This is the new Rolls-Royce Wraith. The Wraith is a V-12, 642 horsepower, two door sports coupe with 2+2 seating and suicide doors. It is controlled by an eight-speed automatic transmission. Combined fuel economy is fifteen miles per gallon.
The Wraith starts at $294,000 but this is the “Inspired by Fashion” edition.
The exterior is in Andalusian white. The interior is stark arctic white and onyx with embroidered headrests, a jeweler’s clock and a steering wheel cover invisibly hand-stitched by seamstresses at the factory in Goodwood, England.
This model will set you back $362,005.
If cars aren’t your jam, how about this Patek Phillipe sports watch?
Technically it’s the Patek Phillipe Reference 130 Mono-Pusher Chronograph in Steel.
It just sold at auction for $4 million Swiss. (After commission and exchange rates, that’s $4,987,000.)
Or if fine art is more your thing, take a look at the recent Christie’s auction of Picasso’s 1955 “Les Femmes d’Alger (Version “O”).”
The winning bid? A record-breaking $179,365,000.
And what do these three fabulous-but-non-essential luxury items have in common?
Their proud new owners must have “Fuck You” money.
It’s my favorite kind.
It means you can take risks, never check a price tag, and most importantly, not take any guff from anyone.
This last is what makes it so attractive to me.
It’s easy to spot the people who possess it- if you know what you’re looking at.
They have an insouciance, a “je ne sais quois” quality that simply bespeaks confidence.
It is not the same thing as entitlement. Those guys are jerks- whether the are sixty or six.
“Fuck You” money has confidence, style and generosity.
Two examples:
Hungarian-born, London-based legendary movie producer Alex Korda was famous for his great films, beautiful women, fabulous yacht (Elsewhere) and lavish living. He was also a great boss.
I’ll let his nephew- author and editor Michael Korda- tell the story.
Sir Alex was trying to coach author Graham Greene into writing a film. So far, Greene had only written one sentence on the back of an envelope.
“I had paid my last farewell to Harry a week ago, when his coffin was lowered into the frozen February ground, so that it was with incredulity that I saw him pass by, without a sign of recognition, among the host of strangers in the Strand.”
(Movie buffs will, of course, recognize the genesis of The Third Man.)
But despite the repeated pleading of Sir Alex and Carol Reed, the author could never seem to get past this beginning, and so the rest of the story seemed to be destined for oblivion.
Until one night the group aboard Elsewhere made anchor at glorious Capri at sunset. The isle was looking its magical best and Graham Greene sighed wistfully and said, “I should give anything to own a villa here.”
The next morning when Greene unfolded his breakfast napkin, an old-fashioned iron key dropped out.
“What on earth is this?” he inquired.
Sir Alex smiled. “It’s the key to a villa in Anacapri, Quite a nice one. I had myself taken ashore last night and I bought a villa. It’s in your name, dear boy. Now I want the rest of my story, please.”
And that’s how we got the great movie- zither music and all.
Hungarians aren’t the only people with “Fuck You” money élan. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe knew how to handle it, too.
In 1960 they were in London enjoying their fame and fortune as the lyricist and composer of the world-wide smash hit musical, My Fair Lady. Their venture was not only critically acclaimed but simply coining money.
The two proud papas celebrated over lunch and then Lerner wanted to go to the local Rolls-Royce dealership to buy the brand-new convertible model.
When they arrived at the showroom, the sales manager quickly explained that the new convertible he wanted would take eighteen months to complete. He then produced a sample book and Alan Jay picked out his colors.
“Hey, you ought to get one, too,” he suggested to Fritz Loewe.
“I already have one,” the composer said. “And I don’t want another one.”
“By the time eighteen months goes by, you’re going to want one of these,” Lerner pointed out.
“Okay, let me see the book.” And Loewe, too, picked out his exterior and interior colors.
And now it was time for the deposit. Fritz Loewe whipped out his checkbook.
“Wait a minute!” cried Alan Jay Lerner. “I’m buying these. You didn’t even want one.”
“No, I’ve got this,” said Fritz, grandly waving his partner away.
“You got lunch.”
“Fuck You” money.
When you got it, flaunt it, baby!
Timely post, Ellen, since the star of “The Third Man” — someone named Orson Welles — just had his 100th birthday a week ago. As much as I’m a fan of the original “Producers” starring Zero Mostel, let’s close the circle between your Korda story and your Lerner and Loewe story by sharing this Rex Harrison clip from “My Fair Lady.”
Thanks, George. Nice going. I adore sexy Rexy. And btw, you’re another Hungarian with style. So thank you. Not FU.
Not FUN??!
Yes, it was F U N, you wily Hungarian wordsmith. Love, Eliza
We put the FUN in dysfunctional!
Hmmm. That has the makings of a very good crossword puzzle. I’ll get back to you.
Ellen — Forgive me, Ellen, but this blog is completely “lost” on me. “Fuck You” money seems to scream to the rest of the country — you have no money, you have no value, but look at me. Look at who I am and what I have accomplished. I’m so much better than you’ll ever be.So to all you in the riff raff — “fuck you”.
It’s precisely what’s wrong with the rich-have-it-all culture. There’s another comcept — when you get to the endzone, act like you’ve been there before. Wear your success quietly, with dignity, with a little character and class and grace. I cannot imagine Gregory Peck or Audrey Hepburn in one of these cars.
Apparently we come from different worlds. Sad.
I forgive you, Jack. And yep, I think you missed my point. Forgive me.
Wasn’t it a Kennedy ancestor who said he wanted to have enough money to be able to tell anyone to go to hell. And who was it who recently said, “Money doesn’t care who owns it”….
That’s sounds about right for old Joe. As for the second quote, it’s so clever it must have been said by Oscar Wilde. Thanks, John.
Hey, there are ways to flaunt it and there are ways to flaunt it. Every man (or woman) for themselves. No problemo. Allan
I’m with you, kiddo! This is about style. Not necessarily $. (And you’ve got it.)
I’ve had plenty of people tell me “fuck you,” and I have made a little bit of money. But I just can’t seem to get the two of those things together!
@Jack Feldman: Gregory Peck drove an Aston Martin which in today’s dollars would sell for about $100,000 (used ones sell for about $450,000). He and his wife lived in a 9,100 square foot home that was listed for sale about a year ago for $25 million. He certainly could have lived a more modest lifestyle. Seems like “Fuck You Money” to me.
I don’t believe that he, nor Lerner and Lowe, nor Alex Korda were given the money they had. Most people that are super rich started off with very little. (Oprah, Warren Buffet, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Jordan, Dr. Ben Carson etc.).
Just because the very wealthy have money to spend does not say that others are worthless. In the vast majority of cases, the people who earn a lot of money have worked hard for it. It’s their money, they earned it. No one gave it to them. They should be able to spend it any way they desire. They can give it to charity, or buy expensive things, or invest it in stocks, bonds, gold, art or baseball cards. Buying those cars and houses and expensive jewelry etc. keep people in business. The car dealers, the manufacturers, the realtors and builders, the jewelers etc. in turn are able to make a living and buy things so that others can earn a living. Isn’t that what we really want? Growth of our economy so more people can have jobs and less will be on the government welfare plan?
It used to be that in America we strived to become wealthy. We would look at the rich and say I’m going to be wealthy some day. Today it seems that if you have wealth then people look at you and say it isn’t fair, they should share that wealth with me. People seem to believe you are obligated to give it to someone else because it isn’t “fair” that you have more money than they do. Poppycock. If that is what one truly believes then there are socialist countries like Cuba in which one can live. Or the old Soviet Union (replaced by capitalism), the old China (replaced by capitalism).
I say three cheers for “Fuck You Money!”
Wow! Econ 101 and money management and insider info all at once. Thanks, Steve, for this fascinating look at Big Money. Everyone I know who has FU money did it the hard way- one buck or cold call at a time. Let them enjoy it. And they’re some of the most philanthropic people I know. What the heck. It’s fun even to be around.
You make a great point. Most of the very wealthy people I know give tons of money to charitable causes.
I just hope that one of those super rich people will open a Hugo Frogs in San Diego so I can get Shrimp De Jonghe without having to travel to Chicago!!
You should talk to management about your idea. They might be looking for investors out your way.
What’s the gas mileage on the Rolls?
Fifteen miles per gallon.