Caviar puts a Geiger counter on an iPhone 17 Pro for $13,130
The limited-run Caviar Geiger replaces the iPhone 17 Pro’s back with titanium and a SIG-RM1208 radiation meter, but its accuracy is not independently verified.
Caviar has announced a custom iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max with a built-in Geiger counter, because apparently checking notifications and checking for gamma radiation now belong on the same device.
The limited-edition phone is called the Geiger and starts at $13,130. According to GizmoChina, Caviar plans to make only seven units, each with an engraved production number and certificate of authenticity.
A real radiation meter on the back
Rather than adding a decorative radiation symbol to a standard case, Caviar has embedded a SIG-RM1208 dosimeter watch into the back of the phone. The module includes a digital display for radiation readings and can beep when levels cross a selected threshold.
The same rear module also contains an analogue watch face powered by a Swiss Ronda 763 quartz movement. It is an odd combination: one part measures gamma radiation, the other tells you that you are late for dinner while doing so.
The Geiger is described as a functional Geiger–Müller counter, but the available report does not provide independent accuracy testing, measurement ranges or details about the device’s calibration.
Titanium, screws and a radiation warning
Caviar replaces the standard iPhone back with a titanium shell and gives the phone an industrial appearance, with exposed screws, thick panels, a red central line and a raised radiation hazard symbol.
The additional watch module and titanium construction make the device thicker and heavier than a standard iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max. Caviar has not published full dimensions or weight for the modified models in the supplied information.
Seven phones, starting at $13,130
The starting price covers the 256GB iPhone 17 Pro, according to GizmoChina. Caviar’s official catalogue also lists the Geiger at $13,130, while choosing more storage or the larger iPhone 17 Pro Max increases the price. The complete configuration table is not shown in the supplied information.
The seven units are intended as collector pieces rather than a mass-market product, according to GizmoChina. Caviar’s catalogue describes the phone as a custom product made after full payment, with an international certificate of authenticity and a one-year company warranty for iPhone cases.
What the Geiger counter does not tell you
A consumer Geiger counter can indicate radiation levels, but it is not automatically a substitute for professional radiation monitoring or health advice. The usefulness of the reading depends on the sensor, calibration, measurement units, environmental conditions and how the result is interpreted.
Neither Caviar nor the supplied report provides enough information to judge the SIG-RM1208’s accuracy in this particular installation. Caviar’s catalogue describes it as an integrated dosimeter watch with a Geiger–Müller counter, but there is no independent test data on the page. There is also no indication that the modified phone is designed for use in hazardous environments; the device remains a luxury smartphone with an unusual instrument attached.
Our opinion
Caviar has finally made the phone for people who look at a standard iPhone and think, “Nice, but can it warn me about gamma rays?” The Geiger is gloriously absurd, and at least the radiation meter appears to be a real physical instrument rather than an app pretending the camera can detect nuclear fallout.
The $13,130 starting price is not really a price for a phone. It is a price for a numbered conversation piece that happens to run iOS. The titanium, watch movement and seven-unit production run explain the luxury positioning, but they do not make the underlying iPhone 17 Pro more capable.
The bigger issue is trust. Radiation measurements are not the sort of feature buyers should accept on vibes and a shiny product photo. Without independent testing, calibration information and proper safety documentation, this belongs in the novelty-collector category rather than anyone’s emergency-preparedness kit.
As a piece of design theatre, it is fantastic. As a $13,130 radiation-monitoring solution, it is impossible to recommend until Caviar proves the instrument is accurate and safe. For now, keep your normal phone and buy a properly tested radiation meter if you genuinely need one.