The Black Card | Centurion Card | Visa Black Card | Luxury Credit Cards

Two weeks ago Gawker reported on actress Salma Hayek’s hacked e-mail account, which revealed details on her personal life. Salma Hayek is currently married to born billionaire François-Henri Pinault. Details of the e-mail revealed included her American Express Gold Card Replacement. Gawker editors even note that it’s not the “Centurion Card.” Having a gold card, does not disqualify or mean that she does not have a Centurion Card, because American Express will let you have both if you want (in the US you will have to pay fees for both cards). Marketing research by American Express Departures Magazine has shown that the Rich & Famous seek out unique life experiences and value in their credit cards. But the real question is, if your Salma Hayek or Chuck Bass, do you really need a Credit Card? Seemingly yes, but any unique experience or value a credit card could offer, would certainly be easier to obtain via your own team of assistants. So although most Billionaires (all 792 of them) don’t fly commercial, but they still need credit time to time.

According to a Forbes report in March, the list of billionaires, e.g. those with net worth >= $1 billion, is down to 793 people (that’s 30% less than last year).

In our initial comparison of the Visa Black Card and American Express Centurion Card we noted material types; Outside of card types the things that stand out are, how hard is this card to get (e.g. is it truly exclusive?) , and what real benefits does it offer? The the main things that stands out is the concierge service, but we have yet to see what this can deliver. Visa lists the following, but as with any concierge it’s defendant on the actual service, both American Express tout. American Express Centurion Concierge has been in business since 1999, over 9 years.

You can go to the American Express Concierge Travel Insights Site for more detail on the black card, such as where Centurion Cardholders like to eat when they are in New York.

Or you can go to Visa’s Black Card Site with the details below.

Here’s what Visa cites as examples of Concierge abilities.

Entertainment Planning (Information, Referrals, Reservations, Ticketing)

• Recommended Restaurants
• Health clubs
• Sports entertainment events
• Golf Tee Time
• Shopping locations

Business Services (Referrals & Arrangements)

• Conference service
• Emergency translation services via phone
• Computer rental, audio/visual equipment
• Message service
• Foreign protocol information

Travel Information and Assistance (Referrals/Recommendations, Reservations)

• Weather forecasts/ATM locations
• VISA passport locations
• Customs, duties and information
• Mass transportation information and schedules
• Hotel information
• Mail/fax destination package
• Car rentals, limousine & car service information
• Flight information and ticketing

Country and City Information

• Highlights/sights/exhibitions/shows
• Festivals/museum/music entertainment information
• Time/hours/holidays information
• Tourist information
• Shopping information

Gift Arrangements

• Gift baskets
• Floral arrangements
• Specific gifts (as requested)
• Special occasion gift recommendations

Specialty Services

• Assistance with location and purchase of specialty items.
• For example:
  • Rare books or records;
  • Unusual household items;
  • And referrals to specialty services such as dog groomers, tailors and doll makers
• Hard to find items; special research; specialty shopping

You can see where the American Express Concierge’s are sending Centurion Cardholders when they need to book a dinner, vacation, or just something fun to do!

Here’s a link to the site TRAVEL INSIGHTS from American Express Centurion:
http://www.amexpub.com/travelinsights/flash/index.html

Centurion Concierge tells us where Centurion Card Members most often frequent the following places when in Miami, FL.

Clubs and Bars

Mansion
Prive
Rose Bar at the Delano
Skybar
BED
Crobar

Hotels

Setai South Beach
Delano
Mandarin Oriental Miami
The Shore Club
Ritz-Carlton South Beach
Four Season Hotels
Loews Hotel Miami Beach
Conrad Miami
Fontainebleau Resort
Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove

Restaurants

Nobu
Prime One Twelve
Table 8
The Forge
Morton’s
Mark’s South Beach
Evolution
Joe’s Stone Crab
Bond Street
The Setai

Sights

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Ancient Spanish Monastery
The Barnacle Home
Miami Science Museum
Miami Art Museum

Centurion Concierge tells us where Centurion Card Members most often frequent the following places when in Hawaii (HI).

Hotels

Halekulani
Kahala Hotel & Resorts
Four Seasons Hotels
Four Seasons Resort Wailea
Hilton Hawaiian Village
Moana Surfrider Hotel
Fairmont Kea Lani Maui
The Lodge At Moloka’i Ranch
Grand Wailea Resort
Waikiki Beach Tower

Restaurants

Alan Wong’s
La Mer
Hoku’s
Chef Mavro
Roy’s Ko Olina
Bali by the Sea
Brown’s Beach
The Pineapple Room
Orchids
Ruth Chris Steak House

Centurion Concierge tells us where Centurion Card Members most often frequent the following places when in Los Angeles (LA).

Clubs and Bars

Tropicana
Prey
Les Deux
Hyde Lounge
Skybar
Cabana Club
The Bar

Hotels

Hotel Bel Air
Four Seasons Los Angeles
Regent Beverley Wilshire
Intercontinental Century City
Hyatt Regency Century Plaza
Fairmont L’Ermitage
Ritz Carlton Marina Del Ray
Four Seasons Beverley Hills
Beverley Hills Hotel and Bungalow
Le Meridien Beverly Hills

Restaurants

Campanile
The Ivy
CUT
Osteria Mozza
Koi
Republic
Il Cielo
Urasawa
Melisse
Katana

Here’s some detail on what Centurion cardholders like to do in New York.

Broadway Shows

Jersey Boys
Young Frankenstein
Spring Awakening
Mamma Mia
Curtains
Spamalot
Drowsy Chaperone
A Chorus Line
The Phantom of the Opera

Clubs and Bars

BLVD
Bungalow 8
PM Lounge
Church Lounge at Tribeca Grand
Whiskey Blue
Frederick’s

Hotels

Jumeirah Essex House
The Peninsula New York
New York Palace
Mandarin Oriental New York
St Regis New York
Ritz Carlton Ny
Waldorf Astoria
The Carlyle Hotel
Hotel Plaza Athenee
W Hotel

Restaurants

Per Se
Babbo
Nobu
Buddakan
Megu
Le Bernardin
David Bouley
Gramercy Tavern
Jean Georges
Chanterelle

Sights

Carnegie Hall
Empire State Building
Lincoln Center
Top of the Rock
Radio City Music Hall
Natural History Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Modern Museum of Art
Central Park
Frick Collection