Vertu
Constellation

This handset was part of the Vertu Constellation series, a more affordable model from the luxury phone maker. It came in three different configurations. Prices started around £4000 ($5500). The most expensive model was an 18-carat gold version, while the other two variants used polished or satin steel. Complementing the metal finish was high-quality leather on the rear casing which was carefully selected and matched and was available in various colours. The phone also featured a 262,144-colour display placed behind un-scratchable sapphire crystal. The phones were hand-assembled and depending on the model had up to 45 miniature screws. The example in the Mobile Phone Museum collection is a prototype of the polished steel variant with a ceramic keyboard and earpiece. The phone was conceived by long-time Nokia and Vertu designer, Frank Nuovo. He drew inspiration, and the name, from a plane made by Lockheed called the Constellation which was the first pressurized-cabin civilian plane that went into widespread service. In a nod to the plane’s design, Nuovo used a propeller symbol for the microphone opening on the front of the phone. The phone featured Nokia’s much-liked S40 user interface. It had no camera, something that was common on Vertu products as many of its high-net-worth customers deeply disliked cameras or felt that having a phone without a camera was more acceptable in social circles. It included other features such as Bluetooth and quad-band support which ensured the maximum global coverage for users. The Constellation was the best-selling Vertu phone of all time achieving sales of approximately 100,000 units.