Sony CMD-Z1 Plus: Rare Complete Set, Mint Working Condition
Type: Z1 Plus
💎 Rarity Index: A (Rare)
⭐ WOW Factor: A jog dial, aircraft-style mic extension, extend-to-answer mechanism, and precision mechanics made it one of the most futuristic GSM phones of the 90s.
👁 Evaluation in my collection: As New – 9.5/10
⏱ Life timer: N/A | 📦 Boxed: YES
📅 Release Year: 1999 | 💰 Release Price: 1200 DM
📊 Units Sold: ~300k (base model Z1 family)
📰 Why this phone matters: A beautifully preserved Sony CMD-Z1 Plus, one of Sony’s most iconic pre-Sony Ericsson GSM phones, presented here in full box with all original accessories – a rarity even among seasoned collectors.
Manufactured in France, this model represents the peak of Sony’s mid-90s mobile engineering before the joint-venture era.
The CMD-Z1 Plus stood out in its time for its elegant curves, premium materials, and Sony’s distinctive Jog Dial interface, which gave it a futuristic one-handed navigation system years ahead of competing brands. Another signature touch of this model is its extendable stick-style microphone, a precision sliding module that not only enhanced voice pickup but also acted as a control mechanism: extending the mic answered a call, and retracting it ended the call. This mechanical interaction became one of the most memorable and stylish features of Sony’s early GSM lineup.
The minimalist, industrial Sony aesthetic of the late 90s is captured perfectly in this device: compact, robust, and unmistakably high-end. Your unit’s complete condition – original packaging, matching accessories, fully functional handset, and intact label – places it among the top-tier collectible examples of the model, especially as most surviving units are worn or incomplete.
The “Plus” variant refined the original CMD-Z1 with software improvements, enhanced memory handling, and a smoother UI, making it the more desirable version of the lineup.
📝 Reviews when released: N/A 💔