Rolls-Royce has completed a one-off Phantom Extended commission using abalone shell and mother-of-pearl to recreate the colour of hummingbird feathers.
Rolls-Royce has completed a one-off Phantom Extended commission using abalone shell and mother-of-pearl to recreate the colour of hummingbird feathers. The project was developed through Private Office Dubai as a personal commission.
It is interesting to LBG readers because the techniques echo the bespoke material work often seen in other forms of luxury design. The car itself is not a practical marina vehicle for most owners and is not presented as one.
Shell behaves very differently from timber veneer
Abalone is thin, brittle and naturally varied, making it difficult to work into repeatable decorative pieces. Rolls-Royce says development was needed to use the shell as marquetry inside the Phantom.
Mother-of-pearl adds another reflective material to the cabin. The aim is to create changing colour rather than a flat decorative panel.
The commission tells a personal story
Phantom Hummingbird was created as a tribute from the client to his wife, giving the motif a specific meaning rather than using it as a general production theme. Bespoke programmes increasingly build that kind of narrative into the object.
For visitors to design events, these commissions can be more interesting for their craft processes than their price. Close-up inspection reveals details that official exterior photographs cannot show.
Keep collector cars separate from tow-car decisions
A one-off Phantom is a motoring and design object, not the vehicle to choose because a small boat needs launching. Towing decisions should remain focused on ratings, stability and practical access to slipways.
Rolls-Royce's official release and image document the commission. Leisure Boat Guide covers the project as automotive craft and style.
Source
Official source