Music lovers no longer need worry that their plastic headphones might be ruining their aesthetic. From French hi-fi specialist Focal comes the world’s most extravagant pair of headphones – the Utopia by Tournaire.
Easily the priciest pair of ear cans currently on the market, the US$120,000 (HK$930,000) Utopia has been crafted in conjunction with master jewellers Maison Tournaire. The bespoke design, created by the father-son team of Philippe and Mathieu Tournaire, is based on the mark of the Trilogy, symbolising the three stages of life: past, present and future. These uber-cool earpieces feature 18-carat gold mounted with six carats worth of diamonds, all meticulously hand-crafted by the Tournaire jewellers.
While the price tag is nothing to scoff at, discerning listeners will not only be treating themselves to an exquisite pair of headphones but will also be contributing to a good cause. A portion of the profits from the sales of the Utopia earpieces will go to the P’tit Louis Association, dedicated to saving eight-year-old Louis Biscini who suffers from rare spinal muscular dystrophy. The Utopia by Tournaire headphones were released September 2016 along with two other new Focal headphones – the Listen and the high-end Elear.