The second set of Samsung's flagship devices for 2015, the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+, has been launched earlier this month. Both handsets are premium models boasting high-end specifications.
For those who want to make them even more premium, a retail outlet in an Asian country known for offering gold editions of various gadgets has just announced that it would be selling 24K gold-plated versions of the new Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+.
While the fifth generation Galaxy Note phablet will reportedly not be available in Europe, it did find its way to Vietnam where a company called Karalux will be making the said golden rendition of the device as well as its curved-edge sibling.
According to the company's recent post, its engineers have utilized a 10-stage process to produce the gilded versions of the new Samsung devices. The same process was apparently used to gold-plate earlier models such as the Galaxy S6 and Note 4. Karalux mentioned that the Note 5 is easier to disassemble and gold-plate than the Note 4 and even shared a photo of a gilded Rolls-Royce that had undergone the same procedure.
The engineers responsible for these luxury versions began by deconstructing the models' 7000-series aluminum body, which is said to be 60% stronger than regular aluminum and one-third lighter than stainless steel.
After disassembling, each piece that needs to be gold-plated will be cleansed using various chemicals and covered with an undercoat to ensure the adhesion of gold onto the aluminum surface. The parts will then be submerged in a tank of liquid gold for a predetermined duration. Once the gold adheres to the surface and solidified, a final protective coating is applied.
Back in April, Karalux also released 24K gold-covered versions of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. The devices are being sold for $1,300 and $1,500, respectively. Now, the actual retail prices for the Galaxy Note 5 and S6 Edge+ are not shared yet. However, the company mentioned that the gold-plating process itself will cost VND 8 million, or about $355, and the fee for the gold-plated device will be set at VND 25 million or $1,110. It is not clear whether that price is for the Note 5 or the S6 Edge+.
The company has put both gilded Samsung devices on display at the Karalux Store in Hanoi, Vietnam. For interested buyers around the world, these luxury versions are expected to be available on eBay.com. As of this writing, only the 24K gold-plated Galaxy Note 5 has a live listing on the online retail store.
