The Wall Street Journal recently published a fascinating video that gives a tour of A, the $300 million, Philippe Starck-designed luxury superyacht owned by Russian billionaire Andrey Melnichenko:

It’s the first time that the interior has been shown to the public, and its uniqueness suggests to me that Melnichenko is a Lambda. The 394-foot yacht is filled with mirrors, Baccarat glass, and crystal. The main stairwell is lined with scalloped silver leaf (with hand-carved banister that cost more than $60,000). Many of the walls are covered with animal skins, including the guest room, which is covered entirely in white stingray hides. There are three pools, and the bottom of the massage pool is glass, opening over the entry hall / disco. The garage (which houses with 3 designer launch boats) can also serve as a disco. The unique furniture includes a Michel Haillard chair made from alligator hides and Kudo horns.

Some might say that the boat is gaudy or tacky. However, luxury is in the eye of the beholder; it depends on how it is interpreted. If Melnichenko worked with the designer to ensure that it is filled with things he perceives as luxurious, then he will enjoy it and its idiosyncrasies for years to come.

Thanks to the recovering global economy, the world’s wealthiest individuals have regained their mega-spending confidence. Evidence of this can be found in the sudden up-tick in the number of mega-yachts being sold.

According to this Bloomberg article, boats over 100 feet are selling “very strongly”. Simon Clare, head of marketing for Princess Yacht, spoke to Bloomberg about the phenomena:

“Boats over 100 feet are selling very strongly as the very wealthy feel the crisis less and tend to buy bigger and more modern boats”.

The recovery in sales is very welcome, considering the beating the yacht industry took the previous year. International Boat Industry magazine found that European yacht sales plunged about 50 percent in 2009.

But who is buying these yachts? Juergen Tracht, head of Germany’s aquatic sports industry association offers some insight:

“Typical buyers for these boat categories like medium-sized entrepreneurs usually pay them with savings, and they still haven’t reached the level prior to the meltdown during the crisis”.

At first look, it doesn’t appear these are the Lambda personalities who were freely buying mega-yachts before the recession. But look at it another way: Many are still trying to recover their financial footing.

The people who are buying now are the people who feel compelled to set themselves apart from their friends, even if the size and price of the items is less than in earlier years. That is the mark of a true Lambda.