Promise the earth, but give her Mars
For the billionaire who has everything, a small planet would be nice
Life’s luxuries may make sense for most people on your Christmas list, but there’s always one person who seems impossible to please. That’s why we’ve tossed the budget in search of the most rarefied experiences and exotic goods for the billionaire in your life. Consider these items your best chance at finding the upper hand in any gift exchange.
A utopian vision of Mars
Elon Musk can’t have all the Martian fun. Your billionaire can take a more contemplative approach with a globe that imagines what life is like out there: Mars efter Lowell’s Glober 1894-1914.
The hand-inked manuscript orb was made by Emmy Ingeborg Brun, a Danish socialist and astronomer, in 1909 from mistranslated drawings that interpreted “canali” (natural channels) as man-made canals. In those lines, Brun saw evidence of a co-operative society and promoted Mars as a potential site for a socialist Utopia. She sent copies of the globe to museums and academic institutions around the world; only eight have endured.
Cost: £60 000 (about R1.1-million).
A watch worn by a legend
Christie’s has a few choice lots left in its Evening of Exceptional Watches. For men, nothing says swagger quite like Joe DiMaggio’s Patek Philippe ref. 130. The baseball legend acquired the 33mm, 18ct gold chronograph in 1948, and it’s still in fantastic condition.
There’s also a diamond-encrusted Gruen that belonged to jazz singer Billie Holiday; an inscription reads “To Billie From David, 1938”, although who David is remains a mystery. Also bearing an inscription is a Cresarrow silver travel watch with gold numerals and Tiffany & Co logo on a cream dial. British aviator Amy Johnson gave it to Amelia Earhart circa 1932. “To Amelia, In Sincere Admiration, Amy” it reads.
Cost: High estimates range from $300 000 (about R4.1-million) for the DiMaggio to $18 000 for the Holiday and $120 000 for the Earhart.
The ultimate Olympic VIP experience
The Champions Club trip to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, is a feel-good gift for the superrich ski and snowboard American patriots in your life. In return for their support of the US team, they’ll be ensconced in white-glove luxury (from meals to hotels), provided VIP credentials, and invited to private victory celebrations with US athletes just hours after they step off the podium.
Cost: For two people, a minimum $250 000 donation plus an additional $90 000 for travel expenses.
An Aston Martin submarine
Billionaires aren’t immune to ennui. After popping the umpteenth bottle of bubbly in the Jacuzzi, sailing up and down the Côte d’Azur can get so . . . typical. That is until they take their Aston Martin submarine for a spin. The three-person vehicle is a collaboration with Florida-based Triton Submarines, a leader in luxury submersibles. Silver bladelike pontoons give it a silhouette a Bond villain can appreciate, while the acrylic bubble of a cabin allows unfettered views of their underwater domain down to 500m.
Cost: $4-million
Their name in lights
Nothing says “I’ve made it” quite like having your billionaire’s name emblazoned on the side of their local baseball stadium. Right now the home parks for the Washington Nationals, Miami Marlins and Seattle Mariners are all up for grabs. Terms can run in the decades and cost millions (the Mariners, for instance, are seeking upwards of $5-million per season).
A private island for the apocalypse
In an uncertain world, everybody could use a good escape plan, and New Zealand is a popular bolthole for the mega-rich to hedge their bets. For your billionaire, only the best: a 24ha private island in the Hauraki Gulf, just a 15-minute helicopter ride from Auckland. The facilities that remain from Pakatoa’s previous life as a holiday resort (1965-2000) may be “extremely tired”, but there’s a certain vintage appeal: tennis courts, a bowling green, nine-hole golf course, solarium and swimming pool plus enough outbuildings to house the extended clan.
Cost: $24-million, and buyers could qualify for New Zealand residency as well.
An iconic automobile
On sale at RM Sotheby’s Icons auction in Manhattan, a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II by acclaimed designer Pininfarina is the epitome of a classic touring Ferrari. Its luscious curves and high-revving, vociferous V12 don’t mind making themselves known, but they also nod towards a more languorous life, saying “I’ve got this” to whatever may be round the bend. Fully restored with dark paint and tan leather interior, it’s a concoursor rally-ready addition to any collection.
Cost: $1.5-million to $1.8-million. Bloomberg