Concept

The concept of the company is to make mobile phones in the same vein
as luxury watch manufacturers like Rolex, IWC and Patek Philippe. The
most expensive model it has ever made is the Signature Cobra, at
£213,000 (~$310,000); the most expensive regular model is the
Signature Diamond at £55,000 (~$83,000). Prices start at £3500 for the
Constellation model.[1]
Other models include: Ascent, Constellation, Ascent Ti and Ayxta. The
standard Ascent models come in many different colours, such as: Black,
Brown, Red and Orange. The Special Edition models come in White,
Azure Blue and Pink. The Summer Collection models come in
Strawberry Red and White. Variations of the Ascent also include the
RaceTrack Editions and Ferrari Edition. The original Ascent is no longer
being produced, though the Constellation, Ascent Ti and Signature are
still in production. There is a redesigned model of the Ascent, the
Ascent 2010 currently in production.
The mobiles themselves are made from very expensive materials such
as gold, sapphire (for the mobile screen), rubies (for the bearings) and
fine leather. Each mobile is hand-made in its factories in Church
Crookham, Hampshire, England.
The company is headquartered in the United Kingdom with offices in
Paris, New York, Las Vegas, Singapore, Tokyo, Frankfurt, and Hong
Kong. Vertu's president and COO is Perry Oosting, and the Principal
Designer is Frank Nuovo. The company now has over 400 employees.
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Distribution
To keep the value of the brand, Vertu mobiles are only available in its
own branded stores, concessions in leading department stores such as
Harrods and Selfridges in London, and other authorised retailers.
Vertu’s flagship store opened in 2002 in Paris and then soon after in
Singapore. There are now over 600 retail outlets, including one at Wynn
Las Vegas.
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Concierge service
One of the services acquired with a Vertu mobile is a year's free
concierge service called "Vertu Concierge", operated by Ten Lifestyle
Management worldwide. It is accessed through a special button, the
"Concierge key", on the side of every phone.
This 'hot key' puts the user through to a team of lifestyle managers who
can book services such as gourmet dining, luxury travel or
accommodation around the clock
Vertu, the luxury communications company, recently announced that it
has plans to grow the luxury mobile phone business in India. As of now
Vertu�s exclusive handsets are currently available in Delhi and
Mumbai. Vertu is available across 40 countries in more than 300 retail
doors worldwide. World over, the phones though very steeply priced
(ranging from, gasp, $5,750 to $26,550!) are popular with celebs such
as Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Tom Ford and David Beckham.
However, they have proved to be too pricey for even the rich.Vertu is
now eyeing the Indian market. India has been witnessing an increase in
per capita income across the country, at least in the metros and mini
metros. Vertu is counting on the upmarket lifestyles of people in India.
�We are in a strong position to grow our business in luxury mobile
phones in India. By the end of this year, we aim to sell Vertu handsets
in Bangalore, Calcutta, Chandigarh and Chennai,� announced Mr
Alberto Torres, President for Vertu.�We are in discussions with several
interested parties and hope to make more announcements shortly,� he
added.Vertu, a subsidiary of Nokia, launched its first phone, Vertu
Signature in January 2002. The company claims Signature is available
in stainless steel, 18 carat white gold, 18 carat yellow gold and platinum
and comprises over 400 parts.Vertu's other luxury phone Ascent is
inspired by the look and feel of luxury sports cars, according to the
company. Described as tough and elegant, Vertu Ascent is made of
ceramic, stainless steel, finished with hand-stitched leather and a
durable Liquidmetal alloy. Ascent is a simple phone. It does not allow
you take or send pictures and other multimedia files. Bluetooth wireless
for hands-free handsets or a broswer are absent.Manufactured in the
UK, the phones are touted to be crafted by using high-quality materials,
including a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal face, ultra-strong highly
polished ceramic, fine leather for better grip and jewelled bearings that
are fitted under each key, providing a reassuring click each time the key
is pressed. Vertu phone owners can also avail of a service whereby
they can press a Concierge key on their phones to access a client
servicing team called "Lifestyle Managers" or "Global Advisors". You
can call them to, say, ask for the schedules of movies in the city you are
in. They also claim to provide "international assistance". The Vertu
Concierge is complimentary to all Vertu clients for the first year and it is
available all hours of the day and night, in English. In India, Vertu
mobile phones are currently retailing at The Regent Watch & Jewellery
Co. in New Delhi and Popley La Classique in Mumbai.