Mandarin Gallery Blog

It is a little intimidating walking into the spanking new Vertu store at the Mandarin Gallery – I mean, what can I possibly be able to afford inside? I cannot help but feel under-dressed among the other guests in their gorgeous designer outfits and 5-inch Louboutins, but it is not every day that I get to rub shoulders with people who may buy handphones that cost more than what I will earn in a year (or two).

So, why am I there? Vertu is launching a new phone from its Ascent series to the media and its VIP guests. I have always been extremely intrigued by this luxury mobile phone brand and this is an excellent opportunity to check it out up close.

Founded in 1998, the brand is barely 12 years old, but it is already synonymous with exceptional materials and the highest traditions of craftsmanship. In a world where one is almost obliged to change his mobile phone every 2 years, this attention to detail and quality is a startlingly different approach.

The new Vertu Ascent, the brand’s latest premium product, keeps pace with the Smart Phone revolution with quad-band 3G, GSM network coverage, GPS technology (with pre-loaded maps), 32GB of internal memory and a 5 mega-pixels camera with sapphire crystal lens protection.

The phone also comes bundled with Vertu’s groundbreaking lifestyle services, including the best in online luxury and location-specific travel information. My absolute favourite function is Vertu Concierge, an around-the-clock personal service that helps you with your entertainment, shopping and travel needs. You can even order your Birkin via this service and be elevated right up to the top of the waiting list!

Even as Vertu upgraded their technological and lifestyle offerings, they did not compromise on design and aesthetics. The brand continues to pursue their goal of creating the finest mobile phone in the world and this is reflected in the beautiful and highly structural casing of the new Ascent.

Inspired by the speed, performance and technology of motor racing and military aviation (think: stealth fighter jets), the phones come in the brand’s signature titanium and aerospace aluminum. The use of aluminium is a first for Vertu, making this phone the lightest the brand has ever made.

Wine and champagne brought in especially for this event, complemented by delectable finger nibbles, made their rounds among the party goers, providing the perfect backdrop as this glamourous new phone was unveiled.

When you buy a Vertu phone (prices start at SGD8300 for the Vertu Ascent in Aluminium/Rubber), you not only own a top-notch communication device but also gain access to a comprehensive and exclusive luxury lifestyle.

BY Dorothy Tan
Vertu is located at #01-02, Mandarin Gallery