Sir Elton John has launched a range of crystal adorned iPods to raise money for charity.

The 61-year-old star personally oversaw production of the 1000 iPods – to be retailed at £400  ($584 US) each – with proceeds to go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

“Elton does not usually put his name to a product but this is exactly he kind of thing he loves,“ said a spokesperson for Sir Elton. “It’s extravagant and glamorous just like him. And, as everyone knows, his AIDS charity is very close to his heart.”

As well as being encrusted with crystals – and available in 10 colors – the iPods also have Sir Elton’s signature engraved by laser on the back.

Sir Elton will also be hosting his annual Oscars Viewing Party on February 22 at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles to raise money for his Foundation.

John has long been associated with AIDS charities after the deaths of his friends Ryan White and Freddie Mercury, raising large amounts of money and using his public profile to raise awareness of the disease. For example, in 1986 he joined with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder to record the single “That’s What Friends Are For”, with all profits being donated to the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

The song won John and the others the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (as well as Song of the Year for its writers, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager). In April 1990, John performed “Skyline Pigeon” at the funeral of White, a teenage hemophiliac he had befriended.

John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 as a charity to fund programs for HIV/AIDS prevention, for the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, and for providing services to people living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. This cause continues to be one of his personal passions. In early 2006, John donated the smaller of two bright-red Yamaha pianos from his Las Vegas, Nevada show to auction on eBay to raise public awareness and funds for the foundation.

To raise money for his AIDS charity, John hosts annually a glamorous White Tie & Tiara Ball, to which many famous celebrities are invited. On 28 June 2007, the 9th annual White Tie & Tiara Ball took place. The menu consisted of a truffle soufflé followed by Surf and Turf (filet mignon with Maine lobster tail) and a giant Knickerbocker Glory ice cream. An auction followed the dinner held by Stephen Fry. A Rolls Royce ‘Phantom’ drophead coupe and a piece of Tracey Emin’s artwork both raised £800, 000 for the charity fund, with the total amount raised reaching £3.5 million. Later on in the event, John sang “Delilah” with Tom Jones and “Big Spender” with Shirley Bassey. Tickets for the Ball cost £1,000 a head. The event raised £4.6 million for his AIDS Foundation in 2006.

Every year since 2004, he has opened a shop, selling his second hand clothes. Called “Elton’s Closet” the sale this year of 10,000 items was expected to raise $400,000