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So Expensive Season 5 Marathon | So Expensive

Business Insider・57 minutes read

Rolls-Royce cars are known for their luxury features like unique paint options, customized interiors, and handmade details, while the Cuban cigar industry faces quality control issues, and saffron production is labor-intensive and impacted by climate conditions.

Insights

  • Rolls-Royce cars are known for their extreme luxury, with bespoke options like 44,000+ color choices and handcrafted details such as squirrel hair brushes for painting. These customizations, including diamond-encrusted ornaments, significantly increase the overall price of the vehicles, contributing to the brand's exclusivity and appeal.
  • The production of various luxury goods, from Cuban cigars to Persian rugs, involves meticulous handcrafting processes that contribute to their high prices and premium quality. Whether it's the intricate rolling of Cuban cigars, the labor-intensive creation of Persian rugs, or the manual harvesting and processing of Ida down in Iceland, these artisanal methods ensure exceptional products that cater to a niche market seeking exclusivity and superior craftsmanship.

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Recent questions

  • What makes Rolls-Royce cars unique?

    Rolls-Royce cars are renowned for their luxury and customization options. They offer a palette of over 44,000 colors, with the ability to infuse paint with materials like diamonds. The detailed paintwork is done by hand, using unique techniques like squirrel hair brushes for precision. The cars feature distinctive exterior elements like the handmade Pantheon Grill and the Starlight headliner that recreates the night sky. The interior is designed for luxury and silence, with features like acoustic insulation and bespoke art galleries on the dashboard. The embroidery on Rolls-Royce cars is tailor-made, with intricate designs like a rose Phantom model consisting of 1 million individual stitches.

  • What is the process of making Cuban cigars?

    Cuban cigars are renowned for their quality and opulence, with a long-standing tradition of hand-rolling. The production process involves drying leaves in secos for fermentation, which are then inspected by torsors for rolling. Panar Del Rio in Cuba is the primary region for growing 70% of state-run cigar tobacco. Quality control issues plague Cuban cigars, with 3 out of 25 often being unacceptable. Factors determining cigar prices include size, vitola, age, and branding. Habanos, the Cuban government-owned corporation, controls the commercialization of Cuban cigar brands. Despite the quality of Cuban cigars, New World cigars from countries like Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic are gaining popularity.

  • How is sea salt produced at Saltverk?

    Saltverk is a sea salt factory in Iceland that produces environmentally friendly sea salt using geothermal energy. The salt is harvested by hand in a remote region in northwest Iceland, making it more expensive than table salt. The production process involves evaporating seawater to increase salt levels, a process that takes 7 to 10 days depending on weather conditions. The salt crystals are formed by evaporating seawater until it reaches 26% salinity, then spread on drying trays and dried in an oven for over 12 hours. The entire process at Saltverk is powered by geothermal energy, making it an environmentally friendly operation.

  • What are the characteristics of NASA space suits?

    NASA's space suits are complex spacecraft designed to protect astronauts from the vacuum of space and other hazards. They provide oxygen and other necessities for astronauts during spacewalks and missions. The current space suits are over 40 years old, with only four flight-ready suits remaining due to various losses and damages over the years. Developing new space suits is crucial for future space exploration, with NASA investing in new technologies and seeking commercial partnerships to reduce costs.

  • How is saffron production influenced?

    Saffron growth is influenced by climate, with rain before harvest leading to larger flowers and dry conditions resulting in smaller flowers. Crop care involves manual labor, hand-picking flowers, and processing them by hand. Saffron quality and taste are impacted by rainfall, temperature, and soil, with Kashmir renowned for high-quality saffron. The highest-grade saffron consists of only the tips of the stigma, requiring significant flower quantities. Saffron production is labor-intensive, with a kilo needing 150,000 flowers and taking up substantial growing space. Over 200 metric tons of saffron threads are harvested annually worldwide from about 30 billion flowers.

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Summary

00:00

Luxury Cars, Scissors, Cigars: Handcrafted Opulence

  • Rolls-Royce produces some of the world's most luxurious cars, known for their customization options and high prices.
  • The bespoke options for Rolls-Royce cars include a palette of 44,000+ colors, with the ability to infuse paint with materials like diamonds.
  • The detailed paintwork on Rolls-Royce cars is done by hand, with unique techniques like using squirrel hair brushes for precision.
  • Rolls-Royce cars have distinctive exterior features like the handmade Pantheon Grill and the Starlight headliner that recreates the night sky.
  • The interior of Rolls-Royce cars is designed for luxury and silence, with features like acoustic insulation and bespoke art galleries on the dashboard.
  • The embroidery on Rolls-Royce cars is tailor-made, with intricate designs like a rose Phantom model consisting of 1 million individual stitches.
  • Rolls-Royce has seen a rise in sales over the past decade, with customizations like diamond-encrusted ornaments increasing the overall price of the cars.
  • Sheffield, England, is known for its handmade scissors, with craftsmen like Cliff Denton continuing the tradition of producing high-quality, expensive scissors.
  • Handmade scissors go through a meticulous process involving hot drop forging, grinding, sanding, hardening, and polishing, with most of the work done by hand.
  • Cuban cigars are renowned for their quality and opulence, with a long-standing tradition of hand-rolling and a reputation as the world's most luxurious tobacco product.

16:59

"Cuban Cigar Production and Global Market Trends"

  • Cuban cigar production involves drying leaves in secos for fermentation, inspected by torsors for rolling.
  • Panar Del Rio in Cuba is the primary region for growing 70% of state-run cigar tobacco.
  • New World cigars from countries like Nicaragua and Dominican Republic are gaining popularity for quality.
  • Quality control issues plague Cuban cigars, with 3 out of 25 often being unacceptable.
  • Havana cigars are preferred by vintage habanos expert Mitchell, despite acknowledging New World cigars' quality.
  • Factors determining cigar prices include size, vitola, age, and most importantly, branding.
  • Habanos, the Cuban government-owned corporation, controls the commercialization of Cuban cigar brands.
  • The US embargo on Cuban products since 1962 has led to a black market for Cuban cigars.
  • The US remains the top cigar-consuming country, with the global cigar market predicted to reach $21 billion by 2025.
  • Persian rugs, originating in Iran, are handwoven with wool and silk, taking years to create and costing tens of thousands of dollars.

37:37

"Saltverk: Eco-Friendly Sea Salt from Iceland"

  • Saltverk is a sea salt factory in Iceland that produces environmentally friendly sea salt using geothermal energy.
  • The salt produced by Saltverk is harvested by hand in a remote region in northwest Iceland, making it more expensive than table salt.
  • The factory produces 10 metric tons of salt annually, with the entire process taking at least a week and being mostly done by hand.
  • The production process at Saltverk is entirely powered by geothermal energy, making it an environmentally friendly operation.
  • Making sea salt involves evaporating seawater to increase salt levels, a process that takes 7 to 10 days depending on weather conditions.
  • The salt crystals are formed by evaporating seawater until it reaches 26% salinity, then spread on drying trays and dried in an oven for over 12 hours.
  • Salt has been a crucial part of Icelandic cuisine for centuries, with Saltverk's sea salt being a minimally processed product from Icelandic waters.
  • NASA's space suits are complex spacecraft designed to protect astronauts from the vacuum of space and other hazards, providing oxygen and other necessities.
  • NASA's current space suits are over 40 years old, with only four flight-ready suits remaining due to various losses and damages over the years.
  • Developing new space suits is crucial for future space exploration, with NASA investing in new technologies and seeking commercial partnerships to reduce costs.

54:26

Saffron: Climate, Quality, Production, and Adulteration

  • Saffron growth is influenced by climate, with rain before harvest leading to larger flowers and dry conditions resulting in smaller flowers.
  • Crop care involves manual labor, hand-picking flowers, and processing them by hand.
  • Most saffron plants flower within a week, with morning picking crucial for quality.
  • Saffron quality and taste are impacted by rainfall, temperature, and soil, with Kashmir renowned for high-quality saffron.
  • Highest-grade saffron consists of only the tips of the stigma, requiring significant flower quantities.
  • Saffron production is labor-intensive, with a kilo needing 150,000 flowers and taking up substantial growing space.
  • Worldwide, over 200 metric tons of saffron threads are harvested annually from about 30 billion flowers.
  • Fake saffron is prevalent, with adulteration using corn silks, coconut fibers, or horse hair, and synthetic colorings to mimic high-grade saffron.
  • Climate change in Kashmir has significantly reduced saffron production, leading to land sales and declining yields.
  • Argan oil production in Morocco has transformed into a billion-dollar industry, primarily due to women-run cooperatives and international sales growth.

01:14:15

Luxury Ida Down Harvested in Iceland

  • Kentucky is home to a prestigious Thoroughbred breeding facility where stallions breed with over 100 mares each season, with some horses even being sold for slaughter. The lucrative horse industry includes racing, show jumping, and dressage, ensuring stable prices for horse semen.
  • Iceland is the source of rare and expensive Ida down, a warm natural fiber harvested from the nests of wild Ida ducks. Only four metric tons are produced annually worldwide, with each nest containing just 15 grams of down. Harvesting is a laborious process, involving manual collection, removal of debris, and meticulous cleaning by hand.
  • Ida down is denser, stronger, and more insulating than other types of down, making it highly sought after. Iceland's strict protection laws ensure ethical harvesting practices, with every Ida down product certified by inspectors to maintain quality and authenticity.
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