Remember that four to seven thousand dollar Vertu Constellation Quest handset BG was drooling over we told you about over the weekend? Well, it looks like the company’s PR firm has posted a short YouTube video detailing just what makes the luxurious handset worth a king’s ransom. Aside from the trimmings we told you about last time — sapphire keys, gold accents, etc. — each device is hand-made and hand-polished to provide the level of luxury Vertu customers have come to expect. The device runs the Symbian operating system, and, as the company’s president explains, is for people who want to express their lifestyle and success with the mobile device. Hit the jump to see just what a multi-thousand dollar Symbian handset looks like.

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We’ve seen the new Constellation Quest handset in full form, and to be honest, it looks gorgeous. Think of it as the highest form E73 you could imagine — sapphire crystal keys, gold accents — but very angular, almost futuristic looking. Beveled keys, a distinctive ear speaker, and a small size are other things that Vertu’s smartphone features. Unlike other Vertu’s, we’ve heard there will be a decently-sized marketing campaign, possibly even with a celebrity endorsement. As for price? Well, that hasn’t been communicated to us yet, but we’d imagine the $4,000-$7,000 range for the basic model line. Let’s be honest, in these times of economic prosperity… who doesn’t need a multi-thousand dollar phone. Honestly.

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You know we are big fans of Vertu handsets around these parts, and Mr. Frank Nuovo certainly isn’t sitting in the UK counting iPhone sales while doing nothing. Vertu has, in Vertu tradition, silently announced an updated model in their lineup and it is the new Vertu Ascent for 2010. Picking up on almost all of the previous phone’s shortcomings (save for the S40-based OS, of course), the new Ascent features quad-band 3G, GPS, preloaded maps for navigation, a 5 megapixel camera, and will come in 8GB and 32GB internal memory configurations in addition to titanium and aircraft-grade aluminum casings. But, it’s a Vertu, and that means there are a plethora of different color combinations. Since the Ascent is racing inspired, don’t hold your breath for diamond-studded versions. Yet there are plenty of bright color finishes to get your juices flowing. You know, if you are into dropping anywhere from $5,000 and up on a cell phone. Couple more shots after the break!

[Via Engadget]

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Have you spent hours in front of the mirror perfecting that smooth flick of the wrist that flips opens your clamshell and shows off your expensive Rolex at the same time? Is your entry level Motorola flip phone just not making the cut for your debonair lifestyle? Go ahead and do some donuts in your Lamborghini on the front lawn of your estate as Vertu has answered your prayers. The Nokia subsidiary has just introduced the Vertu Ayxta, a Constellation in the clamshell design. The Ayxta has all the traditional styling of the Vertu including a stainless steel chassis with leather and ceramic accents, scratch-free sapphire glass screen, 3.0 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, microSD expansion (up to 8GB) and 3G connectivity. In addition to the traditional Vertu Concierge service, the Ayxta will include a new feature, City Brief, which alert owners of points of interest, events and etiquette when travelling in one of the 70 supported cities. The Vertu Ayxta is available at locations worldwide for €4,900 ($7,196USD) and €6,500 ($9,545USD).

[Via T3]

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Aw man, another one? We guess so! Hot off the Vertu Signature S Design we manhandled yesterday, we’ve moved on to bigger and better things. We’re talking official Ferrari-licensed limited edition goods here, people. The Vertu Ascent Ti has actually been around for a little while, we did a hands on over a year ago, but the handset has been done up in Ferrari garb, and we’ve got the most precious Ti out of the Ferrari Ti family — Nero. Standard Vertu disclaimer applies: this isn’t for the faint of heart, bang-for-your-buck shopper or penny pincher. There is something to be said for the incredible craftsmanship of the this device, we’d really say it’s the finest phone in the world. Literally. The Ascent Ti features a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera, quad-band EDGE, 3G, Ferrari leather and a custom metal called Liquidmetal Alloy which is proven to withstand direct hits by a racecar. The Signature, while supposed to impress, didn’t really wow us, but the Nero is putting smiles on babies faces. The feel, call quality, and exclusive Ferrari themes and content make this our favorite Vertu phone by a long shot. At a retail price of $11,500 though, we’re not sure there is a carrier around to subsidize this bad boy… Hit the gallery for the shots and there’s a video of us calling the Concierge and hanging up like little school children after the break.

Click on over to our Vertu Ascent Ti Ferrari Nero hands on gallery!

What, you didn’t see this coming? While the global economy is suffering, Vertu keeps on launching their high-end mobile phones to the world’s richest customers. While they used to be featureless handsets, they’ve now become current, and what used to be expensive, is still… expensive. Let’s look at the brand new Vertu Signature we just got in our office. It’s the stainless steel model, and is made of sapphire crystal, fine leather, and of course, stainless steel. Its got 3G (only the 850MHz and 2100MHz WCDMA band), Wi-Fi, and an OLED display. Definitely some things that keep these devices in play, tech-wise at least. Since Vertu is an off-shoot of Nokia, all up-to-date Vertus run a customized version of the Series 40 OS (we have heard Vertu is working on a PDA, but nothing has materialized yet). Still, at a retail price of $12,500, who’s going to buy this? The old answer used to be someone who can appreciate the finer things in life, just as someone would spend $80,000 on a watch, they’d have no problem dropping $12,000 on a phone. Right? Well, times have changed. This isn’t 2004 when people were rockin’ RAZRs as the new hot thing and had a pretty limited selection of smartphones. If you think about it the world is pretty topsy turvy. There’s BlackBerrys with cameras, Apple makes a cell phone, HTC makes Android devices, and Sony Ericsson makes a Windows Mobile phone. So where is the market for this Signature? We’d say its smaller than ever thanks to the popularity of smartphones that actually work and then obviously the economy. There’s no doubt this is Vertu’s finest model, it sure as heck feels like it. We’re just not so sure people are that interested in this day and age. Unless we’re talking about that Vertu Ascent Ti Ferrari Nero, then well, that’s another story…

Click on over to our Vertu Signature S Design hands on gallery!

When Nokia announced it would be withdrawing from Japan and starting a new MVNO, we weren’t sure what it had in mind. History shows that MVNOs typically aren’t very successful because of the small market for such operators (almost always being dwarfed by mega-carriers), but Nokia has really shocked us with this one. Their new venture is called Vertu Club, which is essentially further isolating an already lonesome market. This particular MVNO is, you guessed it, only going to carry Vertu handsets. The first Vertu store will be the Ginza Flagship store opening in February 2009, but since the MVNO won’t launch until the second quarter, customers will only be able to buy unlocked Vertu models when the store opens. When you think of an MVNO and the reputation it carries, and the fact that Nokia and NTT DoCoMo’s joint venture will operate on a premium membership basis, the Vertu Club almost seems like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Oh well, the exclusivity premise worked out great for Voce…

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Vertu’s new Signature S handset gets priced and does not disappoint. Starting at £7,540 ($14,000), the base model has a stainless steel finish, a yellow gold version is priced at £18,000 ($32,000) and the premium white gold version will set you back a mere £24,000 ($42,600). This new luxury handset features a patented keypad containing solid ruby bearings and comes with ringtones and alerts taken from a specially composed piece performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. All of this decadence on top of 850MHz/2100MHz 3G support, Wi-Fi, an OLED display, and a slide-out SIM card tray. If you even have to think about which couch cushion to pillage to order this beauty, don’t bother. You cant afford it.

[Via Mobile News]

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Never one to turn down a Vertu, we’ve just came across Vertu’s latest handset in all its FCC glory. For starters, it has 850MHz/2100MHz 3G support, Wi-Fi, and probably the craziest futuristic design we’ve ever seen. Many Vertu lovers across the globe loved their original Signatures but they were quick to be completely outdated in terms of technology, thus they were “forced” to switch to the Constellation (small and smooth) or the Ascent Ti (huge and feature-packed). Well, no more Vertu friends, no more. In addition to the aforementioned specs, you’ve also got an OLED screen to look forward to, a slide-out SIM card tray, and the love-it-or-hate-it Vertu Concierge (read: use American Express Centurion Concierge instead). When you’re done drooling over it, go lift up that plastic couch cover your grandma uses, scrape those pennies together, and run, not walk, to your local Nokia or Torneau. We’ll see you there.

[Via FCC and Engadget]

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We can already see the commenters going wild. "Why pay so much money when I can get a $100 Nokia that does the same thing," right? Well, you’re going to have a tougher battle with the new Vertu Ascent Ti because it comes loaded. From a 3 megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash, to quad-band GSM/EDGE connectivity and a WCDMA 2100MHz band, to almost every single Bluetooth profile you could dream of, the Vertu line no longer lacks features found in many other handsets. But let’s be real; you don’t buy a Vertu because of the camera or the features, you buy it because of the craftsmanship, and the the exclusivity of the phone. Just like we could make the same argument about watches. Why buy an Audemars or a Patek over a Timex? They both tell time, right? Other features include the complimentary Concierge service, but then again, if you’re buying a Vertu, you probably already have a couple assistants and a secretary. Overall, we’re loving the Ti! The build quality and materials used are the best you can get on a mobile phone and the voice quality — you really need to hear it — is unbelievable. Now if Vertu only made a QWERTY BlackBerry device…

UPDATE: Forgot to add the Fortress application in! It syncs all your phone info OTA to an ex-military underground bunker in Britain. Totally gangsta!

Click on over to our Vertu Ascent Ti hands-on gallery!

This isn’t the first Vertu Ferrari Edition phone to come out of the U.K., but it is a more limited one. Integrating Ferrari leather and an embossed Ferrari emblem on the handset, Vertu is going after their target Ascent market — car fanatics. In addition to the aforementioned additions to the Ascent, the Ferrari edition also sports an engraved Ferrari transmission gate on the back battery cover. At its core though, the Vertu Ascent is unchanged, and you’ll find the usual Vertu Conciege service included. If you’ve been fancying a limited edition Vertu, the best bet would be to hop on this pretty soon, as only 60 handsets will be manufactured, and they all come with free "tune ups" (leather replacement, polishing, etc.) once every 6 months for life. Don’t forget your African American Express card at home though, as this is going to run you around $25,000.

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These times of technological progress and innovation are good fun, but what about those of us that like to pay thousands of dollars for high-end devices? Always the faithful companion, Vertu has upgraded one of their most popular models with a fantastic design and feature set. The most recent addition to Vertu’s luxury line comes in the form of another leather clad phone. Cleverly dubbed the Ascent Ti, it makes countless improvements over the much out-dated Signature series, previous Ascent series, and even the latest Constellation models. The Symbian-sourced S40 OS runs atop a 3 megapixel camera, UMTS support, and a brown shade of rich cow hide. The 3 megapixel shooter is a welcome addition, along with UMTS. One notably inclusion on the Ascent Ti we’ve not seen previously reported, is 4GB of internal memory which Vertu assures us can store "thousands of photos". We are so gonna’ be in line. Tourneau, call me!

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Is the "run of the mill" Vertu Diamond Signature not shiny enough for you? We know the feeling. Thankfully the luxury phone manufacturer has announced their Vertu Pink Diamond Signature handset. Phew. This blingy ordeal is clearly targeted towards the fairer sex, adorned with a cornucopia (923, to be exact) of pink diamonds and other precious gems, some of which are arranged in an attractive flower pattern. The actual innards of the phone are typically yawn-inducing, with triband GSM support pretty much rounding out the feature set. Even so, if you’ve got to have an OEM pink diamond cell phone, this is pretty much your only option. BG, are we ever going to get to see your Vertu Constellation?

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Say what you will about the morality of grand larceny, but this thief had some pretty good taste. The BBC is reporting that four masked men in a black Subaru forced a Vertu delivery truck off the road, at which point they apparently heisted $6 million worth of phones, jumped back in their Subaru, and sped off. No one was hurt in the exchange, save for a considerable amount of British pride and ban ledgers, but the police are still in pursuit of two of the four criminals. Vertu’s are great and all, but if we had to go to the trouble of hijacking a truck full of cellphones, it would probably be for something a bit more current. Does anyone know the HTC delivery routes?

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