A virtual newcomer to the luxury cell phone market, the Canadian firm Mobiado began pioneering unique cellular devices in 2004 through intelligent design, utilizing high-quality materials like sapphire crystal, molded hardwoods, and aircraft aluminum. Their workmanship includes Swiss watch movements that are meticulously assembled by hand to display three time zones simultaneously.

The Mobiado limited edition 105GMT Gold is the pinnacle of that achievement, styled in generous amounts of 24 Karat gold and sapphire crystal. This dual band 3G phone’s more interesting features include a 2 megapixel camera that captures 1600 x 1200 pixel JPEG photos, micro USB and Bluetooth connectivity, a music and video player, and a 2” OVGA display capable of 16 million colors.

The inclusion of a precision timepiece is this phone’s most attractive feature, though only to those with the largest amounts of disposable income to spend on this excessively luxurious mobile phone.

One of the highlights of this year’s Baselworld 2009 was the introduction of Harry Winston’s Opus 9 wristwatch, a quantum leap in haute horology that began with the release of the original Opus 1 in 2001. The Opus collection is an annual collaboration between the Winston brand and the finest independent watchmakers available. Each year, brilliant horological minds collaborate on a unique design that pushes the envelope of expectations for these eclectic timepieces of distinction.

This year’s contribution to the Opus legacy features a square-face white gold case that houses two parallel baguette diamond chains set on either side of a silver monogrammed bridge. Its self-winding movement has a power reserve of 72 hours and the watch is water resistant to 30 meters. This limited edition masterpiece retails for $180,000, allowing only the most discriminating clients to reason its expense as a one-of-a-kind watch that craves ownership.

Perrelet is a prestigious name among Swiss watchmakers, thanks in part to the efforts of Abraham-Louis Perrelet. This young man early on developed an inventive mind under the tutelage of his father (a farmer and craftsman in the Neuchâtel region of Switzerland), and revolutionized horology by inventing the first self-winding and automatic watch movement in the 1770’s.

The family name was carried well by Abraham’s grandson Louis-Frederic, who inherited his benefactor’s prowess and skill in serving three French kingdoms as a watchmaker and brilliant mind.

This time-honored foundation continues in today’s collections of ladies’ and gentlemen’s watches that have always adhered to high standards for quality and elegance. The latest Perrelet Tourbillon, for instance, combines 42mm titanium and rose gold case with a black rubber strap for a bold statement that is easy on the eyes. This dress watch is sophisticated without being stuffy or insincere.

Sadly, true champions like this are rare in the industry, as only 20 of these beauties will find homes on the wrists of lucky customers before the model ceases to exist. Find them here.

Here’s a nifty little gadget for the someone in your life who has everything. It’s the BeoSound 3, an $850 portable boombox that goes where you go.

It’s an anodized aluminum tower with a convenient carry handle. It houses a digital clock with alarm and sleep timer, FM radio with ample presets, and plays digital media via an SD card that slides in at the bottom. The front grille hides a full-range loudspeaker to make parties and dinner dates more interesting, and conveniently runs on a 10 hour rechargeable battery.

This little wonder plays MP3 and WMA files and has a convenient headphone jack for private listening when necessary. Its touch controls and flush-mount flywheel on the top panel, along with a retractable antenna, help the BeoSound 3 keep a low profile as a slick audio component with good looks and great sound for the elite listeners out there with money to burn.

Richard Meier’s firm has completed works in fifteen countries during more than forty years of design experience. With dual offices in New York and Los Angeles, their projects have spanned a wide range of civic, residential, corporate, and institutional buildings that regularly receive recognition as bold artistic statements with a classic sense of style and order. Meier’s skill as an architect earned him the holy grail of design awards in 1984, the Pritzker Prize for Architecture.

Notable standouts in Meier’s collection of accomplishments include several grand museums like the High Museum in Atlanta, Ara Pacis Museum in Rome, Barcelona’s Museum of Contemporary Art – eight years in the making and completed in 1995 – and the Frankfurt Museum for Decorative Arts.

Another Roman gem of Meier’s construction is the city’s Jubilee Church, a contemporary masterpiece of geometry bathed in natural light, is another of the firm’s best structures. The church stands as a unique counterpoint to the traditional architecture that surrounds the ancient Italian capital of religious culture.

Image of Richard Meier’s “Atheneum” located in New Harmony, Indiana. Image is from gèr-HÀRDT’s personal Flickr page.