Luxury isn’t to talk about, it’s all about to own. That’s why we decided to try new Vertu Aster smartphone. To finally understand why you should pay around 5 000 EUR for a phone instead of buying normal Android or iPhone. Just 7 reasons “FOR VERTU”.

 RELIABILITY

The case of the new Aster is made of durable and lightweight titanium. You will never scratch it. The most interesting feature is the display cover. It is made of a solid piece of artificially grown sapphire. So far, no manufacturer has so seriously approached the issue of display strength. This crystal is grown for several weeks and delivered from Japan and Switzerland to the Vertu workshop in England. Unlike sapphire used to produce watches this crystal is not cut across in circles, it is cut in flat plates along the crystal using the Vertu customized technology, which is considerably more complicated. We tested the strength of the sapphire glass and were satisfied with the results.

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ACCORDANCE

Your shoes and bags are made from pure crocodile or finest leather? Suits are bespoke-made? Right, you’re a proper gentlemen we adore and you deserve a better phone. The rear case is finished with the leather furnished by the most proven European suppliers, those that are in charge of the world’s best leather accessories, i.e. Hermès. Its undeniable advantages are durability and perfect look.

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VERTU CONCIERGE

The new Aster is supplied with a 6-month subscription to the Vertu Concierge service. I tried to book a table in a very fashionable Moscow restaurant on Saturday night when they told me on the phone that there were no tables for 6 people available anymore. I will not mention the name of the restaurant to avoid complaints by those who might be similarly rejected in the past, but the Vertu Concierge knows its business, and at 20:30 we were already sitting at a table in a restaurant studying the menu. Now I am going to get tickets for good places to the Bolshoi Theater with the help of this service, and to do so I will e-mail my concierge; you can also call or send text messages to the concierge round the day.

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UNIQUE FEATURES

Aadditionally to the Concierge service the smartphone gives you an access to the Vertu Certainty Vertu Life services. They help to protect your mobile data and invite you to the most unusual events. At the time of writing this article I was offered several options (not for free), e.g. to join the brave runners and take part in a marathon in North Korea or to watch the total solar eclipse from the window of a luxury Falcon 7X, and (now free of charge) a 24-hour test-drive of a sports car in London, an opportunity to get into a closed private Saint James Club in Paris or at the Art Stage exhibition in Singapore. Probably, this feature can be very useful for the GQ reader – why not to take this chance and get into a private London club for gentlemen. And by the way, in London having your Vertu smartphone at hand will bring you to the Home House, one of my favorite private clubs. The locals who have heard a lot about this place, but never got behind the closed holy grail doors, will die of envy.

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FREE Wi-Fi AROUND THE WORLD

The Global Wi-Fi service should also be mentioned with a 6-month subscription that will make your trip much more pleasant and carefree. 13 million access points around the world will keep you in touch with the rest of the world.

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CUSTOMER SUPPORT

When buying a Vertu smartphone, you can be sure that in case of any failure or simply if an issue arises whatsoever the customer service will always be at your fingertips to remotely diagnose and fix the problem. If you are in a city with a Vertu boutique available, you can always stop by for a cup of English tea or Italian espresso and to seek advice

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BEST HARDWARE

The camera is tuned in collaboration with Haselblad. Built-in smartphone speakers are very cool indeed. They are loud and stereo headphones, which is important, and they support the Dolby Digital sound. I would immediately activate the subscription to the service streaming music on Google Play. In general, it is almost for free.

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It may seem that the difference between Vertu Aster and conventional smartphones is basically same as between the luxury clothes and the clothes offered by mass-market retailers: it is almost the same yet more expensive. However this is not so – the difference is not only in cost. Vertu promises to serve longer than any other smartphone due to its display cover, materials used to manufacture the smartphone case, and the customer support and it operates absolutely flawlessly, providing access to useful and sometimes exotic features and services. You may think of it as the key to all UK private clubs (at least). The time when you would find a lover by having expensive phone is over, but the time when you have something that really deserves you has begun.