​Gift Shopping for Billionaires: Finding One-of-a-kind Treasures
I was sitting in one of the world's best presidential suites in Paris when my boss called me into the next room. After I scurried into the living area of the suite, he spun around his laptop and showed me a photo of a diamond-encrusted skull known as "For the Love of God" (pictured above). It was made by Damien Hirst and costs $65,000,000. Then, I could not have ever imagined what came next -- he said he wanted one.
"Yes sir," I said. "I look into it immediately." I rushed out of the room and got to work. The long and short of it is, I couldn't get one. There is only one. So the next day I gave him some alternatives -- very special pieces at some of the world's most expensive stores. He wasn't interested. Like, at all.
"Yes sir," I said. "I look into it immediately." I rushed out of the room and got to work. The long and short of it is, I couldn't get one. There is only one. So the next day I gave him some alternatives -- very special pieces at some of the world's most expensive stores. He wasn't interested. Like, at all.
Dussault jeans cost a whopping $250,000
While I was speaking to him about the alternatives, he was scrolling through his phone's news feed. "I'd like you to look into these," he said. I peered over his shoulder and saw a pair of torn-up, raggedy blue jeans. A closer look revealed the name "Dussault." Another long story short, those jeans cost $250,000. Yes, you read it correctly -- $250K. One quarter of a million dollars for a pair of blue jeans -- and I couldn't get those, either!
I procrastinated for a day or two about telling him I couldn't get the Dussalt jeans because I wanted to come up with something good as an alternative. I spoke to the hotel's concierge, who turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The concierge rang a jeweler who makes customs for celebrities and billionaires.
When the jeweler showed up, he had two hulking body guards on either side of him carrying large attaché cases. My plan, frankly, was to surprise my boss with some world-class one-of-a-kinds. I simply didn't want to tell him twice in a row that I couldn't get him what he wanted -- even if those requests were impossible or impractical. My job as an Executive Personal Assistant to a billionaire is to make things happen.
I procrastinated for a day or two about telling him I couldn't get the Dussalt jeans because I wanted to come up with something good as an alternative. I spoke to the hotel's concierge, who turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The concierge rang a jeweler who makes customs for celebrities and billionaires.
When the jeweler showed up, he had two hulking body guards on either side of him carrying large attaché cases. My plan, frankly, was to surprise my boss with some world-class one-of-a-kinds. I simply didn't want to tell him twice in a row that I couldn't get him what he wanted -- even if those requests were impossible or impractical. My job as an Executive Personal Assistant to a billionaire is to make things happen.
James Bond holds the Faberge Egg (click to enlarge)
I first brought the small entourage into my suite to review the goods. They opened the cases and sprawled everything out on the bed. I needed sunglasses because the treasures that they brought sparkled so brightly that it nearly blinded me. The designer wouldn't let me take photos, but they had one that reminded me of the Faberge Egg from a 007 movie with Roger Moore. I asked the men to wait in my room and went to speak with my boss. I announced that some guests were here to show him some custom jewelry, and I held up the Faberge Egg to catch him off guard. It worked! I brought the gentlemen into the room and my boss made two purchases. Wow, I was off the hook. Mission accomplished!
