HTC One in 24ct gold costs £2,000
Russian oligarchs can now display their wealth and use Android apps at the same time with the £2,000, 24ct gold HTC One.
I'm not saying she's a gold digger, but she ain't messing with anyone who doesn't have two grands-worth of 24ct HTC One in their pocket.
Gold phones are hitting the headlines with the arrival of a gold coloured iPhone 5S, the first iPhone to come in any colour apart from black and white, announced alongside the colourful plastic-backed 5C last week. But where the golden delicious Apple is more of a subtle champagne tone, a newly revealed gold HTC One is actually made of actual gold.
Available in Russia, the oligarchic blower is smothered in 24ct gold for a maximum crass ostentation.
Inside the gold-plated case it's the same 4.7-inch phone we know and love, the usual Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of built-in storage joined by a 4-megapixel Ultrapixel camera.
The gold version phone comes with a certificate of provenance in case other oligarchs question the authenticity of your mobile when you take a call in your executive box during the Chelsea match. And it nestles in a plush box made of oak.
The 24ct gold One is a solid gold bargain at 99,990 rubles -- that's £1,943, pocket change when you've just bought half of Kensington.
Other blinged-out blowers include the customised gold-coated Samsung Galaxy S4 that goes for £1,700. At least the S4 and the One are proper phones: the pricey likes of the £6,700 Vertu Ti and the frankly insane £36,000 AEsir AE + Y don't even have the features of a mid-range Android smart phone.
Is the gold One a golden opportunity or horrible idea? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or go for gold on our Facebook page.