Original post featured on Business Insider.
No billionaire is complete without a superyacht of his or her own. In fact, a November report from Wealth-X and the UBS Global Billionaire Census found that the average billionaire spends $22 million on yachts.
The latest study from Wealth-X ranks the most expensive luxury asset acquisitions of all time, and it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that eight of the top ten purchases were yachts.
Wealth-X uses a proprietary valuation model to assess all asset holdings including privately and publicly held businesses and investible assets to develop their Net Worth Valuation.
Here, in reverse order, are the 8 most expensive yacht purchases of all time.
8. Dilbar, $263 million
Alisher Usmanov, Russia’s wealthiest man, bought this 360-foot superyacht for $263 million in 2012. Dilbar, named after the billionaire’s mother, has accommodations for 20 guests and up to 47 crew members, in addition to a helicopter pad, swimming pool, and swanky formal dining room.
7. Radiant, $286 million
Jose Antonio Moreno Monge/Flickr
Originally commissioned by Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, this 360-foot yacht was sold to Abdulla Al Futtaim, a billionaire car dealer from the United Arab Emirates. Radiant’s amenities put a James Bond twist on the typical superyacht experience. It’s equipped with sonic guns that would burst the eardrums of attackers, along with water cannons that could sink an approaching boat from 100 yards away. There’s even a smaller speedboat designed specifically for a quick escape.
5. (tie) Pelorus, $300 million
Music mogul David Geffen purchased Pelorus from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in May 2011. Since one helicopter pad just isn’t enough, this superyacht has two, in addition to two swimming pools and a collection of smaller boats on the tender deck. One guest suite has a wall that lowers to transform into an ultra-private veranda.
5. (tie) Dubai, $300 million
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The Dubai, which currently belongs to Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh of the emirate of Dubai, was the most expensive yacht in the wold when it was built by Blohm + Voss in 2006. At 524 feet, it’s the third-largest private yacht in the world, and it boasts seven decks, a squash room, helicopter pad, and even a small submarine.
4. A, $323 million
Reuters/Tim Chong
This elegant, Philippe Starck-designed superyacht belongs to Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko. Among its luxurious amenities are bath faucets worth $40,000, staircase banisters worth $60,000, and a bed that rotates with the touch of a button, allowing for perfect views of the sunrise and sunset. “A” has had its fair share of controversies, however, as the Melnichenkos are currently suing Dutch paint corporation Akzo Nobel, claiming the yacht’s paint is not as reflective as they had requested.
3. Serene, $330 million
Russian vodka distributor Yuri Scheffler owns this 440-foot yacht, which has turquoise neon lights that give it a nighttime glow. It has a combined 48,000 square feet of covered space on its seven decks, including indoor and outdoor pools, 12 staterooms, and an outdoor screening room. Scheffler purchased the Italian-designed yacht for $330 million in 2011.
2. Eclipse, $485 million
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Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich purchased the 536-foot-long Eclipse in 2010, when it still held the title for world’s largest yacht. Eclipse has two helipads, a disco, cinema, hair salon, and restaurant, plus it’s rumored to have a laser defense system against paparazzi trying to photograph high-profile guests.
1. Azzam, $627 million
Klaus Jordan
The largest and most expensive yacht in the world is a staggering 590 feet long (longer than some commercial cruise ships) and owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates. It took German shipbuilders Lürssen Yachts four years to build this behemoth of a ship, which is rumored to have up to 50 private suites. According to Wealth-X, the $627 million purchase was only about 3.5% of Sheikh Khalif’s net worth of $17.9 billion.