A set of gold earphones have been placed on display in at Clive Ranger jewelry shop Bristol. Designed by renowned Belgium based jeweler Casa Gi, the listening devices are made from 18 carat gold, encrusted with 118 of the highest quality diamonds and give a crystal clear sound.

Each earphone contains 59 diamonds that have been individually set in the gold, giving a sparking appearance. The total weight in gold is 18 grams making them a fair bit heavier than a standard plastic pair. But makers claim they are just as comfortable and give excellent sound quality.

The earpieces are attached to a white wire with a standard jack that fits into most MP3 players and computers.

Richard Slack, managing director for the firm, said: “They are attracting a lot of attention but as of yet we haven’t found a buyer. I think they are aimed at fairly extrovert people, maybe a sports star or someone in the acting profession - they are the ultimate in bling.”

The sparkling earphones, which are thought to be the most expensive in the world, have now gone on sale for £3,499 (approximately US $5,150).

The latest addition to luxe tech is the iDiamond Ear: diamond-studded earphone.

Designed by Thomas Heyerdahl of Heyerdahl jewelry, located in Oslo, Norway, these earphones are crafted from 18k white gold or 18k rose gold (total weight is 11.5 grams) and are set with 1.65 carats of handcrafted micropave diamonds (204 individual diamonds) and feature laser engraved details.

Heyerdahl is the same company which created the world’s most expensive iPod called the iDiamond, which was auctioned (March 2008) for a charitable cause in London. The iDiamond was created as one unique and single piece of jewelry.