Nokia 3310 Supremo Bling

Nokia 3310 Supremo Putin. © Caviar.

At the Barcelona show, the biggest news was of course the reissuing of the mythical Nokia 3310. Russian company Caviar, best known for its over-the-top phones, is surfing the wave with its Supremo Putin version of the 3310. “The return of the cult phone from Nokia did not go unnoticed by Caviar designers, who immediately after the appearance of the official information about the new edition of the 3310 model, presented their version of the design of this phone with gold, giving it luxury, style, and a real Russian character.” The set sports a large bas-relief of the Russian President and a golden plaque with a quote from the National Anthem, over an elegant engraved anthracite-grey background. The main button on the front of the phone is gold, with a miniature image of the Russian coat of arms. The Supremo Putin is selling for 99,000 rubles, or CA$2,286, or US$1,703 at today’s rates, i.e. 33 times the price of the original Nokia 3110, which is selling on the open market for 49 euros. Coco Chanel famously said that luxury is not the opposite of poverty, but of vulgarity. How times have changed. Today’s luxury is yesterday’s bling.

⇨ Caviar, “Caviar Nokia 3310.”

⇨ The Register, “Nokia 3310 ‘Supremo Putin’ edition goes on sale in Russia.”