Stones And Gold Belong On Jewelry, Not PhonesStones And Gold Belong On Jewelry, Not Phones

There is such a thing as too much bling when it comes to luxury high-end mobile phones and Givori, an "accessorizor" specializing in mobile art, has a new collection of hand-crafted phones to prove it.Givori introduced the collection this week, appropriately called Serendipity. It includes 50 phones and each one has been individually handcrafted, making each phone unique. Givori says the phones were designed by a renowned jewelry designer, who used materials such as vintage intaglio Czech stones and Aventurine gold.

Serendipity comes right in time for Valentine's Day. Forget diamonds. Get your loved one a $3,000 mobile phone (yes, you read it correctly), sprinkled with expensive stones. Givori will even throw in a box of chocolates. I think this statement speaks for itself:

Serendipity is available on the Nokia 8800 Arte and Nokia N76 phones, sold exclusively at Harvey Nichols and select Axiom Telecom stores. The Nokia Arte already retails for 1,000 euros (about $1,460) and is considered an elite phone. Having it covered in precious stones, gold, and different trinkets just makes it look like a Hello Kitty phone for adults. See a photo here.

Here's my point. While it's true that mobile phones are an accessory and often reflect one's personal style, spending thousands of dollars on a device because of looks (versus functionality) is absurd. People lose phones all the time in taxis, restaurants, and other public places. I'd be afraid to take it outside the house, not to mention subject it to the daily abuse phones usually go through.

I guess that's why Givori calls its collection "limited edition." Not many people will buy into it.