The Amethyst Droptail, one of the four unique expressions of the Rolls-Royce Droptail that the prestigious British brand will create, is one of the most historically important models ever built by the double 'R' brand. Not only because it is the most expensive manufactured - with a price of 30 million dollars - but because it is a testimony that represents the unique artisanal capabilities of the manufacturer, as well as the firm's ability to realize a vision that artfully harmonizes heritage, modernity. and soul. Each copy will reflect the identity, sensitivity and character of the person who commissions it.
This very special project from the Coachbuild division aims to satisfy the wishes of the client who commissioned it through his passions and playfully but meticulously incorporating the discreet details and passions of its owner. He is a Swiss patron whose family business has grown from a gemstone boutique to a multinational corporation with diversified interests.
Exceptionally travelled, internationally trained and truly global in his inspirations, the client is a lover of the arts who owns an outstanding collection of precious jewellery, important automobiles and contemporary works of art housed in a specially commissioned private museum.
This patron asked Coachbuild designers to create an elegant expression of the Droptail inspired by the gemstone amethyst, a stone with strong family ties and an enduring symbol of purity, clarity and resilience; themes that are explored throughout the car with extraordinary depth.
The exterior of the vehicle sports a soft purple tone with a delicate silver hue as its main body color, called Globe Amaranth, in homage to the wildflower of the same name that blooms near the creator's house. It is enhanced with fine flecks of powdered aluminum that reflect light and create a captivating iridescent finish. A deep purple contrast paint, Amethyst, used on the top of the car's body, contains a mix of red, blue and violet mica flakes that together create a unique mauve color with a subtle metallic sheen.
Likewise, the exterior is finished with a subtle but very complex treatment of the carbon fiber used to construct the lower sections of the car. As a result of two years of development, the brand's craftsmen created a combined chevron pattern along two axes, which adds geometric decoration to the technical exterior surfaces of the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail. The carbon fiber itself is finished with a thin layer of lacquer dyed with Amethyst pigment. This intricate and technically demanding detail is hidden until the car is closely examined, which speaks to the customer's passion for subtlety.
The interior wood selection was tailored to the sample offered by the client: a stunning open-pore Calamander Light wood, which has a complex texture and long bands of colour. The specialists in interior finishes and woods at R
For the Amethyst Droptail, Rolls-Royce has created the most extensive wood surface in its history, with the material extending from the car's dashboard and doors to the cantilevered center armrest and aft deck.
To ensure its resistance to different climates, the interior wooden pieces were tested to meet the same rigorous strength standards as the exterior. Before final construction, more than 150 samples underwent more than 8,000 hours of testing. This included a full simulation of sunlight exposure and rain resistance.
And as a crowning detail of the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail interior, a unique watch commissioned by the client from the renowned Swiss fine watchmaking house Vacheron Constantin stands out. Handcrafted in Geneva, the piece, called "Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon", has an intricate hand-wound movement and is securely housed in a specially designed holder, allowing it to be removed and stored separately from the car if desired. The watch features a biretrograde display with instant return of the hours and minutes, as well as a biaxial tourbillon.
Vacheron Constantin and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars worked closely to ensure that the shapes, materials and colors of the watch were in perfect harmony with the car. The instrument dials combine amethyst-colored inserts with the partially brushed and polished finish of the clock hands. The watch is affixed to a white gold plate with a handmade sunburst guilloché pattern.
