The thing about being rich is that you can afford to be eccentric, and no one will laugh at you. Another good thing about having lots of money to spend, is that you can buy the most ridiculous things at an even more ridiculous price. Here are thirteen things that us “normal” people might never be able to afford in this lifetime. To be honest, if we COULD afford them, would we even want to buy them? Let’s take a look at what made the list…
13. Crystal Piano
This crystal piano by Heintzman was auctioned and purchased by a private bidder for 3.22 million. The piano was played by renowned pianist Lan Lang during the Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008.
12. Susse Freres Camera
This antique Susse Freres daguerreotype camera dates back to 1839 and was sold at an auction in 2007 for a whopping $775,000! It’s believed to be the oldest camera in the world.
11. Diamond Chess Set
This hand-made chess set features 9900 black and white diamonds and is set in 14-carat white gold. It’s designed by Bernard Maquin and is a part of the Charles Hollander Collection. The set weighs a total of 186.09 carats!
10. The Picasso
In 2004, “Garçon à la pipe” which is a 1905 painting by Pablo Picasso– became the most expensive Picasso painting ever sold at a whopping price of $104.2 million when it was auctioned at Sotheby’s in New York.
9. The Villa La Leopolda
This is the second most expensive home in the world on this list. It’s called the Villa Leopolda on the French Riviera at a price of $506 million. It was built between 1929 and 1931 on an estate that was once owned by King Leopold II of Belgium and was used as a set in Hitchcock’s film, To Catch a Thief.
8. The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO
At $25 million, the 1962 Ferrari GTO became the most expensive car in the world when it was bought by collector, Craig McCaw, who got his fortune from selling telecommunications company AT&T in 1993 for $11.5 billion.
7. The 201-Carat Chopard Watch
The World’s most expensive timepiece is a flashy watch by Chopard with three heart-shaped diamonds and another 163 carats of white and yellow diamonds–bringing the weight to a whopping 201 carats. It’s spring-loaded design allows the hearts to open up for the wearer in order to see the diamond studded watch face. In 2000, the watch was sold for $25 million.
6. The Badminton Cabinet
In 2004, an antique 18th century chest was sold at auction for $36.7 million. The cabinet stands over 12 feet tall and features an intricate design of polished stones. It was commissioned by Henry Somerset, who was the third Duke of Beaufort, when he was 19-years old. It took six years to make and is the result of thirty experts.
5. The Birkin
In 2011, a red crocodile 30 cm size Hermes Birkin bag adorned with 18 carat white gold and diamond hardware was sold at a public auction in Dallas for $203,150. The average Birkin costs around $8,000, which isn’t counting the patience and funds to stand the long waiting list.
4. The Wallis Simpson Bracelet
The onyx and diamond panther bracelet that was owned by Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor and the most famous American for whom King Edward VIII abdicated the throne to marry was auctioned at Sotheby’s in London for $12.4 million in 2010.
3. That Dead Shark
In 2004, an artwork entitled, “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living”, which is basically a shark preserved in formaldehyde inside a vitrine–by artist Damien Hirst, was reportedly sold for $8 million to manager Steven A. Cohen. The taxidermy shark was initially preserved poorly and had to be replaces in 2007.
2. The Perfect Pink
A rectangular-cut pink diamond ring that weighed 14.23 carats was purchased by an anonymous buyer at a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong for 23.2 million in 2010. It was deemed “The Perfect Pink”.
1. The Antilla
