Monday, October 30, 2006

The Russian Millionaires Fair

Millionaires, billionaires and those with just 1,000 rubles to their name were some of the tens of thousands of visitors to the second Millionaire Fair at Crocus City. The fair, which reeled in more than half a billion euros (about $600 million) last year, is expected to sell more this year . The singer Sarah Brightman, following in the footsteps of last year's Bryan Ferry, provided entertainment Friday for the opening night, which drew 9,500 attendees.

A Bugatti Veyron was sold for $1.4 million, the most expensive -- and probably the most ecologically unfriendly -- car on the planet.

The world's priciest mobile phone, the Swiss-made Goldvish, which is made of yellow gold and features 1,700 diamonds, was being hawked for $1 million .
"They have beautiful hair, beautiful clothes -- why should they have a shitty plastic phone in their bag?" said Ephraim Goldstoff, the company's diamond consultant. "The Russian market is very important, They have lots of money, and they don't know what to do with it," Goldstoff explained.

Also on sale were 19th-century horse carts, Hummers and helicopters.

Properties up for grabs at the fair were in Miami, Spain, Cyprus, Bulgaria and an island off the coast of Dubai.

A retreat off the Thai coast that runs for 2.5 million euros ($3.16 million) .

There there was the isle off the coast of Panama once owned by John Wayne.

Luxury Homes managed to attract a stream of visitors curious to learn more about their mock Normandy mansions, fake Austrian baroque country houses, and brand new ancient Greek temples that double as dachas.

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