Skip to main content

An $81M painting inspired the design of this unusual phone

A render of the Realme 13 Pro in Monet Gold.
Realme

We’ve recently welcomed Realme back to the global phone market with the Realme GT 6, and it has wasted no time in getting us ready for its next release. It has teased the forthcoming Realme 13 Pro series and revealed it has worked with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on a Claude Monet-inspired color scheme for a pair of special-edition models.

The Realme 13 Pro phones use colors and a design inspired by two of the impressionist painter’s most recognizable works, Grainstack (Sunset) and Water Lilies. The Monet Gold phone influenced by Grainstack is the only one the company has shown off at this stage, and you can see the subtle gold tones and the reflections on the surface of the device, which evoke the sunset in the scene from one of  Monet’s famous and incredibly valuable paintings. How valuable? Auction house Christies sold Grainstack (Sunset) for $81,447,500 in 2016 to an anonymous buyer, while another in the series painted by Monet reached $110,747,000 in 2019 at Sotherby’s to become the most valuable piece of impressionist art in the world at the time.

It will be joined by a second special-edition phone in a color called Monet Purple, which is inspired by the Water Lilies painting. Both phones will have a frosted glass finish, which Realme says will be “crafted with a unique flash gold process, reproduced by millions of shimmering particles coming together to emulate Monet’s brushstrokes on the frosted high-gloss glass, capturing the fleeting moments in his paintings.”

Realme often excels at design, something we’ve noted with its other collaborations, beginning with those made with Japanese designer Fukasawa Naoto and spanning right up to its special editions made with well-known brands like Coca-Cola. It’ll be interesting to see how a collaboration with an art museum works, particularly when it’s referencing such well-known works.

What else do we know about the Realme 13 Pro series? It’s going to have two Sony Lytia camera sensors on the back, with one of them being the latest LYT-701, and some more AI technology inside the camera too. The Realme 13 Pro will be accompanied by a Realme 13 Pro Plus model, and it looks like all versions of the Realme 13 Pro series will be available in the Monet colors. The only release information on the new phones is they will be released in India in the near future.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 cases in 2024
Z Fold 6 from the back

Samsung’s next iteration of its bestselling foldable is here with the Galaxy Z Fold 6. This is Samsung’s top-tier foldable, with a sleek new design that’s the thinnest and most lightweight ever. And with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, 12GB RAM, and up to 1TB storage, this is a productive powerhouse.

But all that power costs a pretty penny at $1,900, so you want to protect that device at all costs. Here are the best cases to keep your Galaxy Z Fold 6 safe and sound.

Read more
Does the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra work with the iPhone?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in black with an orange strap.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is official after Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event in Paris this week. The Galaxy Watch Ultra launched alongside the Galaxy Watch 7 and Samsung’s new foldables -- the Fold 6 and Flip 6. It was also showcased along with the Galaxy Buds 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Ring. There weren’t big surprises here, with the Galaxy Watch Ultra largely being the device that was rumored in the lead-up to the event.

With its release, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is now the main competitor to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, with its 1.5-inch Super AMOLED sapphire glass screen, Exynos W1000 processor, and larger 590mAh battery. But for all the similarities it has to Apple's Ultra smartwatch, does the Galaxy Watch Ultra actually work with the iPhone? Here's what you need to know.
Does the Galaxy Watch Ultra work with the iPhone?

Read more
Score the best summer deals on Gorpcore phone accessories from MAGEASY
MAGEASY deals and phone accessories worn out and about lifestyle image

Gorpcore is a legitimate fashion trend. It involves wearing clothing or apparel typically reserved for outdoor recreation and activities as normal streetwear. It's bold and brazen, but it's an urban, trendy style, so who am I to judge? One of the more interesting elements of the style is how proponents are accessorizing. In line with the outdoor theme, we're seeing lots of strappy, modern designs and sacoches outfitted with durable, resistant materials. Perfectly aligned with that are MAGEASY's high-quality Apple accessories, which employ the brand's proprietary Loop + System and FidLock capabilities -- components to offer a gussied-up hands-free experience.

While Gorpcore might be taking over Fashion Week and Gen Z's wardrobe, the added functionality of MAGEASY's gear is what really has us excited about this new line of tech-friendly accessories. More exciting, of course, is that they're hosting some excellent deals you can capitalize on. From July 10 to July 31, Digital Trends readers can use the exclusive code MAGEASY12 at checkout to get 12% off -- that code works on both Amazon and MAGEASY's site. Please note that the discount does not stack with any other offers.

Read more