A Indian businessman has decided to invest his sizable fortune in something truly worthwhile: Bling.

"Unlike many, I have no passion for high-end luxury vehicles like Audi or purchasing something else that is fancy. I had money and wanted to invest in gold," said Datta Phuge of Pune.

But what good is having a whole bunch of gold if you can't show it off? So Phuge did the only sensible thing: He had 15 goldsmiths working for 15 days to construct a solid-gold T-shirt with six Swarovski buttons and a gold belt to match.

"After extensive research on the design and the look of the piece, I decided to give it an armour-like appearance," designer Tejpal Ranka told the Pune Mirror. The 14,000 golden flowerrings and 100,000 shimmering spangles sewn onto a fabric base of white velvet set Phuge back a cool $230,000 — or a third of his estimated wealth.

"I know I am not the best looking man in the world but surely no woman could fail to be dazzled by this shirt?" he is quoted as saying.

And the "Gold Man of Pimpri" isn't quite done "investing": He's already put in an order for a gold-plated Nokia phone.

"For me, gold is the ultimate passion," Phuge said. "That is the reason I have spent a whopping amount of money on the shirt. I am looking at it as an investment which will keep appreciating."

[screengrab via ABP News]