You can buy a $12,000 Valentine's Day iPhone 16 Pro Max now — here's all the reasons you shouldn't

Caviar iPhone 16 Pro models incrusted with jewels
(Image credit: Caviar/GSMArena/Tom's Guide)

Today is Valentine's Day. Congratulations! I hope you're lucky enough to have someone in your life go out of their way to get you a small token of appreciation.

Or, conversely, you have someone that you appreciate enough to get them flowers or a gift of some sort. If you don't, don't sweat it — it's a mostly a marketing thing, anyway.

Regardless of whether you do or do not care about Valentine's Day, I doubt February 14th is the day you drop $11,910 on a limited edition "Secret Love" version of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max that's been unveiled to celebrate the day of love.

That's right, Dubai-based luxury device maker/customizer Caviar has announced a collection of 99 units of Apple's flagship smartphone (h/t GSMArena for the tip-off) with the back panel adorned with leather, jewels and 24k rose gold plating. The collection is divided into three unique designs: Bouquet Dore, Serpentis Pearl, and Sea of Love.

The prices are as follows for the iPhone 16 Pro models based on your preferred storage configuration: $9,630, $9,990 and $11,630. If you opt for the iPhone 16 Pro Max, you're looking at $9,910, $10,270 and $11,910. Yep — that's nearly twelve thousand freakin' dollars to buy a phone. You could buy three Vision Pro headsets for this money and still have over a grand left in change.

You could buy three Vision Pro headsets for this money and still have over a grand left in change.

What do you get for the money? Well, the phone itself doesn't change (of course) but if you opt for the Bouquet Dore, your iPhone comes with genuine calfskin, mother-of-pearl butterflies and a double layer of 24K rose gold plating on the back, with a floral design inspired by the aesthetics of the Renaissance. Caviar says it "represents the most expensive bouquet and Valentine's gift." Ok then.

Meanwhile, the Serpentis Pearl has cream-colored leather, pearls and that same 24K rose gold, but the design shows a serpent symbolizing "passion and renewal". The Sea of Love, apart from bringing to mind an 80's Al Pacino flick, is inspired by Botticelli's Birth of Venus and has a back cover of calf leather, a 24K rose gold shell, pearls, mother-of-pearl and diamonds.

Don't buy these

At risk of straying too much into relationship advice territory here, if it takes a gift of this extravagance to signify your affection then I think a long, hard look in the mirror is called for.

Thing is, aside from sending out gigantic "please rob me" vibes every time you pull out your phone to take a call (or have your butler do it for you) there's a pretty simple reason not to get these phones; the iPhone's design is premium and already one of the best things about the device.

For the iPhone 16 Pro series, Apple employed a refined microblasted finish to the titanium that makes it smoother and shinier than a brushed finish. Apple — like any big tech company — spends a vast amount of money on research and development into its materials and design. Titanium has one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios you can use, meaning the phone is durable and light at the same time. I just so happen to think it looks awesome just the way it is.

iPhone 16 Pro back in Desert Titanium

(Image credit: Future)

Now, there's some rumors floating about Apple could go back to aluminum for the iPhone 17 series. Aluminum is both lighter and more environmentally-friendly than Grade 5 titanium but I have to agree with my colleague Phil Michaels here; I don't think Apple will ditch titanium on the Pro models anytime soon.

So anyway, even if you do have $12k burning a hole in your pocket, don't buy this phone. The iPhone 16 Pro Max is already one of the best-looking phones out there and it doesn't need a mother-of-pearl inlay to make it better.

More from Tom's Guide

Category
Arrow
Arrow
Back to Mobile Cell Phones
Brand
Arrow
Storage Size
Arrow
Colour
Arrow
Condition
Arrow
Price
Arrow
Any Price
Showing 10 of 56 deals
Filters
Arrow
(128GB)
Our Review
1
Google Pixel 8a 128GB in...
Verizon
(64GB Red)
Our Review
2
2022 Apple iPhone SE (64 GB,...
Amazon
6-month plan free
Our Review
3
Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)
Mint Mobile
(256GB)
Our Review
4
OnePlus - 12R 256GB...
Best Buy
Our Review
5
Apple iPhone SE 3rd Gen...
AT&T Mobility
Our Review
6
Google Pixel 8a 128 GB
Visible
(Blue)
Our Review
7
OnePlus 12R CPH2611 North...
OnePlus US & Canada
(128GB)
Our Review
8
Pixel 8a Bay 128GB (Unlocked)
Google Store NA
(128GB 8GB RAM)
Our Review
9
OnePlus 12R, 8GB RAM+128GB,...
Amazon
(128GB)
Our Review
10
Google Pixel 8a 128GB in Aloe...
Verizon
Show more
Jeff Parsons
UK Editor In Chief

Jeff is UK Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide looking after the day-to-day output of the site’s British contingent. Rising early and heading straight for the coffee machine, Jeff loves nothing more than dialling into the zeitgeist of the day’s tech news.

A tech journalist for over a decade, he’s travelled the world testing any gadget he can get his hands on. Jeff has a keen interest in fitness and wearables as well as the latest tablets and laptops. A lapsed gamer, he fondly remembers the days when problems were solved by taking out the cartridge and blowing away the dust.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Read more
iPhone 16e front and back
iPhone 16e price — why it's way more expensive than any of us thought
iPhone 16 Pro Max with iPhone 16 Pro held in hand
Forget the iPhone 16e — these iPhone 16 Pro deals are way cheaper
iPhone 16 Pro Max in hand with deal tag
Not a typo! The iPhone 16 Pro Max is just 1 cent right now in Amazon's after Christmas sale
Closeup of iPhone 16e main camera.
I was really excited about the iPhone 16e, but not anymore — here's why I won't be upgrading
iphone 16e pros and cons with green thumbs up and red thumbs down
5 reasons to buy the iPhone 16e — and 3 reasons to skip
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16
iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 — 7 things to know before you buy
Latest in iPhones
iPhone 17 Air render
iPhone 17 Air — new survey could be bad news for Apple's super thin iPhone
Render of the alleged design of the iPhone 17 Pro
New iPhone 17 Pro dummy leak highlights redesigned camera and part glass body
Siri in iOS 18 on iPhone
Users complain that Siri can’t answer even the most basic questions — here’s what we know
iPhone 16 next to samsung galaxy watch 7 and bose wireless earbuds on a composite image
Apple's walled garden is crumbling — EU orders iOS to open up to third-party devices
Apple iPhone 16 & 16 Plus hands-on.
Forget USB-C — a truly portless iPhone just got the all-clear from the EU
iPhone Flip render
iPhone Flip could solve one of the biggest problems with foldable phones — here's how
Latest in Opinion
Google Pixel 9a with thumbs up and thumbs down icons
Google Pixel 9a — 5 reasons to buy and 3 reasons to skip
Ensemble cast members of Netflix's "The Residence" cast peak around a doorway
I just started streaming 'The Residence' — Netflix's new murder mystery show already has me hooked
Walking workout man and woman walking up stairs
I'm a personal trainer — these are my 3 'non-negotiables' for building mental stamina
Ryu Jun-yeol as Sung Min-chan in "Revelations" on Netflix
I can’t get over this new psychological thriller on Netflix — you need to stream this gripping movie now
iPhone 12
A port-free iPhone is fine with the EU — and if it happens, I’m ready for it
Google Pixel 9a hands-on.
The Pixel 9a just did something phone cameras haven't done in over a decade