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Set amid the high-end retail spaces in the Plaza Hotel, Vertu’s wide storefront holds the most minimal of displays: a handful of mobile phones, each cradled in black felt and kept under glass, much like fine jewelry. Vertu's phones, which start in the four figures and go up quickly from there, have a minimalist profile (the design lineage of parent company Nokia is discernible in the long rectangle shape of each phone), and are hefty, solid pieces made to withstand the rigors of world travel. Handmade in England, the phones have stainless-steel or ceramic casings, sapphire crystal screens and buttons, and electronic components made of gold. Only AT&T and T-Mobile support the sleek phones, but all the devices come with Vertu's own 24-hour concierge service, which can assist with anything from directions to reservations. — Andrew Cleary