How the world's most exclusive card is about to look even cooler
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Years ago, I became (uncharacteristically) absorbed in a show called The Real Housewives of Orange Country. During the first episode, one of the rich guys entered an upscale furniture store and waved a black card at the staff. The employees promptly closed the store to the public and followed him from aisle to aisle, grabbing any exorbitant item at which he pointed.
That magical card was the Centurion Card from American Express. It's the most exclusive product on the market, as it's by invitation only (with few clues as to the qualifying criteria). The general consensus is that you need to spend $350,000 per year on your card even to be considered.
Those invited to the Amex Centurion will pay an initiation fee of $10,000, plus an annual fee of $5,000. So while we all may desire the fame that accompanies this prestigious card, most of us settle for distant lustful gawks.
The information for the Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you're one of the few Amex Centurion cardholders, there's exciting news coming your way. American Express is reinvigorating the look of the card, and they're giving you multiple options to choose from -- including a wearable Prada card.
New looks for the Amex Centurion card
American Express has solicited two accomplished individuals to help them improve the aesthetic of their hyper-exclusive Amex Centurion Card:
- Rem Koolhaas (Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, founder of OMA Design Group)
- Kehinde Wiley (painter of the official Barack Obama portrait)
The designs are fresh and tasteful, and they add a unique dimension to the card. Three options give Amex Centurion cardholders the ability to personalize their card further. However, this is a marked change to what's known as the "black card." A jet-black slab of anodized titanium is distinguished and recognizable. These new variants add an element of playfulness to the Amex Centurion Card.
Check out the new designs below to see what I mean.
Rem Koolhaas' Boompjes project graces the front of a new Centurion Card. Originally commissioned to "redevelop a district in Rotterdam, Netherlands which was decimated by bombings during the second world war" (per HYPEBEAST), the project now extends to the Amex Centurion card.
Kehinde Wiley's portraits regularly feature floral patterns as a background. The design on the Amex Centurion card is reminiscent of the living walls you'll encounter at the front desk of Amex Centurion airport lounges.
Last, and by far the most unique is the "Prada Centurion" wrist wear. It's a unisex scratch-resistant black saffiàno leather strap, which includes a hidden payment chip inside.
Bottom line
American Express has enhanced its nondescript black Amex Centurion card. They've commissioned help to refresh the look of their cards and they all look pretty great. The ultra-premium "black card" now boasts yellows, blues, greens and pinks in its new card design while retaining its perks-laden reputation. And you'll now be able to wear this luxurious card on your wrist.
Let us know what you think of these new designs!