GoldenVader mask for sale at £1m

STAR Wars fans have been offered a golden opportunity to buy their own 24-karat gold Darth Vader mask – but the force will need to be strong with their bank accounts.

Tokyo jeweller Ginza Tanaka has created a lifesize replica of the iconic movie villain’s mask, priced at 154 million yen (£1 million), to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of the first Star Wars movie.

The prototype creation measures 26.5cm (10.4in) wide and 30cm (11.8in) high. Fans with deep pockets can then order their own golden Vader mask.

The jeweller said the mask was not designed for wearing – at about 15kg (33lbs), it would be too heavy and has no opening for a head.

While the mask is the jeweller’s most expensive piece of Star Wars memorabilia, it has made pricier products.

In 2013, its gold Disneythemed Christmas tree was priced at 500 million yen (£3.4 million).

Marketing manager Hirotsugu Tsuchiya said it had taken 10 goldsmiths three months to mould and assemble the prototype.

He said: “The most difficult aspect was that each section of the mask was created by a different gold craftsman and then assembled to make one Darth Vader mask.”

Orders for the mask can be made at its main store in the glitzy Ginza shopping area, where the prototype is on display.

Customers will have to wait three months for their mask after ordering.

For those looking for less expensive options, gold coins engraved with Yoda or Luke Skywalker will also be available starting at 132,300 yen (£915).

They will go on sale on Thursday May 4, which is celebrated by some fans as Star Wars Day because “May the fourth” evokes the film’s famous line: “May the force be with you.”