Rolls-Royce Motor Cars PressClub · Article.
"THE PEARL CULLINAN": A BIRTHDAY GIFT LIKE NO OTHER
24.10.2023 Press Release
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to present ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ – a magnificent, one-of-one Bespoke motor car commissioned by the owner’s family to mark a significant birthday.
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Rami Joudi
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
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Author.
Rami Joudi
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Private Office Dubai presents one-of-one Bespoke commission, ‘The Pearl Cullinan’
- Commissioned by a son as a surprise birthday gift for his father: fascia motif features the Arabic symbol for ‘father’ inlaid in stainless steel
- One of the most extensive uses of mother-of-pearl ever seen in a Bespoke Rolls-Royce motor car, including central rotary dial and clock surround
- Rear Picnic Tables handmade at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, each including 1,351 individually selected pieces of mother-of-pearl
- Bespoke paint finish inspired by the colours of most prized pearl in the owner’s collection
“The Middle East region has long been the source of many of the
most technically complex, creatively ambitious Bespoke commissions
ever undertaken by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. ‘The Pearl Cullinan’
stands at the very summit of those achievements and is a supreme
example of the marque’s creativity and craftsmanship. It is also the
very first client Bespoke project to be commissioned through our
Private Office Dubai. This is an extension of the Home of
Rolls-Royce at Goodwood and gives clients direct access to our
talented Bespoke designers, together with the full support of their
local dealer partner. As the motor car is a birthday gift to the
father of a longstanding patron, it adds a very special dimension to
the project: it has been a privilege to create such a magnificent
motor car to mark this auspicious occasion. ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ not
only has a deep personal meaning to both father and son, it also
commemorates the great heritage story of the family. At Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars, highly Bespoke commissions have always been crafted with
deep emotional connections in mind and each motor car has its own tale.”
César Habib, Regional Director Middle East & Africa,
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is delighted to present ‘The
Pearl Cullinan’ – a magnificent, one-of-one Bespoke motor car
commissioned by the owner’s family to mark a significant birthday. It
is also the first Bespoke project to be revealed by the Private Office
Dubai, which works with local Dealer Partners to bring the authentic
Goodwood experience to clients across the Middle East and Africa region.
‘The Pearl Cullinan’ was commissioned in early 2022 by a
longstanding Rolls-Royce client, to mark his father’s 90th
birthday. Regional Director, César Habib, and Bespoke Lead Designer,
Michelle Lusby, were originally introduced to the father with the
purpose of understanding his passions and life story; these meetings
provided valuable insights to inform the design direction for the commission.
BESPOKE PEARL ROSE EXTERIOR FINISH
The Bespoke
Pearl Rose finish is inspired by the colour of the owner’s most prized
pearl in his extensive, world-class collection and is reserved
exclusively for this motor car: it will not be available to any other
client in future. Paint specialists at the Home of Rolls-Royce at
Goodwood used carefully selected pigments to replicate a delicate hint
of pink rarely found in natural pearls. Unusually, the paint combines
both metallic and pearlescent effects to give exceptional depth and lustre.
Perfecting the finish required around 30 different iterations,
each applied to a full-sized body panel. These were pre-checked under
daylight simulation lamps in the Atelier at Goodwood, then sent to the
client to make sure the colour was correct when viewed under the
Middle Eastern sun. The paint also underwent extensive technical
testing to ensure it will remain unaltered by heat or UV light over
its lifetime.
The Pearl Rose finish is complemented with a single coachline,
applied by hand in Rose Gold paint, to match the rose gold-plated
Spirit of Ecstasy mascot. The rose gold theme also extends to the
Bespoke treadplates, which are revealed on each of the four door sills
upon opening.
INTERIOR: THE ART OF PRESENTATION
The interior
of ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ features two different leather colours. The
front seats – where the father prefers to travel as a passenger – are
finished in his favourite Cashmere Grey. In reference to the family’s
heritage, the rear seats are trimmed in Ardent Red which takes
inspiration from the colour of the material on which pearls are
presented to customers, to best highlight their subtle natural colour
variations. In a similar vein, the burr walnut veneer echoes the
wooden presentation boxes in which pearls are traditionally handed
over to customers upon purchase.
Bespoke embroidery detailing includes ‘RR’ monograms in Rose
Gold thread on the headrests, and rear seat inserts in Grace White,
inspired by the symmetrical growth patterns of an oyster shell and
angled at the same precise 55 degrees as the veneer.
A CELEBRATION OF MOTHER-OF-PEARL
‘The Pearl
Cullinan’ features one of the most extensive uses of mother-of-pearl
ever seen in a Rolls-Royce motor car. The natural variations of this
beautiful material created opportunities and challenges in equal
measure for the marque’s designers and craftspeople.
This is particularly apparent with the detailed design of the
Picnic Tables, fitted to the rear of the front passenger seats. The
upper surface features an intricate, circular pattern inspired by
traditional Arabic design that draws the eye inwards to a central
point. Each tabletop is then inlaid with 1,351 separate pieces of
mother-of-pearl, every one individually selected and placed by hand in
the surrounding burr walnut marquetry and sealed with clear lacquer.
The natural shade and colour differences in both the mother-of-pearl
and the wood mean each tabletop is a unique work of art.
The burr walnut fascia incorporates an exquisite mother-of-pearl
inlay inspired by traditional Middle Eastern art. At its centre is the
Arabic word for ‘father’, inlaid in stainless steel. In a first for
Rolls-Royce, the Bespoke dashboard clock is set in a mother-of-pearl
surround; the dial and hands are in rose gold. The centre rotary dial
is also finished with mother-of-pearl, giving it a tactile, jewel-like quality.
Above the occupants, the Bespoke Starlight Headliner shows the
sky as it appeared on the night and at the very place the
commissioning client’s father was born.
Michelle Lusby, Bespoke Lead Designer at the Private Office
Dubai, said, “For me, there was a huge emotional connection with this
Bespoke project. I had the privilege of spending time with the
commissioning family, which allowed me to discuss details of the
design directly with them, and really understand their true
significance. Their unique use of mother-of-pearl was a great creative
and technical challenge for us: to see the Picnic Tables go from my
original digital designs to those beautiful, highly detailed finished
works of art was fantastic. This is a truly special commission in so
many ways, and a project we aspire to have as Rolls-Royce designers.
Emotions inspire our imaginations.”
CO2 EMISSIONS & CONSUMPTION.
NEDCcorr (combined) CO2 emission: 348 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.6 mpg / 15.2 l/100km. WLTP (combined) CO2 emission: 377-368 g/km; Fuel consumption: 17.1-17.5 mpg / 16.5-16.1 l/100km.
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