Marquetry befitting a Rolls Royce...La Rose Noire

[Cheese]

A rolls Royce Droptail was commissioned by a couple from California. The theme they chose was inspired by the Black Baccara rose from France. The dark pomegranate colour of its petals appears almost black in the shade, but in direct light, a red, pearlescent shimmer is revealed on the dark surface.

They wanted to be surrounded with this rose petal effect when sitting in the vehicle.

"The artwork represents an abstract expression of falling rose petals, formed using 1,603 pieces of black wood veneer triangles. The highly complex pattern is formed with 1,070 perfectly symmetrical elements forming the background, and 533 asymmetrically positioned red pieces representing the rose petals."

"Made from Black Sycamore wood sourced in France as a subtle tribute to the French provenance of La Rose Noire, each triangle is cut, sanded and precisely positioned by hand.  The pieces that appear to be stained light and dark grey are in fact presented in their natural hue; the colour difference is achieved by using veneer from several logs with different ‘figures’ – the natural pattern on the veneer. Paint was used only to create the red pieces."

It took nearly 2 years to finish this marquetry.
https://www.press.rolls-roycemotorc.../T0429978EN/rolls-royce-unveils-la-rose-noire:-the-first-droptail-coachbuild-commission

Droptail rear panel

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Dashboard

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Rear shawl panel

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Center console

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[WastedP]

From RR's site:

"This extraordinary motor car, presented to the clients who commissioned it at a private event close to Pebble Beach in California today, symbolises the distillation of experiences, significant moments and objets d’art cherished by its owners – an international family that exemplifies connoisseurship and luxury of the very highest order."

For some reason this just makes me think of some other French-inspired woodworking.

 

[squall_line]

I'm in the wrong business...

 

[Cheese]

Here are a couple more photos that I found.

Look at the intensity of the shine on the red part of the car...that's incredible. That takes more than just a session or two with a Shinex and some Menzerna.  [jawdrop] [jawdrop] [jawdrop]

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Now back to the marquetry...I wonder how much the leather RR X-Acto knife holder cost?

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[luvmytoolz]

Given how wood reacts to high temps and direct sunlight as well as the fading effect of UV on colours, I wonder how it will cope, and what kind of adhesive they used?

 

[PaulMarcel]

Wonder how the British liked doing a decidedly French-inspired marquetry? Bit of a rivalry and despite my name, I'm not on either side...

So that is 1,603 pieces over 2 years. 2,000 hours per year is a net 0.4 pieces per hour. That. Is. A. Lot. Of. Tea. And. Pee. Breaks.

Granted, in first-world countries, there are fewer than 2,000 hours per year, as it should be. But still. (Yes, I got admonished by my stand-in manager cuz I took Monday off because I was throwing up my body weight... I did work the hours later because it was actually better for me, but he was still unhappy because he would have preferred all those after-hours hours to be in addition-to... imma stop there).

 

[mino]

Given how wood reacts to high temps and direct sunlight as well as the fading effect of UV on colours, I wonder how it will cope, and what kind of adhesive they used?

Something tells me this fella is not gonna see (much) of a direct sunlight in its active life. RRs are more of the "indoors" kind. Lacking a roof especially so.

Still. This is a WAY better way to spend money ... compared to those crazy Lamborgini style race-car-wanna-bes people buy, comparatively, en masse.

 

[kevinculle]

Imagine when/if the owners leave the top down and the marquetry sees its first summer deluge.  This is completely incomprehensible to me as I perceive vehicles as necessary but overpriced appliances...grandiose toasters if you will.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Imagine when/if the owners leave the top down and the marquetry sees its first summer deluge.  This is completely incomprehensible to me as I perceive vehicles as necessary but overpriced appliances...grandiose toasters if you will.

Seeing as it was a mere $40M AUD I'm sure it was worth it!

Compared to the new Amethyst Droptail which is $57M, it almost seems a bargain! ;-)

That's nearly 23,000 CSC 50's!

 

[Cheese]

Wonder how the British liked doing a decidedly French-inspired marquetry? Bit of a rivalry and despite my name, I'm not on either side...

So that is 1,603 pieces over 2 years. 2,000 hours per year is a net 0.4 pieces per hour. That. Is. A. Lot. Of. Tea. And. Pee. Breaks.

Granted, in first-world countries, there are fewer than 2,000 hours per year, as it should be. But still. (Yes, I got admonished by my stand-in manager cuz I took Monday off because I was throwing up my body weight... I did work the hours later because it was actually better for me, but he was still unhappy because he would have preferred all those after-hours hours to be in addition-to... imma stop there).

Paul, here's some additional information from RR. Seems like the tea & pee breaks were programmed in from the beginning.  [big grin]

"This intricately detailed and embracing piece envelopes the motor car’s occupants, stretching from the rear shawl panel through the doors and onto the expansive fascia. Its assembly required such intense concentration that the single craftsperson tasked with creating it could only work in one-hour sessions for no more than five hours total per day, to ensure they maintained the focus required for perfect execution. The artisan, who has been with Rolls-Royce since their apprenticeship, spent weeks working in absolute silence in a sound-insulated space to mitigate against any potential distractions. To create what is unquestionably a work of art in its own right took more than nine months in total."

 

[squall_line]

spent weeks working in absolute silence in a sound-insulated space to mitigate against any potential distractions. To create what is unquestionably a work of art in its own right took more than nine months in total."

This is why I could never be this kind of an artist.  I like music WAY too much, and use it to focus my concentration.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Back in my special effects days (pre-CGI) there was a guy on the project who had migrated in from being an “ordinary” aerospace machinist and told a story about a critical part of jet engines turned from DuPont Vespel which could only be produced by one “eccentric” machinist.

That guy would come in for a couple weeks every couple months and work in a room with the required machinery that no one else was allowed to enter. He worked his own hours and when eating lunch sat at a table by himself and and never spoke with anyone. It was thought that when he had done as much extreme machining as he could tolerate he would go off on a drunk and gradually settle down until he was ready to get back to work.

Back then Vespel was extremely expensive and it was a classified material illegal to export. It’s still pretty expensive.

 

[Svar]

Its assembly required such intense concentration that the single craftsperson tasked with creating it could only work in one-hour sessions for no more than five hours total per day, to ensure they maintained the focus required for perfect execution. The artisan, who has been with Rolls-Royce since their apprenticeship, spent weeks working in absolute silence in a sound-insulated space to mitigate against any potential distractions.

So basically fleecing the customers, who were probably happy to oblige for the sake of cool story and exclusivity. Did the artisan have massage between sessions, weekly trips to Bahamas to recuperate, and work only during perfect planet alignment?... What load load of BS... It's a bunch of triangles - simplest, entry level marquetry, nothing special there.

 

[Packard]

So I googled:  World’s most intricate marquetry.  Found this:

It was made in the 1800s, so very early CNC laser cutters must have been used. [big grin]
https://rauantiques.com/products/french-marquetry-billiard-table

 

[luvmytoolz]

Paul, here's some additional information from RR. Seems like the tea & pee breaks were programmed in from the beginning.  [big grin]

"This intricately detailed and embracing piece envelopes the motor car’s occupants, stretching from the rear shawl panel through the doors and onto the expansive fascia. Its assembly required such intense concentration that the single craftsperson tasked with creating it could only work in one-hour sessions for no more than five hours total per day, to ensure they maintained the focus required for perfect execution. The artisan, who has been with Rolls-Royce since their apprenticeship, spent weeks working in absolute silence in a sound-insulated space to mitigate against any potential distractions. To create what is unquestionably a work of art in its own right took more than nine months in total."

Seems a little overly dramatic? Spectacular work for sure, but I see incredible work every day from people who just roll up the sleeves and get it done without any fuss or fanfare.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Beautiful and ridiculous at the same time. The whole 1 hour session and no more than 5 in a day is a bit over the top.

As [member=75217]squall_line[/member] said, the silence would be counterproductive for me. The shop sounds in general are enough to block out the tinnitus, but Spotify is running too.

 

[guybo]

needs better hood emblem [big grin]

 

[Cheese]

So...because of the overwhelming positive response to my original R-R La Rose Noire marquetry thread, I decided to post another R-R display of marquetry prowess. Introducing the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail with Calamander marquetry for the interior surfaces. R-R declares that the veneer aft deck is the largest wood surface ever produced by Rolls-Royce and who are we to argue that statement?

Calamander hardwood for those of less than discerning taste...is native to India and Sri Lanka. It is also known as variegated ebony and is closely related to genuine ebony, but is obtained from different species in the same genus.

Gotta love the color of the car, it'd be a head snapper in most markets. I'm thinking this would look stunning on a Porsche 911 with the same amethyst painted calipers.

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FWIW...this is exactly the manner in which I prefer to seal hardwood veneer sheets, in a freshly pressed white, 100% linen shirt...it just feels so right.  [smile]

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A skelontized VC time piece for the watch connoisseurs.
https://www.vacheron-constantin.com/us/en/maison/craftsmanship/cabinotiers/made-to-measure.html

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[luvmytoolz]

I could definitely go that watch! Sensational!

 

[ChuckM]

$30 Mn+ each, but act fast because only four have been made. [tongue]


LA ROSE NOIRE: GLAMOUR DISTILLED

The most remarkable element of this extraordinary motor car is its cocooning interior. This reveals the most complex expression of parquetry ever created at Rolls-Royce - the product of nearly two years of development, intense experimentation and hand craftsmanship.

The artwork represents an abstract expression of falling rose petals, formed using 1,603 pieces of black wood veneer triangles. The highly complex pattern is formed with 1,070 perfectly symmetrical elements forming the background, and 533 asymmetrically positioned red pieces representing the rose petals. The asymmetry was requested by the clients to represent a natural, organic 'scattering' of petals.

Made from Black Sycamore wood sourced in France as a subtle tribute to the French provenance of La Rose Noire, each triangle is cut, sanded and precisely positioned by hand. The pieces that appear to be stained light and dark grey are in fact presented in their natural hue; the colour difference is achieved by using veneer from several logs with different 'figures' - the natural pattern on the veneer. Paint was used only to create the red pieces - to avoid the colour fading over time, the marque's artisans spent a year developing a new lacquer formula to protect this extraordinary projection of contemporary craft.

This intricately detailed and embracing piece envelopes the motor car's occupants, stretching from the rear shawl panel through the doors and onto the expansive fascia. Its assembly required such intense concentration that the single craftsperson tasked with creating it could only work in one-hour sessions for no more than five hours total per day, to ensure they maintained the focus required for perfect execution. The artisan, who has been with Rolls-Royce since their apprenticeship, spent weeks working in absolute silence in a sound-insulated space to mitigate against any potential distractions. To create what is unquestionably a work of art in its own right took more than nine months in total.

Resolving the interior, La Rose Noire Droptail's two seats are decorated at the edges with both dark red Mystery leather, and light red True Love leather, each finished with a subtle copper shimmer, evoking the pearlescent texture of the Black Baccara rose petals.
https://acurazine.com/forums/automotive-news-6/rolls-royce-droptail-news-1004109/