Many would agree there is no doubt the iPhone lineup from California-based Apple Inc has always been a trend-setter in the cell phone kingdom, with rivals eager to dethrone the company with directly anti-Apple marketing campaigns.

The reputation the iPhone has gained allows the handset to sit on top of the crowd, almost as a signpost for what other phones should strive to be.

However, is it all looks and perception, or is the iPhone truly high-end enough to be marketed as a luxury handheld, especially when compared to other brands such as Vertu, Mobiado and Goldvish?  

The case be made that the aforementioned brands actually host a much more swanky design and affordable pricing, but they just aren't able to compete with the iPhone's continued shipment orders and popularity. However, to set one's self apart from the crowd, perhaps a quality and stylish handset that is different than the norm of the masses would be a better and flashier way to go.

The luxury handset market is "the smallest luxury market, but it's also the fastest-growing," Fflur Roberts, head of luxury goods research at the London-based market intelligence firm Euromonitor International, recently told Bloomberg. "It's an extension of a luxury watch or jewelry and it's a way of displaying wealth or success."

The marketplace for luxury handsets is estimated to increase by 37 percent between 2010 and 2015 to reach $719 million, according to Euromonitor International, which also predicted that markets with the biggest growth potential will include China, Japan, the Middle East and Russia.

There is nothing astonishing about the luxury phone trend in China's market, which has overtaken the US to become the world's largest smartphone market since the second half of 2011, since the nation continues to see rising affluence.

What is raising eyebrows though, and spurring projections and calculations, is the widening battlefield in the country between luxury phone makers.

Despite a gloomy global economic outlook, new findings show that nearly 1.2 million Chinese people now have net assets over 10 million yuan ($1.58 million). The report, compiled by the Central University of Finance and Economics, showed the number in 2011 reached 1.185 million people, showing an annual average growth rate of 29.1 percent in the last five years.

This week's special TECH edition guides you on four of the newest swanky cell phones. A new handset might just be the bling bling you were looking for! 

Global Times

Nokia's luxury division Vertu continues to lure consumers in the luxury phone niche market, despite bad news out of the Finnish handset maker's finance reports.

The new Constellation Candy series, designed for chic, affluent ladies, is Vertu's latest attempt to prove its bling name. 

 Featuring a 3.5-inch high definition multi-touch display, the gorgeous phone comes in the three colors of mint green, raspberry and tangerine, with matching colored 0.34 carat natural gem stones.

The chic gadget also comes with an 8-megapixel camera that has a delicate ruby inset around the shutter key.

The pretty gadget retails for $9,500, along with special concierge and style-related services from Vertu, according to the company.  

The Avantgarde Grand Premier from the Russian luxury phone maker Gresso also makes a case to serve as an ideal gadget for sophisticated types. The device measures in at 12mm thin and 190 grams. It features a solid frame made of 18-carat gold with a total weight of 150 grams, and it has a highly resistant sapphire part covering the front and the back panels weighting in at 138,5 carats. The numbers and letters on keys are cut by laser. It supports expandable external memory of up to 2 gigabytes. The device is running on Symbian S40,a slight downside for tech geeks.

The device is part of a limited collection of 30 pieces, and sells for $50,000, according to the company.

The "Le Million" Piece Unique from Switzerland-based Goldvish Luxury Communications is certainly on the list of top chic handsets.

The handcrafted item is exceptionally luxurious, made of 18-carat white gold and 120-carat VVS-1 graded diamonds.

The legendary phone, which was made by Swedish designer Emmanuel Gueit, was first introduced to the world at the Millionaire Fair in Europe in September, 2006.

The phone is the holder of a Guinness World Record for its pricing. It is by far the world's most expensive cell phone, with a price tag of 1 million euros ($1.32 million).

Vancouver, Canada-based luxury phone maker Mobiado recently unveiled the new distinguished gadget, the Grand Touch Aston Martin, in partnership with British sports car maker Aston Martin. The duo make for a very posh and interesting item. The 4-inch gadget, with an aluminum body, packs sapphire crystal weighing in at 139 carats. It also sports inset white mother of pearl. The device has a unique hidden sliding battery cover, which is made entirely from a piece of sapphire crystal. The device also has 5-megapixle camera with LED flash.

Mobiado has yet to reveal the price tag of the gadget, but it's safe to say this will be a higher-end purchase, given its design and specs.