In a hidden room somewhere in New York City, in 1984 the crème de la crème of the wealthy knocked on American Express’s doors – and that without a single advertisement. The visitors wanted just one thing: a Black Card. It was the invisible legend, the black unicorn of the finance world: a credit card so exclusive that hardly anyone laid eyes on it, and fewer still spoke of it. The fabled piece of plastic offered a collection of perks normally known only from James Bond films: private limousines, helicopters for a shopping trip and handpicked luxury holidays. It was rumoured to be given to only around 1,000 handpicked customers – with decades of loyalty and considerable annual turnover. But soon the card vanished from view again.
The Comeback
But the legend returned: revised and relaunched in 1999, the Centurion Card stepped onto the playing field of the super-rich. It too is available only by invitation – only those willing to put at least 250,000 dollars a year through their American Express cards join the exclusive Centurion community. And that means access to the world’s finest amenities: holders get a personal 24-hour concierge service. Whether tickets to the Wimbledon final, a table at a fully booked Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo or a private concert in a villa on Lake Como – with the Centurion almost anything is possible.
The card is also ideal for travelling: free upgrades to first class, access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide and preferential treatment at the airport. Oh yes – you can pay with it too, of course. Chinese collector Liu Yiqian used it in 2015 to settle a Modigliani painting for around 170 million dollars – one of the largest sums ever paid by credit card.
This article appeared in MEN issue 2/24 (November 2024).
