Elon Musk’s Wildest Splurges: Rockets, Rings, and a $44 Billion Tweet—Inside the Billionaire’s Most Outrageous Life Choices
When Elon Musk strapped a cherry-red Tesla Roadster to the tip of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and blasted it into the void, the world watched in disbelief. Was it a publicity stunt? A billionaire’s fever dream? Or a declaration that, for Musk, the sky is not the limit—it’s just the beginning?
The answer, like Musk himself, is complicated. The Tesla-in-space moment was just one of many jaw-dropping, head-scratching moves in a life defined by audacity, eccentricity, and a willingness to spend unimaginable sums just to prove a point—or, sometimes, just because he can.
The $100,000 Car That Left Earth
Let’s start with that car. In 2018, Musk sent his personal $100,000 Tesla Roadster into orbit around the sun, complete with a mannequin in a spacesuit dubbed “Starman” behind the wheel. The world gawked. Why do it? Because Russian rocket sellers laughed him out of the room years earlier when he tried to buy missiles to jumpstart SpaceX. Musk’s response? Build his own rockets, then use one to launch a working sports car into space—just to show he could.
It wasn’t about the car. It was about revenge, vision, and the kind of ego that can only be fueled by billion-dollar risks. Musk reportedly spent over $100 million of his own money to get SpaceX off the ground. The Tesla Roadster in orbit is a middle finger to everyone who ever doubted him.
The Billionaire’s Guide to Love: Three Rings, Three Marriages
If you think Musk’s spending stops at rockets, think again. His personal life is just as extravagant—and just as unpredictable. Musk has been married three times (twice to the same woman), and his approach to romance is as over-the-top as his approach to business.
Consider his engagement ring saga: He started with a “respectable” $100,000 diamond ring for his wife. When that wasn’t enough, he upgraded to a $350,000 sparkler—bigger, bolder, but still not quite right. The solution? A third ring, this time costing a cool $1 million, encrusted with diamonds and sapphires.
Did it work? Not exactly. The marriage ended, and Musk’s ex-wife walked away with a $15 million settlement. The lesson? You can buy bigger rings, but you can’t buy love—or at least not for long.
High-Tech Toys and Fashion Fails
Musk’s tastes aren’t limited to cars and jewelry. He’s also got a thing for rare watches and custom sneakers. His $10,000 TAG Heuer Carrera SpaceX chronograph features a drawing of a rocket on the back—a nod to his obsession with space travel. And those red Tesla Jordans he wore to an event? They were custom-made, one-of-a-kind, and so close to a copyright lawsuit from Nike that Musk reportedly keeps them locked away, never to be seen again.
For a man worth over $200 billion, Musk’s fashion sense is famously… questionable. He’s been photographed in everything from ill-fitting suits to bizarre accessories, making it clear that wealth doesn’t always buy style.
The World’s Weirdest Car Collection
When it comes to cars, Musk’s collection is as wild as you’d expect. Forget the latest Lamborghinis and Ferraris—Musk owns the world’s first gas-powered car: a 1920s Ford Model T, purchased for $25,000. He also snapped up the Lotus Esprit submarine car from the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me,” which he discovered at a storage auction and bought for nearly $1 million.
But Musk’s most infamous automobile moment came with his McLaren F1, a $1 million supercar that he promptly crashed, spinning it through the air and shredding everything but the core chassis and engine. “We hit a 45-degree embankment, tossed the car into the air like a discus… and blew the suspension out,” Musk later recalled. He survived, and the legend only grew.
Of course, the Tesla Roadster that Musk launched into space has since been replaced by an updated model—faster, safer, and, for now, earthbound.
From Investor to CEO: The Tesla Gamble
Musk’s involvement with Tesla is another story of high-stakes risk. He didn’t found the company but saw its potential and invested $6.5 million early on. When Tesla teetered on the edge of bankruptcy, Musk doubled down, pouring in another $130 million over several years and stepping in as CEO. The gamble paid off, but not before Musk came close to losing everything.
Private Jets and a $37 Million Family Compound
Cars and rockets aren’t Musk’s only obsessions. He’s also a connoisseur of private jets, starting with a $60 million Gulfstream G650ER, complete with a dining room, bedroom, and reclining seats. Not content with just one, Musk added two more Gulfstreams to his fleet, and when the latest G700 was announced, he was first in line for the $60 million upgrade.
But Musk’s most prized possessions aren’t his vehicles—they’re his 11 children, with three different mothers. Determined to give them a unique upbringing, Musk founded a private school called Ad Astra, where grades are abolished and the curriculum includes artificial intelligence and ethics. He spends $1.5 million a year on each child’s well-being, totaling $16.5 million annually.
To keep his sprawling family together, Musk bought a $37 million estate in Texas, featuring a swimming pool, game room, cinema, and gym. It’s less a house than a private resort—because when you’re Elon Musk, why not?
The Willy Wonka House and Office Life
In a move straight out of a Roald Dahl novel, Musk bought the $13 million California home of “Willy Wonka” actor Gene Wilder. The house is as eccentric as its former owner, with bizarre art, misplaced doors, and a layout that defies logic. Musk loves it—but rarely lives there. He prefers sleeping on the office floor, claiming he spends most nights at Tesla or SpaceX headquarters. Why buy more homes when you can just nap at your desk?
The $44 Billion Tweet: Why Musk Bought Twitter
If you think Musk’s most impulsive purchase is a car or a jet, think again. In 2022, frustrated by what he saw as censorship and fake news, Musk decided to buy Twitter—just so he could remake it in his own image. He began quietly buying shares until he controlled the company, then called the board’s bluff when they tried to scare him off with a sky-high price.
The result? Musk bought Twitter for an eye-watering $44 billion, then immediately began tearing it apart—firing executives, changing the name to “X,” and promising to turn it into a “super app” that can do everything. Was it a brilliant business move or the world’s most expensive vanity project? Only time will tell.
What’s Next for the World’s Most Unpredictable Billionaire?
Elon Musk’s life reads like a Hollywood script—equal parts genius, madness, and spectacle. Whether he’s launching cars into space, buying social media giants, or building private schools for his kids, Musk seems determined to live on his own terms, no matter the cost.
Will his next move be even wilder? If history is any guide, the answer is yes. For Elon Musk, the only limit is his imagination—and his bank account, which, for now, seems bottomless. Stay tuned. If you thought a Tesla in space was shocking, you haven’t seen anything yet.