How do you determine what the most expensive gadgets in the world are? Do you take the price at launch or at today’s value? Do you include limited editions and special versions or only include standard models? While there are many ways to measure the value of something, here’s my top five list of most expensive gadgets, based on their original retail price or estimated current value in US dollars
Iphone 5 Black diamond
Black Diamond is a type of precious gemstone with Mohs hardness scale rating that ranges from 9.0 to 10, only diamonds and moissanite are rated higher on the scale. In order to make a diamond look clear rather than cloudy, jewelers will often remove some of its internal flaws. This is done by separating it into tiny pieces and embedding it within a layer of sapphire. Although it looks similar to an actual diamond when viewed under 10x magnification, many people can tell that it’s not an actual stone just by looking at it from afar. The process of embedding such precious materials in sapphire took several months; just for creating one special iPhone 5 was estimated to cost about $4,000 – $6,500 each.
Ipad 2 Gold History Edition
The Gold iPad 2 was produced in honor of Apple's 30th birthday. This is a special edition and will only be sold in Asia, so we didn't include it in our list of top five gadget that cost most than regular models. But it deserves a mention. Its specs are identical to that of the 16GB Wi-Fi iPad 2, but it comes with gold metallic trim and gold Apple logos on both sides, instead of silver metal trim and logo. The price for buying an iPad 2 Gold Edition is $1050 (non contract). A $999 64GB Wi-Fi version was also available until recently but Apple has stopped selling them. So you have no choice now but to pay $1050 for a 16GB Wi-Fi version if you want one for yourself!
Hart Audio Gold speakers
No, these speakers aren’t a reference to Will Smith. Hart Audio made a name for itself with its high-quality speakers that use gold instead of standard tweeters and woofers. The speakers run at $18,000 per pair and are known for giving customers the closest feeling to live music they can get in their homes. The company has been around since 1998, but is just now coming into the spotlight after receiving favorable reviews from audiophiles around the world.
Dark Night Home Theatre
If you’re looking for something that’s sleek, sophisticated and very WTF? look no further than Dark Night. It literally looks like it belongs in a bat cave. Created by Peter Yianilos, the system is made up of four 32-inch LCD screens built into a bat shape with electronic eyes and ears. All four walls are comprised of touch-sensitive panels which allow you to control everything from volume to seating arrangement without moving from your place in front of it all. The price? $5 million!
Amphibious Truck
The Amphibious Expedition Vehicle (AEV) is an amphibious all-terrain truck with six wheels and four-wheel steering. It is made of fiberglass and weighs 14,500 pounds. The vehicle moves on land at about 25 miles per hour; in water it can reach 9 mph. A small diesel engine powers a hydraulic pump that operates a screw propeller. The vehicle has an inflatable boat hull under its body and two retractable pontoons for stabilizing it in water. Seats eight passengers plus driver. A full tank of fuel costs $100, but can drive hundreds of miles without refueling while using only 2 gallons per mile driven.
