If Christmas were in July this year, we'd know exactly what to ask for. And like all good things, it comes in a small package. Actually, a flat one.

 
Among a certain set of Hamptons-going folk, this summer's must-have is a pair of tickets to the 2007 Hamptons Social. The five-concert series features big-name artists performing in a 1,500-person venue at East Hampton's Ross School. Along with the tunes of Prince, Dave Matthews, and James Taylor, concertgoers will enjoy an open bar, gourmet cuisine, and performances by the magician David Blaine. Most impressive of all may be the ticket price, ringing in at a very musical $15,000 a person. (Single-concert tickets are not available.) Bulldog Entertainment Group, which put together the concerts, may eventually expand the series to places like Aspen, Miami, and Saint-Tropez.
 
With the economy strong and the summer months upon us, retailers are rolling out a new line of must-haves, all distinguished by one thing: exclusivity. Whether limited in number (like the Hamptons Social tickets), crafted with cutting-edge technology, or simply astronomically expensive, the new set of luxuries is designed for people who want the newest, shiniest, rarest goods available.

Take the Cape Cod 1928 watch by Hermès. When the French saddlemaker-turned-luxury-retailer opened a Wall Street store in June, it stocked a limited-edition version of this watch, so named for the East Coast resort and the year that Hermès began selling watches. The new watch, introduced in 2006, has the same havane crocodile strap, modern numerals, and coppery-colored face as the original. But it also features an unusual dial and case, plus engraving on the back. The watch retails for $25,000, and Hermès made only 10.
 
Another luxury consumer-goods company making exclusive this summer's watchword is Goyard, whose signature tote, starting at just under $1,000, has cropped up on toned arms. But the Parisian luggagemaker has an entire repertoire of products in its trademark geometric pattern, including a handmade champagne trunk, available for $12,745 at Barneys New York.

The catch? Barneys has only one.

And then, of course, there are the items so rare they haven't even come into stock yet. Goyard's picnic trunk, a handmade wonder fitted with table settings for four (including crystal glasses), a warming plate, bottles of vinegar and oil, and porcelain boxes embossed with the Goyard logo, will retail for $36,240. Barneys says that Goyard deliveries are "hard to predict" but estimates that the picnic trunks (they have ordered two—one for their New York location and one for their Beverly Hills store) will arrive this December.
 
Just in time for the real Christmas.