The $32 Million Gold Toilet and the High Cost of Bling

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Excess is often the tuition for wisdom. If that’s true, Hang Fung Gold Technology Group in Hong Kong is practically a monastery of opulence. Their showroom houses a “Hall of Gold” filled with handcrafted excess. But the real tourist draw? The “World’s Most Expensive Gold and Jewelry Sparkling Environmental Friendly Washroom.” It’s a mouthful of a name for a very shiny problem.

At the center of this gilded throne room sits the star: a solid 24-carat gold toilet. It’s not a plating. It’s not a镀层. It is one ton of pure metal.

Why You Should Be Glad It Stays Put

In early 2008, the panic set in. Investors saw the metal and saw dollars. Rumors swirled that the famous fixture would be melted down for scrap. Hang Fung had to step in and calm the public. They announced the toilet would remain intact. It wouldn’t be sacrificed for profit.

But the company wasn’t entirely off the hook. They admitted that other fixtures in the lavatory might not fare so well. The owners had a strict stipulation. If gold hits $1,000 per ounce, they have a plan.

One ton of gold equals 32,000 ounces. At that price point, the attraction gets scrapped. The math is brutal but clear. The company would gross $32 million. The owners would net about $17.6 million after costs. That’s a lot of liquidity for a bathroom.

The One Exception

The posh potty itself is safe. It’s not for sale. It stays in the showroom as a monument to extravagance. It’s a tourist trap, but a permanent one. Unless the market crashes or soars past that $1,000 mark, you can keep dreaming of it from behind the velvet rope.

The one-of-a-kind posh potty will be spared and remain in Hang Fung’s showroom — it’s not for sale.

If you’re feeling inspired by that level of waste, you’re not alone. Some people want to bring a fraction of that sparkle into their own homes. Maybe not one ton of gold. But definitely some high-end bling.

Luxe Bathroom Fixtures

For those itching to add some expensive shine to their own walls, the market has options. You don’t need to melt down a tourist attraction to get the effect. There are fixtures designed for that expensive taste. They won’t make you $17 million, but they might make your guests do a double-take.

We’ll look at what’s available for the homeowner who wants more than just a white porcelain bowl. The next section breaks down the alternatives.

The Cost of High-Tech and High-End Bathroom Fixtures

You can’t buy the Hang Fung gold toilet for your master bath, but you can buy fixtures that make it look like a bargain. Just be prepared to empty your wallet.

The Neorest 600 is where the money goes. It is the most expensive commode you can buy for a home. Toto makes this tankless, one-piece toilet. It is green in the eco-friendly sense. It uses only 1.6 gallons per flush. You will not miss the water waste. The technology is what matters.

The sensor lifts the lid when you walk in. You sit down. It sprays warm water. It dries with air. It flushes with ionized cleaning. It deodorizes the room. The retail price is $5,800. You can find it for $3,159. A regular toilet costs $150. This is not a regular toilet.

If you are remodeling, go all the way. Add gold leaf to the backsplash. Put Italian marble on the floor. Install the big fixtures first.

The Idrolux “L” shower costs $24,000. It is freestanding. It has UV panels. You get a tan while you shower. If you prefer to sit, use the Kohler Kallista Archeo tub. It is a freestanding copper tub. It holds 21 inches of warm water. The price is over $66,000.

You need a sink. The Italbrass Mezz’aria is a dual basin sink. It is stainless steel. It mounts to the wall. It is a floating design. The price is nearly $7,500. You need a mirror above it.

Seura makes mirrors with LCD TVs inside. They can be 45 inches wide. You can watch news while you get ready. The TV disappears when off. It looks like a normal mirror. These cost around $5,000. The frames are custom.

Starting your day with these features changes everything. You can’t put a price on that.

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