8 expensive tech gifts actually worth the price
Because you like to spit in the face of economic tumult, and you know that every new shiny object brings a geek good luck, this holiday gift-giving season may turn out to be your most extravagant. So here we present to you the finest list of the most unapologetically indulgent gifts sure to break the bank. (Hey, we already showed you the cheap gifts still worth a look, anyway.)
Like this list? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide, which is an easy place to find all of our holiday gift lists as we head on into the end-of-the-year gift-buying blitz.
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1. Hublot King Power Watch In this case we're torn between wondering which makes this watch more over the top, the massive price tag, or the fact that Hublot felt the need to emphasize its grandeur by calling it the King Power Dwayne Wade Watch. The watch will be sold as a limited edition item with only 500 being offered just before the holidays. Constructed of a bead-blasted black ceramic case and trimmed in Wade's Miami Heat colors (with his jersey number displayed on the watch face), the Swiss watchmaker also outfitted the device with a red chrono-pusher and sub-dials. Price: $20,000
2. Canon C300 Say you've got an aspiring filmmaker in your house and you set your eyes on getting him the high-definition DSLR Canon EOS 7D for about $1,500. Then you felt a little guilty and decided to trade up to the $3,000 Canon 5D Mark II. Well get ready to witness the frown of disappoint darken your loved one's face as there's new player in town that, even though it was just recently announced, has quickly become the must-have digital camera for indie filmmakers. The Canon C300 essentially has the ability to deliver Hollywood-grade visuals thanks to a super 35-millimeter equivalent 16:9 large CMOS sensor. Price: $20,000 (shipping early next year)
3. eleMMent Palazzo Motor Home Designed by Austria's (yes, home of the Terminator, makes sense) Marchi Mobile, the luxury vehicle combines the richest characteristics of a sports car, a yacht and a private jet. Inside there's a master bedroom, a working fireplace, a bar, a hotel suite-style bathroom, a 40-inch satellite TV, and a huge living room area perfect for parties. The entire cabin features heated floors, and there's an array of closed circuit cameras that allow you to maintain situational awareness just in case you need to use this baby during a zombie apocalypse. This is it folks, this is the dream — on that even glows in the dark. Price: $3,000,000
4. Wilkhahn InteracTable You've heard of the Microsoft Surface touch table coming in January, and you know it's amazing, but you also know that furniture is also about design beauty, which is why you'll likely be far more interested in the German-made Wilkhahn InteracTable. Designed by Andreas Storik, the table comes in chrome or aluminum, features a 50-inch workspace, a 16:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 1280Ã768 pixels. And yes, you can also plug this sexy beast into your PC or HDTV. This item is so exclusive they will only discuss pricing if you contact them directly here.
6. Zafirro Iridium Razor For those of us with a little James Bond in us, a close shave isn't a dangerous situation, it's part of our everyday international spy-like, expensive lifestyle. To facilitate this jetset approach to grooming we present you with the Zafirro Iridium Razor. The razor actually uses sapphire blades, is hypoallergenic and impervious to oxidation and corrosion, and the blade's edge is less than 100 atoms across, or roughly 5,000 times thinner than a human hair. The handle is made of pure iridium to boot, with 99.95 percent pure platinum screws, and included in the price is 20 years of product service. This is the boss of razors. Price: $100,000
7. OneDoF Turntable Those who still swear off digital music take heart, we know you exist and we've found your Holy Grail. The OneDoF (One Degree of Freedom) Turntable. Designed by Aleks Bakman, a NASA-awarded aerospace engineer, this pricey record player features a "self-centering platter bearing in a non-resonant liquid suspension." What that means is that you'll probably need to spend at least half as much for decent speakers to do this high-precision device justice. Despite its old-school utility, the turntable actually uses a Texas Instruments microprocessor to control its synchronous motor. But whoever you decide to gift this to, be sure they have the commensurate bank account, because the tone-arms and Benz LP cartridges cost $9,750 a pop. Elite audiophiles, the bar has been raised. Price: $150,000
8. Six Time Zone Watch Nothing says ostentatious international player like a diamond-encrusted watch on your wrist that tells the time in six major cities. It may seem like a bit much, but when gifting time comes, you might be surprised at how many people brighten up upon unwrapping this monstrosity of excess. The Presidential Ambassador Six Time Zone Watch by IceLink will cost you a pretty penny, but that doesn't include the two hulking bodyguards you'll need by your side always. The watch simultaneously tells the time in Los Angeles, New York City, London, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong, all while sitting atop a stainless steel band festooned with .28 carat diamonds. Price: $69,000
5. Dream Folly If the target of your holiday affection doesn't have time to take that gift trip you've been thinking of giving, there's another, far more interesting option that you can explore right in your own backyard. We present you with the most expensive tent ever made: the Dream Folly. What makes this yurt-inspired structure special is that it was specifically designed to mimic the interior of the tiny bottle inhabited by the genie in the '60s television series, I Dream of Jeannie. No kidding, but at least $5,000 of each sale will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Price: $75,000