Meet the world’s most expensive iPhone, worth US$450,000: the Russian brand Caviar has added a Graff snowflake pendant to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and thrown in another 511 diamonds for good measure

Jul 5 , 2023

For the ultimate tech-meets-ultra-luxury accessory, look no further than the Caviar, diamond encrusted iPhone 14 Pro Max. Photo: Handout

Last year Russian company Caviar created an iPhone with a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona on the back – now they’ve outdone themselves with a diamond-encrusted version

Limited to just 3 pieces, each phone features a Graff snowflake pendant in platinum and white gold set with round and marquise-cut diamonds; there’s also a Swarovski crystal edition

Russian luxury brand Caviar is known for making over-the-top customised versions of flagship smartphones that often carry six-figure price tags. Over the years, we’ve seen the company release wild, limited edition customised iPhones decorated with everything from rare jewels to Rolex watches.

Recently, a Russian YouTube channel posted an unboxing video of what is claimed to be the most expensive iPhone 14 Pro Max in the world – priced at 40 million roubles (around US$450,000).

The phone comes with gloves and a special key to open the box. Photo: @Wylsacom/YouTube

In case you’re scratching your head trying to figure out how an iPhone 14 costs more than a Lamborghini supercar, here’s the answer: this one is encrusted with hundreds of diamonds. Called the Diamond Snowflake, the model is limited to just three and was created in partnership with renowned British jewellery brand Graff.

If you want to get to your diamond-encrusted phone you’ll have to use this gold key to open its box. Photo: Handout

The highlight of the Diamond Snowflake iPhone is the massive pendant attached to the backplate of the smartphone. The Graff snowflake necklace pendant is made of platinum and white gold and is set with numerous round and marquise-cut diamonds. The pendant alone is estimated to be worth US$75,000. The 18k white gold backplate is also decorated with 511 diamonds, set in an unusual pattern.

Nevertheless, the folks from the Wylsacom YouTube channel in fact unbox the Swarovski edition, which features a nearly identical design but Swarovski crystals instead of diamonds, and a slightly more affordable price tag.

Caviar also made 20 Swarovski-encrusted smartphones. Photo: Handout

Called the Crystal Snowflake SE (Swarovski Edition), this version is limited to a run of 20. As seen in the video, it comes in a white, leather-wrapped box which can only be opened with a gold key, supplied in a separate, gold-coloured box. There’s even a pair of gloves inside the packaging.