At this year's Geneva Motor Show, Rolls-Royce showed why it is considered to be the world's leading luxury house by showcasing the full breadth of its Bespoke capabilities and the first luxury motor car to be finished in a paint created from diamonds.
The facets of Bespoke tailoring, Bespoke engineering and Bespoke jewellery demonstrated to every connoisseur who commissions a Rolls-Royce that they can count on having their desire for a truly personal motor car, that reflects who they are, fulfilled in the most fitting manner to them. In short, they can be assured that Bespoke is Rolls-Royce.
One patron has allowed Rolls-Royce to show the Geneva crowds that only they can "create the unimaginable" by showing the Elegance, the ultimate expression of luxury with the world's first Diamond paint finish.
Elegance
This year, Rolls-Royce brought Elegance to the Geneva International Motor Show, a car inspired by something that cannot be bought, but is innate…style: The Rolls-Royce Ghost Elegance, the first luxury motor car to be finished in a paint created from diamonds.
Only Rolls-Royce, with the skilled craftspeople who reside in its paintshop, could have created a paint made from 1,000 crushed diamonds. Named 'Diamond Stardust', this is the most luxurious and lustrous exterior ever seen on a motor car, and the most expensive paint to grace the body of a Rolls-Royce.
Commissioned for an individual collector, this unique motor car takes the term Bespoke to the next level. This exclusive paint was created by the craftspeople at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood by subjecting 1,000 ethically-sourced diamonds to a special process.
This process saw the diamonds go through extensive testing to ensure their radiance when used in a paint. Goodwood's Technical Laboratory Leader, Paolo Travaglia, and his team of paint specialists, Rawdon Evernden and Joseph Piotrowski, spent two months of concentrated testing to achieve the perfect result.
Examining the dimensions of the precious stones with the use of a high-powered microscope, the team carefully analysed their transmission and reflection of light. The density and strength of the diamonds created a challenge for the team to produce an easy marriage with the clear paint and its ability to spread gracefully over a surface, leaving the diamonds undetectable to the touch.
This process resulted in the creation of a very fine diamond powder which was then mixed into the paint. Additionally, a new and unique paint process was developed, including the application of an extra final layer of lacquer to protect the diamond particles during the hand-polishing process. This process added an extra two days of paint application by hand and a further day of finishing.
Applied to the top section of the car, the paint finish glistens like no other, making this a motor car to be recognised and appreciated. Just like its owner, the car exudes unapologetic luxury and grandeur.
The final elegant exterior touches to this one off Rolls-Royce Ghost have been applied by master coachline painter, Mark Court, with a squirrel-hair paint brush. The flanks of the motor car are accented with Mugello Red and Black twin coachlines. To enhance the exterior further, the centre of the 21 inch wheels are hand-painted with a Mugello Red pinstripe. Last but not least at the prow of the car, showcased in all her glory, an uplit Spirit of Ecstasy guides this unique Rolls-Royce, and its owner, into the future.
The interior of this unique Rolls-Royce Ghost also communicates the elegant tastes of its owner. Chauffeur and passenger areas are clearly demarcated as in the early days of luxury motoring. The chauffeur's 'cockpit' features black leather seats with accents of Mugello Red stitching on the doors, and piping on the seats. The colour black is continued in the lustrous carpet and lambswool footmats. The detailed fascia of smooth open pore Tudor Oak veneer is also complemented with a Mugello Red single stitch along the top of the dashboard, and finished with a Bespoke clock.
Adorning the rear sanctuary, the lounge seat is contoured with Selby Grey soft leather and also accompanied with Mugello Red stitching and piping. The inner pockets of the rear doors are lined with a favourite material of the owner; a Grey, Black and Red Tartan.
For further information: www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com