For the first time ever, you can own your very own luxury submarine. The Phoenix 1000 makes underwater travel for adventure-seeking billionaires a reality.Phoenix 1000 is the biggest and luxurious private submarine ever designed. It is the top of the line model produced by U.S. Submarines Inc., the first company to bring luxury submarines to the commercial market.

The 65-meter personal luxury submarine has 460 sq meters (5,000 square feet) of interior space on four levels and is able to dive up to 1,000 feet. The Phoenix is capable of making trans-Atlantic crossings at 16 knots yet can dive along the route and explore the continental margins of some of the most fascinating waters on earth.

And unlike surface yachts, when the water gets rough, the submarine can submerge into a perfectly smooth and quiet environment, continuing on toward its destination, assuring long journeys in most luxurious and comfortable way.

On board, it offers accommodation for around 12 guests divided into 6 cabins with private bathrooms; while on the main deck have a fantastic deck saloon from which they can admire the unusual and fascinating landscapes of navigation in depth. The luxury amenities include Jacuzzis, gyms, wine cellars and the clients even have the option of going for a basketball court.
The uppermost level of the vessel is the flying bridge. This area is similar to its equivalent area on most yachts, with the exception of the fact that the materials selected can stand immersion.

The utmost depth is reached 305 meters but if you want to go down even more, the integrated docking mini-sub can take 8 passengers to an extreme 610 metres below the surface. Additionally, in the unlikely event of an emergency at depth, the minisub could be used to take passengers and crew to the surface.

The estimated price of the Phoenix is $78 million and this luxurious undersea vehicle takes about three years to build.

Melted down, a gold Ming Dynasty bowl would sell for about $30,000, twice as much as four years ago. At a Hong Kong auction next month, the imperial vessel may fetch more than HK$60 million ($7.7 million), Sotheby’s said.

Inscribed with dragons and set with pearls, turquoise, rubies and sapphires, the three-legged vessel — made with 1.3 kilograms of 18K gold — is the highlight of Sotheby’s auction of more than 25 gold and precious-metal objects in Hong Kong on April 11, the New York-based auction house said. The lots may raise a combined HK$100 million, said Sotheby’s.[...]

“Timing couldn’t be better,” said Tian Kai, a Beijing- based art dealer. “Gold is all the rage right now.”

Sotheby’s Hong Kong was offered the consignment in mid- January, days before the cut-off date for assembling lots for the auction, said Nicolas Chow, the auction house’s head of Chinese ceramics and artworks. He declined to identify the seller. Several European and Asian private collectors have inquired about the consignment.

“Gold is the most comprehensive marker of luxury in ancient cultures, including the Ming Dynasty,” said Chow. “If fine porcelain from these eras could fetch record prices, there is no reason art made with costlier material couldn’t fare better.”

The record for a Qing ceramic was set in November 2006 when Hong Kong businesswoman Alice Cheng paid HK$151.3 million for a porcelain bowl at a Christie’s International auction. Several private collectors, including casino magnate Stanley Ho, have bought imperial artifacts at auction and donated them to China in the past few years. [...]

Read the full article on Bloomberg
To contact the reporters on this story: Le-Min Lim in Hong Kong at lmlim@bloomberg.net