Jony Ive Creates Solid Gold EarPods for (RED) Sotheby's Charity Auction

[MacRumors]

Jony Ive, Apple's senior vice president of design, has contributed to an auction [PDF] celebrating "masterworks of design and innovation" to benefit Bono's Project (RED) charity.

Ive worked with designer Marc Newson to curate and in some cases customize a number of items including a one-of-a-kind Steinway & Sons grand piano, and the pair curated the rest of the collection, including a set of 18k solid rose gold Apple EarPods, pictured at right, and a customized magnum of Dom Perignon 1966 with a custom red label.

Leading the auction are the two items designed in their entirety by Jony and Marc - a unique Leica Digital Rangefinder Camera, which is, in and of itself, a feat of extraordinary engineering, and a unique aluminum desk produced by Neal Feay Studios. Joining these editions labeled 01/01 and specifically produced for the (RED) Auction are: a Steinway & Sons Parlor Grand Piano and a 2012 Range Rover, both customized by Jony and Marc; a unique version of Hermès' iconic Cavale saddle created in red leather with custom red stitching; a one- of-a-kind pair of classic Apple EarPods in solid rose gold; a Russian cosmonaut suit; a pair of Damien Hirst 'Spin Chairs' designed by Jasper Morrison; a custom Jaeger-LeCoultre Atmos "561" Clock with unique red accents created for the auction; and a Dom Pérignon OEnothèque s 1966 Magnum with custom red foil label, red ice bucket cooler and limited edition protective case.

The charity auction will be held on November 23 at Sotheby's New York.

Article Link: Jony Ive Creates Solid Gold EarPods for (RED) Sotheby's Charity Auction

 

[Locoboof]

Seems pretty cool and for a good cause

 

[boshii]

These would be perfect for the champagne 5S.

 

[whooleytoo]

Gold iPhone confirmed!

Nice touch by him/Apple, well done.

Although... would you/could you ever use them? I mean, sticking any gold into your ear even just once, you'd think it would wipe quite a bit off the value.

 

[Digital Dude]

Being made of solid gold would make them quite heavy and likely just fall out of your ears.

 

[576316]

Wowee!

 

[Arran]

Wonder what the AppleCare will cost on those?

 

[4God]

Wonder if they'll sound tinny...

 

[aolbites]

The Dom Perignon, per the PDF, is 1996, not 1966.

Edit: The PDF can't even agree, one spot says 1996, another spot it says 1966.

 

[runeapple]

Being made of solid gold would make them quite heavy and likely just fall out of your ears.

For me heavier earphones stay in better as light ones a single light knock of the cable causes them to fly out.

But putting it in your ear a few times will start to make it tarnish and loose value but I guess that's the same as a ring of a necklace.

 

[Ajones330]

These are very nice. Wonder will we see different colors for the ear pods this year...

 

[Cali Fornia]

Gold iPhone confirmed!

Nice touch by him/Apple, well done.

Although... would you/could you ever use them? I mean, sticking any gold into your ear even just once, you'd think it would wipe quite a bit off the value.

Especially, what will you do when the cable breaks one day? (as it is the case after some time as always)

 

[Drumjim85]

For me heavier earphones stay in better as light ones a single light knock of the cable causes them to fly out.

But putting it in your ear a few times will start to make it tarnish and loose value but I guess that's the same as a ring of a necklace.

You put necklaces in your ear?

 

[Rogifan]

I'm assuming whoever buys them won't actually use them.

They also designed a white and red Steinway for this auction. I could see someone like Elton John putting down some $$$ for this.

 

[sixstrings03]

For me heavier earphones stay in better as light ones a single light knock of the cable causes them to fly out.

But putting it in your ear a few times will start to make it tarnish and loose value but I guess that's the same as a ring of a necklace.

gold doesn't tarnish

 

[Tankmaze]

It should be a gold iphone or macbook pro

 

[Redbeard25]

These would be perfect for the champagne 5S.

Nailed it.

 

[musika]

I'm no big Star Wars buff or anything, but did anybody else think of C3PO when they saw this?

 

[KdParker]

Wonder if they'll sound tinny...

I wonder if they really work at all.

----------

I'm no big Star Wars buff or anything, but did anybody else think of C3PO when they saw this?

Image

no

 

[Born Again]

Soon to be on eBay for $10 kirfed

 

[ToomeyND]

For those talking about the gold wearing down, you realize that earrings are gold, right?

 

[jfx94]

I think they'll be heavy, but I wouldn't worry about the value decreasing with use. 18k gold is strong and will not tarnish. I wonder if they drivers in them are still made out of paper like the rest of the EarPods, or if the guts are different in these.

I'd like to see pictures of some of the other projects at the auction that Ive has touched.

 

[Pompiliu]

I'm no big Star Wars buff or anything, but did anybody else think of C3PO when they saw this?

Image

Nope.

 

[Drunken Master]

These are very nice. Wonder will we see different colors for the ear pods this year...

I wonder about this sometimes, but I think the ear pods wouldn't look good in black.

 

[Rogifan]

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