This week, French fashion house Christian Dior launched a compact, luxury mobile phone. Priced about $5,600 (3,900 euros) and available online at Colette, it’s already sold out.
Constructed of 99 pieces assembled by hand in a French workshop, the Dior Phone Touch includes materials like sapphire crystal, steel, gold, diamond, and mother-of-pearl combined to emulate the subtleties of inlaid work and fine jewelry.
Specifications for the android smartphone include: 3.2 inches multi-touch LCD screen, 16 million colors, 854 x 480 pixels; 3G+, Quad band, Wifi, Bluetooth® 2.1 stereo; GPS and Google Maps; Real time, Facebook, Twitter, Widgets; MP3 player, Dolby Mobile sound enhancement; Video recorder, Auto Focus 5MP camera with stabilizer.
Battery life is 12 days standby time, or 3 hours 45 minutes talk time. The directory holds 1,000 contacts, and the micro SD is 8 GB.
The signature chiseled caning motif on the sapphire crystal is reminiscent of the Napoleon III chairs on which Monsieur Dior’s clients sat during his first show in 1947. Another brand hallmark, the Dior oval is animated each time a number is dialed.
The case is made of supple leather, topstitched with the caning motif in a nod to Dior fine leather goods.
The online product description reads, “Easy and intuitive navigation and the perfect measurements for slipping into even the smallest purse. With its world of pictures and sounds, the new Dior phone is a marvel of elegance and highly sophisticated, expert craftsmanship.” A diamond-encrusted version is reportedly available for around $138,000.