We have earlier introduced you to some of the very exclusive cards, including the American Express Black Card, and the diamond-studded Royale MasterCard for Dubai’s elites.

Now, MasterCard and Kazkommertsbank, the second largest bank in Kazakhstan, together are bringing a MasterCard credit card festooned with gold and diamonds.
Known as the “Diamond”, the card has a 0.02-carat gem ¬embedded in its centre and a picture of a peacock for female cardholders and a winged horse for men.

The card, which has a $1,000 (£620) annual fee, is to be issued in two weeks’ time by MasterCard and Kazkommertsbank, the second largest bank in commodities-rich Kazakhstan, where the oil and minerals boom of recent years has created a fresh crop of billionaires.

Asked about the timing of the launch, the bank’s head of international payment systems, Alla Voyakina, said: “The [financial] crisis is also affecting us but we are talking about rich people, they can afford to have such cards. It’s a question of prestige to have such cards in your -wallet.”

The diamond was “only a design element”, Ms Voyakina said. “It’s showing your status.” The card comes as even the super-rich are feeling the pain of the credit crunch. Spending on items such as $1,000 mobile phones is expected to end a boom that more than doubled the size of the global luxury goods market in the past decade.

However, Ms Voyakina said the bank had a target audience of “the best of VIP customers” and only planned to issue 1,000 cards. Each would have a credit limit of $50,000, about $20,000 higher than the highest limit on some MasterCard platinum cards (Pictured above is the diamond-studded Royale MasterCard issued earlier for Dubai’s elites).

As we reported two weeks ago, the highly anticipated KEE Shanghai – the first overseas branch of the famous Hong Kong private members club that counts celebrities and royalty among its habituees - has now opened its doors to Shanghai society.

Elegantly located behind the grand stone entrance and cast iron gates of 796 Huai Hai Rd, past a beautifully cultivated garden, KEE Shanghai discreetly resides in the striking 1920s heritage maison Twin Villas.

A location it shares with the Richemont Shanghai headquarters, sitting above the flagship stores for China of distinguished brands such as Alfred Dunhill and Vacheron Constantin.

The Lusso Collection portfolio of multi-million dollar residences in the world’s most desirable vacation spots (such as Cabo San Lucas, Aspen, Miami, Hawaii and the Bahamas) has acquired its first European property, a $5 million villa in Tuscany - its first European estate.

Located on the outskirts of picturesque Cortona, La Ripa (picture above) is a 500-year-old, 4,000-sq.-ft. fully-restored stone farmhouse with five bedroom suites, stone fireplaces, terracotta floors and brick archways , enhanced by luxurious modern amenities : the estate’s 27 landscaped acres include a privately situated swimming pool, lush gardens and olive and cypress groves.

The ancient city of Cortona is nearby and Florence and Sienna are about 50 miles away. Cortona has a large number of restaurants, festivals and regular open air markets where you can become a true local.

One of my favourite place in Hong Kong, KEE Club, is a members only club which has been around circa 2001 and it’s still going strong. When Kee first opened, Paparazzi would be permanently stationed outside of it’s Kee’s doors as VIP celebs, starlets and hong kong socialites would always be there.

Today many people consider Kee to be their favorite club because it has the atmosphere of a private house party. The crowd is eclectic and glamourous.

There are celebrities, old money, new money, young trendies, older sophisticates, models, fashion people, Eurotrash, guys in suits, glam gals. It’s the only member’s only club that really feels like a “club”. It’s easy to socialize without pretensions.

As KEE is to open its first overseas club in Mainland China, I strongly recommand that you pay a visit to them if you live in Shanghai :) Bellow is the press release about this event. KEE Shanghai is located at 796 Huai Hai Road Middle, Shanghai.

KEE Shanghai opens this October in Shanghai at the city’s prestigious new heritage site Twin Villas, on 796 Huai Hai Road.

KEE is a private members’ club set in a truly unique, beautiful and intimate environment, for people who are interested in being part of a certain lifestyle which embraces the ultimate in art, music, food, wine and most importantly, people.

Although KEE is different things to different people, it has one uniting factor: it is a home to its members and is a place for modern people who are interesting, influential and fun.

KEE Shanghai will offer the same unique “salon” and dining environment that has proved such a huge success in Hong Kong, drawing a chic local and international following, which includes members of royal families, heads of state, renowned film directors and celebrities. International celebrity visitors include Jude Law, Mick Jagger, Ron Wood, Michael Jordan, Sting and Asian celebrities Michelle Yeo, Chau Yun Fat, Maggie Q, Wong Kar Wai and Hidetoshi Nakata.

Visitors to KEE Shanghai can expect rich fabrics and textures, antique furniture and collections of art from past centuries in rooms reminiscent of European salons, recalling an age that was known for its artistic decadence and intellectual conversation, much like the old Shanghai of the 1920s.

Beautifully restored to its previous grandeur, the 1921 Twin Villas offers the perfect setting for KEE Shanghai. The club, which is renowned in Hong Kong for its personal service and luxury ambience, will share the building with the Richemont Shanghai headquarters, sitting above the flagship stores for China of distinguished brands such as Alfred Dunhill and Vacheron Constantin.

Serene landscaped gardens lead visitors to the villas where they enter KEE either directly or choose to walk up the stunning wooden staircases with sunlight streaming through original stained-glass windows. KEE Shanghai comprises a cosy, elegant brasserie style restaurant, an exquisite yet relaxing lounge and bar, both with outdoor balconies overlooking the gardens, and intimate rooms for private dining. All-wood floors, high ceilings and French windows add wonderfully to the ambience of the club.

Set to become one of the finest restaurants in Shanghai, KEE Shanghai will offer a contemporary French and Mediterranean fine dining menu accompanied by an excellent wine selection. In addition, there will also be high tea and Saturday/Sunday brunch as well as a Chinese banquet menu served in the private rooms and more casual Japanese –inspired and international-style tapas menu and sensational cocktails served from the bar.

In its short history, KEE private members club in Hong Kong has played host to a plethora of lifestyle events, which range from gourmet dinners featuring Michelin-starred chefs and the finest wines from across the globe. These include Dom Pérignon’s showcase event - the Seven Sensualities dinner, as well as champagne and wine pairing events for the likes of Krug, Veuve Clicquot and Gaja.

Fashion powerhouses along with emerging designers favour the venue for catwalk presentations or intimate trunk shows thanks to its stylish crowd and the elegant surrounds. Art also runs through the veins of KEE private members club, and regular exhibitions and headline events such as Christie’s private viewing of priceless Monets as well as a gala dinner for Christie’s chairman Viscount David Lindley have taken place at the club in the past year.

KEE private members club has also been known to hold other unique events in the form of charity auctions, film screenings, and lunch talks on a diverse range of subjects.

Delightfully charming with a style of its own, there will similarly be no bounds to the happenings that will occur at KEE Shanghai.

KEE Shanghai is located at 796 Huai Hai Road Middle, Shanghai 200020, in the heart of the city’s business, shopping and entertainment area.

One Key is a Travel Card company that provides access to quality, luxury homes across a global portfolio of destinations without a significant outlay of upfront capital or the hassle of whole ownership.

Cards are available by number of nights: The Travel Card offers discerning travelers the option of either 15, 25 or 45 nights, for $34,900, $49,900, or $84,900, respectively, that may be used in any increment to get away with family and friends to homes typically averaging $3 million.

Pricing includes access to One Key Homes, daily housekeeping, and member services. With the One Key Travel Card members have currently access to a portfolio of over 250 private homes through out Europe, the Caribbean, and North America.

aSmallWorld is an online social network service similar to Facebook. Also called “Snobster” by critics, it is an exclusive invitation-only network with roughly 250,000 members.

Founded in 2004 by by Swedish banker and globetrotter Erik Wachtmeister, the network is mainly about lifestyle, society, celebrities: Naomi Campbell, Ivanka Trump, Quentin Tarantino, Paris Hilton, Tiger Woods, Prince Emanuele Filiberto Di Savoia and James Blunt are among the members.

SmallWorld shares many features with other social network services, such as profiles, an event calendar, private messaging and allows users to list multiple cities as their location of residence. Members can also buy, and sell items (Bugatti Veyron, Caviar, etc…) using aSmallWorld’s private forums or even rent property or find a flatmate.

People must be invited to join. Only certain members of the club have the privilege to invite other members and five members must approve your existence before you’re “in.” (since it’s difficult to verify wealth levels)

Admins closely monitor the network : Rules state that members aren’t allowed to “annoy, harass or unreasonably disturb members, or try to connect to members with whom you have no previous contact.” aSmallWorld kick out members who engage in improper behavior (like networking rapidly with the celebrities or selling products too aggressively).

Members are not allowed to discuss the inner goings-on of aSmallWorld on any outside website”. Problematic users are immediately exiled to a separate network called aBigWorld;

” However, it’s very difficult to build a network based solely on wealth,” says Stephen Martiros, a managing director of a coalition of rich families based in Boston. “You might start with a few wealthy people, but as you grow it eventually reverts to the mean. And once that happens, the wealthy leave. If you have one guy worth $100 million sitting at a table with a guy worth $1 million, only one of them is going to be excited to be there.”

Besides, membership invitations or passwords to the site can be easily purchased on eBay. Some angry users have therefore posted hilarious comments that THE WALL STREET JOURNAL brought to us :

“Who invites these people? We should be selective who to invite. What about quality control?”

“There is no reason why when we come online we should have to socialize with truck drivers”

“One of my friends told me that the site has lowered so much its level, that she has invited her maids.”