Not all safes are created equal. A new VdS-certified model by Buben & Zorweg is on sale for $263,800. According to the company, the product targets customers who have a disposable income of around $4 million.
Buben & Zorweg hand-assemble each of their strongboxes in a German factory about an hour from Stuttgart. The new safe comes in a variety of colors and is lined with velour and nappa leather. A mechanical key allows quick entry to a vertically arranged watch winder with 38 slots. A dial lock with keypad entry guards a separate smaller section of the safe. The section is two feet tall and twenty inches deep with enough room for eight more watch winders and three drawers.
Another fancy detail is the compartments on either side that can be configured to hold wine or liquor bottles, making the safe a makeshift bar or humidor. It can even serve as an entertainment hub, since it comes with an integrated Bluetooth audio system.
Eberhard Hagmann became head of Buben & Zorweg in 2003 after a career with German watchmaker Junghans GmbH. He says watches and safes are actually quite similar and is helping the company incorporate showier details into its collection. One of his designs is the X-007 safe, which rises dramatically from a camouflaged shell with a simple push of a button.
Hagmann says consumers are looking for “more and more, they want a good design. So when you see this object, you don’t know if it’s a safe or not. It’s furniture.” Hagmann also creates custom-designs based on special requests from customers. Preferences range from wood, chrome and crocodile-grained leathers to carbon fiber details and even high-gloss lacquer.
The company takes security a step further with bulletproof doors and two-way half-inch-thick mirrored glass equipped with a remote control. With a push of a button the mirrored effect from the safe disappears to reveal what is inside. The Solitaire Vision includes an integrated thermometer and hygrometer. A world-timer clock is available with either a rotating or non-rotating flying tourbillon on the minute hand.
Hagmann notes the customization options are endless. One client asked for the safe to be temperature-controlled so it could hold one of Jimi Hendrix’s Gibson guitars. Other clients have requested specific dimensions to hold firearms. One customer ordered a safe for the primary purpose of securing a single antique worth $40 million. For peace of mind, there is no limit to storing your valuables, as long as the price is right.
