Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled a stunning coachbuilt masterpiece, the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail.
This model pays homage to its commissioning client’s rich cultural heritage, family legacy, and personal passions.
This unique vehicle is one of four distinct expressions of the Rolls-Royce Droptail, inspired by the amethyst gem, which holds special significance as the birthstone of the client’s son and symbolizes purity, clarity, and resilience.
It represents the epitome of applied art, commissioned by a patron whose family business has evolved from a gemstone boutique to a global corporation with diverse interests. The Amethyst Droptail embodies the client’s appreciation for subtle elegance and artistic detail.
A Desert Flower Inspired Design
The client, a co-creator of the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail, expressed a deep desire to honor the cultural heritage of their homeland. Rolls-Royce Coachbuild designers found inspiration in the Globe Amaranth wildflower, which blooms in the desert near one of the client’s residences.
The exterior paint finish of the vehicle captures the various stages of the flower’s bloom. The main body color, known as Globe Amaranth, is a soft purple with a delicate silver undertone and an enchanting iridescent finish. It contrasts beautifully with the deep purple Amethyst paint used on the upper coachwork.
In sunlight, the car reveals a subtle mauve hint on the inside of its 22-inch wheels, providing an elegant contrast to the mirror-polished aluminum surface. This detail is likened to the colorful lining of the client’s favorite bespoke jacket.
Intricate Exterior Craftsmanship
The exterior features a highly complex treatment of the carbon fiber used for the lower sections of the vehicle. Over two years of development, Rolls-Royce craftsmen created a chevron pattern that matches along two axes, adding geometric decoration to the car’s technical exterior surfaces. The carbon fiber is finished with a fine layer of Amethyst-tinted lacquer, cleverly disguising it as the body color until closely examined.
Meticulous Attention to Detail
The Pantheon grille treatment demonstrates the client’s trust in Rolls-Royce artisans to execute intricate flourishes. The grille surround and ‘kinked’ vane pieces are both partially hand-brushed and hand-polished, with precise lines demarcating each finish. This surface treatment, inspired by the brushed hands of a historically significant horological piece in the client’s collection, had never been attempted on this scale before.
A Tribute to Materials and Craftsmanship
Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail celebrates the materials and crafts personally selected by the commissioning client and their family. It all began with a sample of Calamander Light open-pore wood, which set the tone for the car’s interior. The leather treatment, in the aptly named Sand Dunes hue, was meticulously designed to complement the wood’s caramel strands. The primary leather colour, Amethyst, perfectly harmonises with the exterior and is finished with a subtle pearlescent lacquer, reminiscent of the gemstone’s brilliance.
This vehicle features the most extensive wooden surface area in Rolls-Royce history, extending from the fascia and doors to the shawl panel, cantilevered ‘plinth’ center armrest, and onto the aft deck. A unique veneering process was developed specifically for the Amethyst Droptail, with each veneer sheet placed upside down to showcase the raw wood texture.
In summary, the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail is a testament to the fusion of cultural heritage, artistic expression, and meticulous craftsmanship.
– For more on how to look smart and live smarter, follow Emirates Man on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Supplied by Rolls Royce
