Only 3,996 pairs will be made, retailing at $15,000-$18,000

Sep 1, 2011 23:21 GMT  ·  By
Contact lenses made of gold, encrusted with 18 diamonds – courtesy of Dr. Chandrashekhar Chawan
   Contact lenses made of gold, encrusted with 18 diamonds – courtesy of Dr. Chandrashekhar Chawan

Welcome to an entirely new level of decadence. A doctor in India has created the ultimate bling: contact lenses made of gold (yellow or white, depending on preference), with no less than 18 diamonds in them.

Created by Chandrashekhar Chawan on a pair of special lenses that are used by patients who have undergone a recent transplant, the new blinged-out lenses are believed to be harmless for regular use, Wired reports.

Chawan will only be making a limited number of pairs so, if you want to get your hands on one, you might as well hurry up and buy because one pair is already off the market.

Prices vary between $15,000 and $18,000, as per ongoing reports.

“They are part of the company’s La SER Jewelry range and will be available in four designs: 18 diamonds on white gold, 18 diamonds on yellow gold, just white gold and yellow gold,” Wired informs.

If you’re thinking that this new product is too much even for those with money, fret not: the money raised from the sale of it will go straight to charity, says the same publication.

All profits will be directed towards treating patients suffering from Stevens Johnson Syndrome, an affection that can lead to complete loss of vision.

Back to the topic of the diamond-encrusted lenses and the controversy they’re already generating online as to how safe they are, Dr. Chawan insists that they’re not harmful for the simple reason that they don’t sit directly on the eye.

“The lenses, weighing 5g in total, sit between 6mm and 9mm away from the cornea and hold water in front of it to soothe the eye,” Wired says, citing the doctor.

“Chawan’s company, Shekhar Eye Research, says that the design will not stop oxygen from getting to the eye; they can be customized to correct any visual impairment and are comfortable to wear,” adds the e-zine.

In other words, they can be both impressively looking AND actually useful, regardless how ridiculous the idea might sound at first.

As the video below will confirm, Dr. Chawan believes the lenses will become very popular in Hollywood productions in an instant – but also internationally, if one major celebrity agrees to wear them in public.