For many people, phone accessories are an essential part of owning a cell phone, and most people (about seven in ten, according to a 2023 poll) own a phone case at the very least. It’s a large market, and at the very top end, you can spend thousands on a luxury case. New solid gold cases for the iPhone 17 Pro Max are the perfect example of just that, and have recently been launched by Chinese retailer JD.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a pure gold (24 karat) iPhone case. UK-based brand Goldgenie, which is known for its golden accessories, has already launched a similar product, complete with a luxury case and certificate of authenticity. Goldgenie sells golden iPhone Pro & Pro Max cases starting at £2,797.00. You might wonder why anyone with this much disposable cash would choose the Pro over the Pro Max – maybe they just prefer the regular Pro’s smaller size.

This golden iPhone 17 Pro Max phone case costs around $15,720

JD’s version of the luxury phone case comes in a variety of different weights, ranging from 10g to 100g. As you may expect, massively affects the final price tag – we’re talking pure gold here, after all. The cheapest option converts to appoximately $1,580 USD, weighing just 10g, which is a nice, practical, lightweight option.

Once you jump up to the 100g variant, this is going to feel noticeably weighty and more akin to a heavy-duty rugged phone case. For comparison, Apple’s official iPhone 17 Pro Max Silicone Case with MagSafe weighs around 35 grams, much closer to the average weight of a ‘standard’ case.

• 10g: 11,299 RMB (~USD 1,580)
• 20g: 22,499 RMB (~USD 3,150)
• 30g: 33,699 RMB (~USD 4,710)
• 50g: 56,199 RMB (~USD 7,860)
• 100g: 112,299 RMB (~USD 15,720)

Source: UniverseIce on X

Containing 99.99% pure gold, these are officially called the iPhone 17 Pro Max “Au 99.99 Gold” cases. It’s not yet obvious whether this particular product will make it to the West, but as we pointed out before, you can already find examples of pure gold cases outside of China. Take note that ‘pure gold’ differs from ‘solid gold’, which refers to a composition mixed with other metals:

• Pure gold (24 karat) – 99.9% or higher gold content
• Solid gold (18 karat) – 75% gold, 25% alloy
• Solid gold (14 karat) – 58.3% gold, 41.7% alloy

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.