records for any natural history, and this is the one of the most expensive book in the world. It have been sold ($3,600,000)(£2,292,993) in 6,June 1989 New York.
	Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to books of the Bible, originally written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and of uncontroversial canonicity. This is the one of the most expensive book and hold the record for any Hebrew manuscript. Book have been sold (£1,850,000) in 5,Dec 1989 London.
	The Monypenny Breviary, illuminated manuscript, c,14900-95. Book is also in the list of most expensive books. This book hold the record for any French manuscript .Book have been sold (£1,700,000) in 19,Jun 1989 London.
	The Hours and psalter of Elizabeth de Bohum, Countess of Northampton, c,1340-45. This is the on of the most expensive book and it have been sold (£1,400,000) in 21,Jun 1988 London.

10 Most Expensive Hotel Rooms in The World

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:42:00 +0000

Have you ever dreamed of spending a relaxing night at a luxury hotel? Or maybe planning a romantic evening or a honeymoon where you want to impress your beloved? What would you want included? A gorgeous view? A large comfy bed? A jacuzzi? A personal butler?

Did you know that prices at the best hotel suites have gone up 10% this year? Are you ready to drop about $30,000 for one night? Would you be willing to spend that kind of money on a hotel room? And by the way, none of the nightly room rates includes tax so be prepared to add another 10 – 17% to your bill at checkout.

Here are the 10 most expensive hotel rooms in the world from the last year.

10. The Penthouse Suite, The Martinez Hotel, Cannes

Nightly Rate: $18,000

This is the biggest, most expensive, and the only terraced penthouse suite on the Cote d’Azur. Both of the two suites has a jacuzzi, plasma screen televisions, DVD library, kitchen, open bar, private butler on call 24/7 (ditto for a limousine), and an option to join both suites into one big apartment. The luxury has no limit here – the design is kept in the Art Deco style, with streamlined furniture, silk curtains and teak parquet floors.

The wraparound terrace is 2,000 square feet with the views of the Lerins Islands as well as the entire Bay of Cannes and can comfortably hold 100 people. One Saudi sheik liked the suite so much he wanted to rent it for five years. The hotel said no. What else can you say? Tres magnifique!

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9. Ritz-Carlton Suite, Ritz-Carlton Moscow

Nightly Rate: $18.200

The floor-to-ceiling windows in the Ritz-Carlton Suite will give you the most beautiful views of the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and Christ the Savior Cathedral. The furnishings are in a Classic Russian Imperial style. The 2,500 square-foot suite comes with a spacious living room, dining area, library, office room and boardroom, grand piano, and heated floor.

You will get to enjoy five meals a day and their very own KGB-approved autonomous energy supply system and secure telecommunications array.

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8. Royal Suite, Burj Al Arab, Dubai

Nightly Rate: $19.000

The two-story, 8,400-square-foot suite features views over the Arabian sea, marble flooring, a rotating four-poster bed in the master bedroom, dining area, and a private cinema and elevator between the split-level rooms.

The marble bath comes fully stocked with full-sized products from Hermes. Guests are met by a chauffeur driven Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph (or, for a bit extra, by a helicopter). A personal butler stands 24/7 at the ready to fulfill every wish. The Royal Suite is the last word in luxury with a marble and gold staircase, leopard print tufted carpets and Versace linens.

What you can also enjoy is a submarine ride to an underwater restaurant complete with shark-infested aquarium.

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7. Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt, Vendôme, Paris

Nightly Rate: $20.000

This pricey suite is located on the 5th floor and takes 200-sq.-meters. A 60-sq.-meter balcony is overlooking the Rue de la Paix, with an outstanding view of the Vendôme column. The Imperial Suite has high ceilings, a dining room, kitchenette, bar, and a mansard roof. It also includes in-suite spa with whirlpool bath, steam room shower and a built-in massage table. Also included are high-speed Internet access and a computer with flat screen monitor, multi-line telephones, and a separate work area to help you enjoy the work process.

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6. The Bridge Suite, The Atlantis, Bahamas

Nightly Rate: $22.000

The Bridge Suite is located on top of a bridge that connects the two Royal Towers buildings, so it overlooks the entire resort and marina. An 800 square foot balcony and 12-foot high ceilings throughout with full length windows allow you to enjoy a 360 view of the water, lagoons and pools in Paradise Island. We can make a guess that most of the price is paid for the location of the suite. Forbes reports the suite has hosted guests including Oprah, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, and Bill Gates.

The suite has 10 rooms that are decorated in black, red and gold (including a 22-karat gold chandelier in the dining room). The living room is a 1,250-square-foot room with grand piano and twin entertainment centers. The master bedroom has a sitting area, his-and-hers closets so large that you can park your car there, and hand-painted linens. The kitchen also has its own entrance, so a permanent staff of seven, including a butler and a cook can access the rooms without bothering you.

5. Presidential Suite, Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo

Nightly Rate: $25.000

The suite is located on the 53rd floor above Tokyo with spectacular views that include the Imperial Palace outer gardens and Roppongi Hills.

In the suite’s 3300 sq ft you get pure luxury with a stunning four poster bed in the master bedroom, personal concierge, connected living room/dining room, an oversized marble bathroom with Sony BRAVIA 20 inch flat screen television, and access to indoor pool and fitness studio.

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4. Villa La Capula Suite, Westin Excelsior, Rome

Nightly Rate: $29.000

The suite is located on the fifth and sixth floor underneath the cupola of the hotel which was made famous by Fellini’s movies. It covers 6,099 square feet and has an additional 1,808 square feet of balconies and terraces. While it only has two bedrooms, five more can be joined to it. The entire suite was just remodeled in 1998 for a cost of around $7 million. So now you will have all things Roman and excessive – a cupola, a Pompeii-style Jacuzzi pool, frescoes (the painted horizons on the frescoes were designed to match perfectly with the real Roman one), stained glass windows, and almost 2,000 feet of balcony space including a sun deck overlooking the Via Veneto district.

The downstairs also has a private kitchen, and the dining room features an antique Murano glass chandelier, a private wine cabinet with over 150 wines to choose from and a study/library covered in hand-carved wood. And what really makes this suite over the top is a private cinema with Dolby surround sound.

Now that’s living la dolce vita.

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3. Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons Hotel, New York

Nightly Rate: $34.000

The $50 million Ty Warner Penthouse at the Four Seasons in NY was designed by legendary architect I.M. Pei, Peter Marino and hotel owner Ty Warner.

The nine-room suite has walls inlaid with mother of pearl, gold and platinum-woven fabrics. The suite is located on the 52nd floor of New York’s tallest hotel with floor-to-ceiling bay windows offering a breathtaking 360 degree view of the City. If that is not relaxing enough you can enjoy a waterfall in the Zen Room, play the grand piano in the library or soak in a tub overlooking Central Park. Full spa treatments, a personal trainer and a 24/7 butler are all included, and if you still find a will to leave, you can choose to be chauffeured in a Rolls Royce or Maybach, and you’re always guaranteed a table at the hotel’s renowned L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon restaurant.

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2. Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas

Nightly Rate: $40.000

If anyone knows how to vacation in Las Vegas, that will be Hugh Hefner. Even though he is known as a homebody he has spent a few nights away from the mansion at the Sky Villa. The suite itself was built to model the original playboy mansion; it also incorporates elements derived from a vintage Playboy magazine article about the ultimate bachelor pad. The suite cost roughly $10 million to build but the high-rollers can rent it for a small $40,000 a night. Everything screams S-E-X-Y at the Sky Villa. The two-story 9,000 square foot Villa includes a glass elevator, a rotating bed set beneath a mirrored ceiling, and a glass wall Jacuzzi that extends out over the hotel and offers amazing Strip views, around-the-clock butler service, massage and spa rooms, work-out room and poker table, fireplace, three bedrooms, and pop-up plasma TVs.
Sorry, Bunnies not included.

1. Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel, Geneva

Nightly Rate: $53.000

The Imperial Suite, which is actually an entire top floor of the hotel, is reached via a private elevator and has four bedrooms, six bathrooms with mosaic marble floor, a cocktail lounge and a terrace with a dramatic view through the bulletproof windows over the city, Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc — all of which overlook Lake Geneva. The suite is decorated in a contemporary style, with marble and hardwood floors. The living room has a billiards table, a library and a cocktail lounge with a view of the water fountain, and can accommodate 40 people. The dining room seats 26 people around an oval mahogany table.

The hotel’s staff reassures guests that the security in the Imperial Suite is among the best in the world, ideal for celebrities or traveling heads of state who visit the United Nations headquarters next door at the Palais Wilson.

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World’s Most Expensive Toilets

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:35:00 +0000

If someone were to say, “I just bought a Toto,” you might think they’d purchased a little black Terrier and named it after the Wizard of Oz costar. They could, on the other hand, be the proud owner of a luxurious new commode. That technological marvel is just the first on our list of the most expensive toilets in the world.

Toto Neorest 600 – $5,000

What more do you need, when doing your business, than your standard lavatory offers? Toto’s most expensive toilet, the Neorest 600, has a wide range of features to answer that question. For starters, the lid automatically opens whenever you approach the toilet. As soon as you rise from your state of the art porcelain throne, it automatically engages its Power Catalytic Air Purifier function. Six seconds after you’re out of range of the toilet’s sensor zone, it will automatically flush and close both the lid and the seat.

For those functions that aren’t automatic, there’s a wireless remote control. A button-press can open, close or warm the seat, change the water temperature, perform a powerful “Cyclone flush” instead of the automatic light flush or control the Washlet functions you’ll use to tidy yourself up after using the expensive toilet.

“Dagobert” Wooden Toilet Throne by Herbeau – $14,123

For a commode that really puts the “throne” in “porcelain throne,” look no further than this magnificent, five-foot-tall latrine. The solid ash toilet is named after King Dagobert, the last ruler of the Merovingian dynasty in 8th Century France. As such, His Majesty’s Royal Privy plays “Le Bon Roi Dagobert” (“The Good King Dagobert”) when the lid is lifted. When you’ve finished your business, the pull chain flushes the toilet and rings a bell to let your attendants know their services are needed.

The Dagobert also includes both a candleholder and an ashtray.

Hang Fung Gold Toilet – around $5 million

This 24k gold toilet is a feature of Hang Fung jeweler’s solid gold bathroom in Hong Kong. The company had the toilet made when gold was merely $200 per ounce and planned to melt it down if gold ever reached $1,000 per ounce. When the price of gold neared the $1,000 mark in early 2008, however, the company stated that they would not have it melted down. One ton of the golden bathroom accessories surrounding the toilet would be melted down instead.

Moon River Art Park Toilet – $750,000

A toilet hidden in a cave in Shanghai’s Moon River Art Park cost 5 million yuan to build. The cave is manmade and decked out like a grotto. While entry to the park costs 30 yuan, using the toilet is free. It may be difficult to get in, though. Toilet cleaners reported people waiting in line up to two hours when the toilet was first opened in 2005.

International Space Station Toilet – $19 million

What may just be the most expensive toilet ever built isn’t the world’s most expensive toilet. That’s because it’s being launched into space! The toilet system NASA had built by Russia was delivered to the international Space Station in November 2008. The system, the same as the one in place on the Russian side of the station, recycles urine into water. It will replace a toilet system that has broken twice in 2008.

Most Expensive Wines in the World

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:57:00 +0000

The word wine has its root from the ancient Greek word for vines, vinos. Grapevines produces lush grapes which are then fermented to create the popular yet sophisticated alcoholic drink we know as wine. In many areas, the English word wine and its synonyms in different languages are protected by law, as other beverages similar to wine can be produced from fruits, rice, flowers and honey.

At the highest end, rare, super-expensive wines are often the costliest item on the menu, and exceptional vintages from the best vineyards may sell for thousands of dollars per bottle. Expensive red wines with their complex subtleties are traditionally more costly than other expensive wines.

Here are the most expensive wines in the world.

1992 Screaming Eagle
around $80,000

At Auction Napa Valley 2008, a charity event, a lot of six magnums of Screaming Eagle were sold for $500,000. In addition to the wine, the lot included a dinner at the winery. The lucky purchaser was Chase Bailey, an executive at Cisco Systems.

1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild Jeroboam
$114,614

Sold to an anonymous buyer at a Christie’s auction in 1997, this bottle comes from what is considered by wine enthusiasts to be one of the finest vintages of the 20th century.

“Th.J” 1787 Chateau Lafitte
$160,000

A bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafitte which sold at Christie’s London in December of 1985, this wine was originally reported to be from the cellar of Thomas Jefferson, the former US President, and this most expensive bottle of wine had the initials Th.J etched into the glass bottle. It made its way into the hands of American tycoon Bill Koch, who became suspicious of the origins of the four bottles he had purchased. Eventually, he instigated the investigation that debunked the supposed origin of what was, at the time of purchase, the most expensive wine in the world.

Shipwrecked 1907 Heidsieck
$275,000

These hundred year old bottles of Champagne from the Heidsieck vineyard in Champagne took over eighty years to reach their destination. Shipped to the Russian Imperial family in 1916, a shipwreck off the coast of Finland caused this champagne to be lost at sea until divers discovered over 200 bottles in 1997. Now they’re finally being sold—to wealthy guests at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Moscow, at least. Of course, the wine’s extraordinary tale and incredible age are what makes it the world’s most expensive wine.

Most Expensive Laptop

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:41:00 +0000

If you thought your 17” Apple MacBook or Alienware Aurora mALX qualified as an expensive laptop, think again.

In 1982 GriD Systems released the Compass 1100 laptop costing about $10,000 (inflation adjusted $20,200). Even this cost pales in comparison to the reports of a costly laptop that luxury manufacturer Luvaglio London is set to release in the near future by special order the most expensive laptop ever sold, with a price tag of a million dollars.

As of now all of the details are very sparse and the technical specifications have not been made fully available. We aren’t even sure what this laptop is made with to give it a cost of $1,000,000, but the exterior looks impressive. You can bet with a price this excessive, the expensive laptop will be a spectacle of precious metals and materials and include more than a couple gemstones.

In late 2005 the Dutch company Ego Lifestyle B.V. released the Tulip E-Go Diamond laptop, which was previously the world’s most expensive laptop and this mobile computer had over 80 total carats of diamonds and a retail price of €283,000.

Top Ten Most Expensive food

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:44:00 +0000

If you’re looking to expand your horizons into the world of excess culinary expense, then you could do worse than starting with a few items on the list below. We’ve collected some of the most outlandish, outrageous and, above all, the most expensive foods in the world.

Matsutake Mushrooms – $1000/pound

The matsutake, or mattake, mushroom is expensive because of its rarity. While its historical prevalence meant it was nearly synonymous with autumn in Japan, the introduction of an insect that kills the trees under which the mushroom grows has caused a dramatic decrease in the number of matsutake mushrooms. A method for farming the matsutake has yet to be developed, which means the lack of trees from which to harvest these mushrooms naturally is a serious problem for the species.

The World’s Most Expensive Bagel – $1000

This bagel, created by Executive Chef Frank Tujague for New York’s Westin Hotel, is topped with white truffle cream cheese and goji berry infused Riesling jelly with golden leaves. The bagel’s price is justified when you consider that white truffles happen to be the second most expensive food by weight, eclipsed only by caviar. The underground fungus grows only under specific oak trees in Alba, Italy. Their pheromone-like odor is considered to be an aphrodisiac and is the reason dogs and female pigs are used to hunt the precious truffle.

The Zillion Dollar Frittata – $1000

This absurdly expensive breakfast item consists of a mixture of eggs, lobster and 10 ounces of sevruga caviar (which costs the restaurant $65 per ounce). On the menu next to the expensive omelet there is a challenge that reads, “Norma dares you to expense this.”

Wagyu Steak – $2800

While Wagyu cattle are raised both in and outside Japan, the Kobe varietal which is raised specifically in the Hyogo prefecture is the most elite. Employing the most traditional production methods, Kobe beef comes from cows that are allegedly fed only beer and massaged by hand to ensure a tenderness and marbling beyond compare. These dishes can be out of range for the average restaurateur, carrying an unhealthy load of fat and a price tag to match. For your next after-work social, you might try taking your associates to New York City’s Craftsteak, where a full Wagyu rib eye was served up to a private party for $2800.

Samundari Khazana, the World’s Most Expensive Curry – $3200

To celebrate the DVD release of Slumdog Millionaire, Bombay Brassiere packed this curry platter full of the most expensive ingredients they could find. Devon crab and white truffle and a half tomato filled with Beluga caviar and dressed with gold leaf are just the start of this lavish dish. A Scottish lobster, also coated with gold, four abalone and four shelled and hollowed quails’ eggs filled with even more caviar round out the dish.

Domenico Crolla’s “Pizza Royale 007″ – $4200

The 12 inch pizza pie is densely packed with an assortment of some of the world’s most expensive food ingredients, such as lobster marinated in cognac, caviar soaked in champagne, sunblush tomato sauce, Scottish smoked salmon, venison medallions, prosciutto, and vintage balsamic vinegar. In addition to all these fine ingredients, it’s topped with a significant amount of edible 24-carat gold flakes.

(via Los Angeles Times)

Dansuke Watermelon – $6,100

In a country where watermelons are rare game, they can be a costly commodity. That’s how a 17-pound Japanese watermelon became the most expensive watermelon in the world. Densuke watermelons, a type of black watermelon grown only on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, are usually given as gifts due to their extraordinary rarity. There were only sixty-five of the fruits among the first harvest this season. They are harder and crisper than the watermelons we Americans are used to and, according to Tohma Agricultural Cooperative’s spokesman, they “have a different level of sweetness.”

Yubari Melons – $22,872

Another type of expensive melon, the world’s most expensive cantaloupes are a pair of Yubari melons and were the first auction of the 2008 season. They had previously been judged the best pair and were purchased by the owner of a nearby seafood lunchbox and souvenir business. It had some competition—100 melons grown by farmers from Yubari were also judged.

Almas Caviar – $25,000

Almas caviar comes from Iran making it extremely rare and extremely expensive. The only known outlet is the Caviar House & Prunier in London England’s Picadilly that sells a kilo of the expensive Almas caviar in a 24-karat gold tin for £16,000, or about $25,000. Coincidentally, it is also where you can find the most expensive meal in Britain. The Caviar House also sells a £800 tin for those on a smaller budget.

Italian White Alba Truffle – $160,406

Expensive truffles are notoriously pricey because they are difficult to cultivate. This makes them a true delicacy which some have called the king of all fungi. The Associate Press reported that a real estate investor and his wife from Hong Kong have paid €125,000 ($160,406 USD) for a gigantic Italian White Alba truffle which is reportedly the world’s most expensive ever. The most expensive truffle weighs in 1.51 kilograms (3.3 lbs).

Top 10 Most Expensive Shoes in the World

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:34:00 +0000

#9: Diamond-Encrusted Custom Nikes

Price tag: $50,000

Specs: 11 carats of chocolate-colored diamonds outline the “swooshes” on a pair of Nike “So Cal” Air Force 1 “Supreme Max” runners

#9′s Claim to Shoe Fame: One of the only two menswear shoes represented in the top 10. They were purchased by Outkast’s Antwan “Big Boi” Patton.

The Nike limited editions were customized with the fancy colored diamonds by Laced Up owner Ernel Dawkins and C Couture boutique owner Rita Patel.

Big Boi with his $50,000 Nike runners

#8: Slippers Worn by Indian Prince

Price tag: $160,000

Specs: Rare slippers encrusted with rubies and diamonds were once worn by the Indian prince Nizam Sikandar Jah of Hyderabad in the 18th century.

#8′s Claim to Shoe Fame: In January 2006, the jeweled slippers were stolen from the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada.

A few days later they were recovered thanks to an anonymous tipster. Experts examined the shoes and believe no damage had been done “though there is evidence the shoes have been worn”. A 35 year old man was arrested in connection to the robbery.

#7: Stuart Weitzman’s “Diamond Dream” Stilettos

Price tag: $500,000

Specs: Shoe designer Stuart Weitzman and jeweler Kwiat partnered to create these stilettos adorned with 1,420 brilliant-cut Kwiat colorless diamonds weighing over 30 carats and set in platinum.

#7′s Claim to Shoe Fame: Anika Noni Rose, aka “the other one” in Dreamgirls, got her chance to shine at the Oscars in 2007 when she wore Stuart Weitzman’s “Diamond Dream” strappy sandals on the red carpet.

Anika Noni Rose rocking the Diamond Dream $500K stilettos

#6: Ruby Slippers from “The Wizard of Oz”

Price tag: $666,000

Specs: White silk pumps from the Innes Shoe Co. were customized by the Wizard of Oz costume department.

The bows have three large red glass jewels, bugle beads and glass rhinestones in silver settings.

#6′s Claim to Shoe Fame: While it is believed there were seven pairs created for 1939 movie classic “The Wizard of Oz”, the whereabouts of only four pairs are known.

One pair is in the Smithsonian; another was stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum and has yet to be recovered.

The last pair to come up for sale was in 2000, when it was sold at auction by Christie’s for $666,000.

#5: Stuart Weitzman “Retro Rose” Pumps

Price tag: $1,000,000

Specs: Two diamond roses, fixed to 1940s-style dusty gold high heels.

More than 1,800 Kwiat diamonds weighing 100 carats were used to make the roses.

#5′s Claim to Shoe Fame: Every year, fashion footwear king Stuart Weitzman picks a new and rising star, a “Hollywood Cinderella”, to wear his latest multi-million dollar shoes to the Oscars.

In 2008, he selected screenwriter Diablo Cody to wear the $1M heels known as the “Retro Rose” down the Academy Awards red carpet.

Ms. Cody initially agreed to wear them but later backed out after critics questioned her “Indie”, anti-Hollywood cred for participating in a glamorous publicity stunt. She opted to wear an unnamed brand instead.

Diablo Cody at the 2008 Oscars in her no-name gold flats

#4 Stuart Weitzman “Platinum Guild” Stilettos

Price tag: $1,090,000

Specs: 464 Kwiat pear and round-shaped diamonds set in pure platinum thread top off these strappy stilettos.

#4′s Claim to Shoe Fame: Actress Laura Harring was the first Stuart Weitzman “Cinderella”. She was chosen by the shoe designer to wear the “Platinum Guild” diamond encrusted sandals to the 2002 Academy Awards.

Accompanied by three bodyguards, the shoes paled in comparison with the $27 million dollar necklace she also wore to the awards show.

Laura Harring in the Platinum Guild diamond heels

#3 Stuart Weitzman “Ruby Slippers”

Price tag: $1,600,000

Model Nicola Churchwood shows off Stuart Weitzman's Ruby Slippers

Jeweler Oscar Heyman & Bros contributed 642 round and oval rubies totalling some 120 carats, set in pure woven platinum on the 4 1/2 red satin stilettos.

#3′s Claim to Shoe Fame: In 2003 Stuart Weitzman created the “Ruby Slippers” in anticipation of another breakthrough starlet wearing them to that year’s Academy Awards. His inspiration was the original ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy, otherwise known as #6 in our list.

However Mr. Weitzman ended up cancelling his shoe’s appearance. His spokesperson Jane Weitzman stated…”we pulled the ruby shoes we were planning to show off at the Oscars out of respect for those fighting in Iraq.”

Tied for #2: Stuart Weitzman Tanzanite Heels

Price tag: $2,000,000

Specs: Stuart Weitzman teamed with jeweler Le Vian to painstaking match and cut 185 carats of museum-quality tanzanite and 28 carats of diamonds.

#2′s Tanzanite Claim to Shoe Fame: These eye-popping, $2M kicks were unveiled June 2008 in Las Vegas. No one has been photographed wearing them yet; it’s speculated that Mr. Weitzman created them for the Academy Awards in 2009.

Tied for #2: Stuart Weitzman’s “Cinderella Slippers”

Price tag: $2,000,000

Specs: 4 1/2 inch stiletto heels are set with 595 carats of platinum-set Kwiat diamonds.

One shoe is set with a 5-carat amaretto diamond, alone worth $1M.

#2′s Cinderella Claim to Shoe Fame: The “Cinderella Slippers” were worn by singer Alison Krauss (nominated for best song for the film Cold Mountain) at the 2004 Oscars while walking the red carpet and performing onstage.

Mr. Weitzman’s daughters were fans of Alison Krauss, and had asked their father to approach the bluegrass diva about wearing the $2M sparklers.

Prior to the Oscars, Ms. Krauss said “I just want the folks back home to be proud. To say, ‘She sang in tune and didn’t forget the words. And she didn’t fall off them shoes.”

#1: Stuart Weitzman’s Rita Hayworth Heels

Price tag: $3,000,000

Specs: Stuart Weitzman designed the satin open toe stilettos around a pair of earrings owned by movie legend Rita Hayworth.

The earrings are laden with rubies, sapphires and diamonds.

#1′s Claim to Shoe Fame: For the 2006 Academy Awards, musician and Oscar-nominee Kathleen “Bird” York was tapped to wear Stuart Weitzman’s latest over-the-top creations.

The shoes “centerpieces” were diamond and precious gemstone earrings from the estate of late 40′s movie siren Rita Hayworth, and now belong to Hayworth’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan.

Kathleen "Bird" York in her $3M heels at the Oscars

World’s Most Expensive Cigars

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:36:00 +0000

Cigar tobacco is grown in many places throughout the Americas and Caribbean, but certain cigars manufactured in Cuba are widely considered the best cigars in the world. Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar. As expensive cigars are symbols of wealth and success, the world’s most expensive cigars may hold far more value than their price tag suggests.

Altadis’ Behike

When Altadis of Spain launched their “Behike” cigars, they were the most expensive cigars in the world. The expensive cigars were reportedly named after the tribal chief or sorcerer of the Cuban/pre-Colombian Taino tribe. A mere four thousand of the limited edition Cohiba brand cigars have been released and each box includes forty expensive cigars and allegedly retails for around $18,846. Yes, the expensive cigar will cost you $420 for each smoke.

Gurkha’s His Majesty’s Reserve

They’ve been outdone, however, by Gurkha’s premier cigar, His Majesty’s Reserve. Rightfully touted as the most expensive cigar in the world, these cigars aren’t just made with premium tobacco—they’re also infused with a generous portion of Louis XIII Cognac in a process that retains the flavor of the tobacco. Louis XIII Cognac, as you may know, is one of the finest cognacs on the market today.
Each year, fewer than 100 boxes of His Majesty’s Reserve cigars are produced and Gurkha’s president oversees their allocation to retailers. At $750, just one of these most expensive cigars will probably cost more than your vintage smoking jacket, but for the true aficionado, it may be a smoke too good to pass up.

Most Expensive Tea

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:28:00 +0000

Tea is an extremely popular beverage around the world, coming in second to coffee as the most popular beverage in the world. Typically packaged in a porous bag, tea leaves are soaked in hot water for a short time to create the drink we all know as tea. Tea can be served hot or ice cold. White tea, Green tea, Oolong, Black/Red Tea, and Yellow teas are among the most commonly enjoyed teas. Since first being discovered in China around 2000 BC, tea has evolved into a lucrative, worldwide market that has created some expensive teas most people wouldn’t dream of buying, let alone drinking.

The most expensive teabag in the world
(via Ananova)

If you consider yourself a tea connoisseur of sorts and love to drink expensive cups of tea, the Ritz Carlton of Hong Kong boast the world’s most expensive High Tea at a price of $8,888 per couple. Of course, you’ll get all sorts of high-priced finger foods too. Furthermore, if you’re into tea culture enough to buy accessories, nothing says you’re rich like this handcrafted diamond teabag worth £7,500 (US $15,250), made by Boodles jewelers to celebrate PG Tips’ 75^thbirthday. The most expensive teabag in the world contains 280 diamonds and is being used to raise money for a children’s charity in Manchester, England.

The name Darjeeling also may ring a bell when thinking of expensive teas. Probably the most famous type of tea in the industry, it is so expensive because its best plants are grown on steep and dangerous slopes around the India, Nepal, and Bhutan border that range from 5,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level.

A Darjeeling tea

The Silver Tips teas made by the Makaibari estate brand in 2003 made headlines for reaching prices of $400 US for one kilogram. In 2007, depending on market prices and the season, a single-estate Darjeeling will cost about $25 to $100 US per pound at retail, but the most expensive Darjeelings are currently fetching prices of about $3,300 US per kilogram (2.2 pounds).

The most expensive tea in the world, however, is a rare Chinese tea called Tieguanyin, which is priced at £1,700 per kilo (that’s around $1,500/lb). The tea is named after the Buddhist deity Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy). It’s an oolong tea, meaning its oxidization is somewhere between that of black and green teas. Luckily for anyone who buys this expensive tea, a leaf can be brewed up to seven times before it loses its flavor.

Tieguanyin leaves and tea

salam sejahtera ke atas kamu wahai kawan2 ku..

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 19:27:00 +0000

ade org kata kat aku,guna FB,YOU TUBE dan TWITTER blh dapat duit?mungkin korang dah tau dulu dari aku?yg mana dah tau tu tlg ajarkan aku ye!yg belum tau tu,jom join aku mana la tau kot2 ade rezeki plak kat program ni,jadi!same2 la kita belajar ye.kepada blogger2 yg otai tu tlg bg comment kat aku.

WHAT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE PERFUME FOR WOMEN EVER!

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:53:00 +0000

Majesty: Price $215,000 a bottle
Elisabeth Noel Jones--$3
MOST EXPENSIVE PERFUME FOR WOMEN:
- Clive Christian's Imperial Majesty: Price $215,000 a bottle
- Elisabeth Noel Jones--$36,000
- Guerlain's Le Parfum Sur Mesure, or Henry Dunay's Sabi---$30,000 an ounce
- Clive Christian No. 1: Price $2,150 (2 oz.)
- Caron's Poivre: $2,000
6,000
Guerlain's Le Parfum Sur Mesure, or Henry Dunay's Sabi---$30,000 an ounce
Clive Christian No. 1: Price $2,150 (2 oz.)
Caron's Poivre: $2,000

How to Buy a First-Year Wedding Anniversary Gift

noreply@blogger.com (antik) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:45:00 +0000

Make her happy on your first anniversary

Celebrate one year of marriage with paper gifts from the traditional list. Clocks represent the contemporary alternative. Of course you can get creative and buy whatever you like, but if you want to do it the traditional way, here's what goes.

Instructions

Chef Services
Gift Ribbons
Theater tickets
Newspaper Subscriptions
Tissue paper
Anniversary Greeting Cards
Wrapping Paper
Garden Sundials
Magazine Subscriptions
Mantle Clocks
Music Gift Certificates
Women's Watches
Gift Bags
Personalized Stationery
Grandfather Clocks
Gift Bows
Calendars

- 1
  Decide between the traditional gift and the contemporary for the first anniversary of your marriage. When shopping for a couple, keep both partners in mind.
- 2
  Try to think creatively, not literally.
- 3
  Shop successfully for a couple by asking around for insight into their taste and style, if you don't know them well.
- 4
  Consider the following paper gifts, if you opt for a present from the traditional list: engraved stationery, a book, a scrapbook, a newspaper or magazine subscription, or even a tree to plant in the backyard.
- 5
  Interpret clocks to mean watches, calendars, weekend getaways, babysitting, maid or chef services, or a grandfather or mantel clock.
- 6
  Consider a more unconventional purchase. Think of something they wanted but didn't get for a wedding gift, or something fun that would enhance their marriage, such as rock-climbing lessons.

SEMUANYA MAHAL

Top 10 Most Expensive Paintings

Millions and Hundreds of Millions of dollars are spent every year by the wealthy seeking a highly sought after piece of art. Following is a list of the Top Ten Most Expensive Paintings of All Time and an explanation of what makes them so special and worth the exorbitant price.

1. Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer by Gustav Klimt ($135,000,000)

2. Garçon à la Pipe by Pablo Picasso ($104,100,000)

3. Dora Maar with Cat by Pablo Picasso ($95,200,000)

4. Portrait of Dr. Gachet by Vincent van Gogh ($82,500,000)

5. Bal Au Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir ($78,000,000)

6. Massacre of the Innocents by Peter Paul Rubens ($76,700,000)

7. Portrait de l'Artiste sans Barbe by Vincent van Gogh ($71,500,000)

8. Rideau, Cruchon et Compotier by Paul Cézanne ($60,500,000)

9. Femme aux Bras Croisés by Pablo Picasso ($55,000,000)

10. Irises by Vincent Van Gogh ($53,900,000)

No. 5, 1948 by Jackson Pollock ($140,000,000?)

Top 10 Most Expensive Gadgets

Insanely Expensive Gadgets for the Elite

Ecosse Titanium Series FE Ti XX Motorcycle: $300,000

Harry Winston Opus 12 Watch: $260,000

Megatrend MKIII Speakers: $80,000

MWE Emperor 200 PC WorkStation: $45,000

S-Works + McLaren Venge Bicycle: $18,000

Vertu Constellation Smartphone: $13,800

The Kohler Numi Toilet System: $6,400

Stax SR-009 Earspeakers: $5,250

Victorinox 1TB Swiss Army Knife: $3,000

iPhone 4 Docking Station Made of Crystal: $500

Top 10 most expensive cameras

Top Ten Most Expensive Jeans

10. Levi Strauss & Co.

9. 7 For All Mankind

8. Earnest Sewn

7. Roberto Cavalli

6. Dolce & Gabbana

5. APO Jeans

4. Gucci

3. Escada

2. Levi Strauss & Co.

1. Secret Circus

The 10 Most Expensive Film

10 Most Expensive Gemstones

Top 10 most expensive video game

10. Killzone 2: $45 million

9. Final Fantasy XII: $48 million

8. LA Noire: $50 million

7. APB, $50 million

6. Halo 3, $55 million

5. Metal Gear Solid 4, $60 million

4. Too Human, $60+ million

3. Shenmue, $70 million

2. Gran Turismo 5: $80 million

1. Grand Theft Auto 4: $100 million

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The 10 Most Expensive Desserts in the World

Top 10 Most Expensive Sunglasses in the world

Tag Clouds:

The Most Expensive Laptop

2. Tulip E-Go Diamond laptop: : $ 355,000

1. Luvaglio Laptop : $ 10,00,000 (1 Million)

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World’s Most Expensive Diamonds

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7. Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt, Vendôme, Paris

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