Eat the Rich

Is there money to be made in opulence? If there is, I know a way to play a basket of luxury stocks.

Claymore/Robb Report Global Luxury Index (NYSE: ROB) isn't your typical equities-based exchange-traded fund. The ETF was birthed last summer, specializing in global companies that pander to the lifestyles of the rich and occasionally famous.

High-end handbag maker Coach (NYSE: COH) is the fund's biggest holding, accounting for 4.7% of the portfolio. Cartier watchmaker Compagnie Financiere Richemont and classy spirits sipper and fashion trendsetter LVMH follow.

Singling out publicly traded companies as wealth barometers by luxury magazine Robb Report, the portfolio is a globetrotter of fancy names. Stateside entries beyond Coach include jeweler Tiffany (NYSE: TIF), auctioneer Sotheby's (NYSE: BID), hotelier Wynn Resorts (NYSE: WYN), fashion designer Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL), and department-store chain Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN).

Is it too late to buy into this diamond-studded basket? The softening economy may not have made much of a dent in the super-rich, but political pressure opens the door for bigger tax bites in the future.

The counterargument there is that the upper class is the last line of the economy's defense. You see it in the latest wave of earnings reports. Many mainstream players have stumbled, but fund holdings like Tiffany and Polo Ralph Lauren are coming off of strong quarters.

You don't need to be Gordon "greed is good" Gekko to realize that if you have to buy into a specialized ETF, you may as well side with one with holdings that are coming through. You may do a double-take at the ticker symbol, but the best way to steal stock ideas from the rich may be to ROB them, instead.

Other fancy birds:

• ETFs: A 60-Second Guide
• Building a Fortress in Destination Clubs
• Coach Zips It