The new Rolls Royce Droptail La Rose Noire may cost upwards of AUD $40M, but you do get an Audemars Piguet Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date with!
Rolls Royce has just showcased their latest Coachbuild model overnight, the La Rose Noire Droptail. Whilst only 4 Droptails will be built, this is the first one commissioned by a very discerning and wealthy couple, call La Rose Noire, named after the Black Baccara Rose.
Needless to say, the price on this will be astronomical, and some suggestions are upwards of AUD $40M. The car is spectacular to say the least, and Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce’s Head of Coachbuild Design explains that every detail on this car has been done to exacting standards – both that of the couple who commissioned the car, and the designers and builders at Rolls-Royce.
Included as a part of this unique build, is an Audemar’s Piguet Concept Split Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date inserted into the facia panel of the car itself. Rolls-Royce worked with Audemar’s Piguet to produce this piece specifically for the car and it’s owners. Not only is this in the fascia panel, but the clients also requested that the watch had to be wearable, and therefore be able to be removed from the car.
The 43mm Royal Oak Spilt Second Chronograph GMT has been designed to fit perfectly into a clasp that retracts back into the panel when the owners are not wearing it. The Rolls-Royce Coachbuild team worked with Audemars Piguet to colour match the piece as well, ensuring that the very specific red called “True Love”, was incorporated into the timepiece, so when it’s inserted into the fascia, it blends seamlessly with the aesthetic of the car.
The Split Second Chronograph GMT is one of Audemars Piguet Grand Complications, and whilst this particular version is a 43mm piece, developed specifically for the 4 Coachbuild Rolls-Royce Droptails, Audemars Piguet produces a version of this complication in two of it’s exclusive variants. A white ceramic and a black ceramic, both 44mm is size, and both pieces reserved for VIP AP customers, the white being a piece unique.
When the watch is being worn, the cradle has an engraving of the Black Baccara rose, the flower that the La Rose Noire Droptail gets it name and colour from, so the spot in no way looks empty. Another nice touch from Rolls-Royce, but would you expect anything less from them?
Whilst we report on all things watches, we still love our cars, so it would be remiss of us to not mention a few of the mind blowing facts about the Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail.
- The name La Rose Noire comes from the Black Baccara rose, which is only found in France and was loved by the Mother of the commissioning couple. It has a very unique black and red colour to it’s petals, which is reflected in the car itself.
- So unique is the colour, it took the Rolls-Royce Coachbuild team 150 iterations to create the exact colour specified by the commissioning clients.
- The parquetry woodwork in the car was designed as per the wishes of the client, or as Alex Innes describes it: “The Simple request of the client was to create the impression of floating roses, as if they had been scattered across the interior by hand” This simple request was met and the result is a stunning piece with “True Love” red triangles interspersed into the wood to represent rose petals in a modern form.
- This parquetry comprises of 1603 individual pieces, and is the result of 3 years in design, development and craftsmanship that you see in the final piece in the car.
- Whilst Rolls-Royce doesn’t disclose the price, or what the client’s paid for a car such as La Rose Noire, some have reported it to by upwards of $32M USD, or £25M. However, given this is a completely commissioned build,
For more details, images and descriptions of the Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire, head to Rolls-Roycemotorcars.com
