This Rolls-Royce is inspired by solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
The launch of the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection coincided with the annual solar eclipse visible in parts of the Western Hemisphere on Oct. 14. The solar eclipse theme is reflected in various facets of the car. Let’s start with the paint. According to Rolls-Royce, the “mysterious, ethereal light of a total solar eclipse is captured in the car’s Lyrical Copper paint color.”
Says the manufacturer, “This stunning Bespoke finish contains powdered copper pigment, which appears darker until it catches the sunlight and produces a rich and dramatic play of colors. The tangerine color adorns the inserts under the Pantheon grille and calipers and is reminiscent of the intense rays of sunlight seen as the solar eclipse progresses. The same tangerine hue is used for the hand-painted coach line, which features a delicate abstract rendering of the transition from sunlight to darkness as the moon approaches to cover the sun.”
Full Bespoke Starlight headliner.
Now it’s really getting fun. Indeed, the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis features a fully Bespoke Starlight headliner with a special animation that – like the solar eclipse – according to Rolls-Royce, “gives the occupants a sense of wonder and amazement.
As the doors close and the engine is started, the “stars” in the Starlight sky darken and a mesmerizing sequence begins, mimicking the totality of the solar eclipse, with the dark silhouette of the moon completely obscuring the bright light of the sun. A circle of 940 “stars” is formed, representing the bright circle of light around the lunar silhouette. This is surrounded by another 192 “stars,” mimicking the otherworldly spectacle of stars visible in the sky during the day, seen only during a total solar eclipse.
Seven minutes and 31 seconds
The animation remains visible for exactly seven minutes and 31 seconds, the longest possible duration of a total solar eclipse. Once this time has passed, the full constellation is restored to the night sky. This highly technical feature required a year of painstaking development, during which the Bespoke Collective produced three complete prototypes to perfect the design and order of the “stars.
The illuminated dashboard of the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis is surrounded by 1,846 laser-cut “stars” in a symbolic timeline of a full solar eclipse. One Bespoke designer was responsible for adjusting the size and position of each individual “star” to achieve the desired effect; a delicate and demanding process that took more than 100 hours.
0.5-carat diamond
The composition sees its culmination in a Bespoke timepiece incorporating a 0.5-carat diamond, reminiscent of the “Diamond Ring” effect. This shows a single blinding point of light on the outline of the moon in a split second just before and immediately after it eclipses the sun.
The geometry of the glass bezel has been modified to accommodate the precious gemstone, as this is the first time in Rolls-Royce history that a gemstone has been integrated into the glass bezel of the timepiece. The assembly underwent rigorous adhesion tests, including temperature variations from -30°C to +90°C, to ensure that the diamond is firmly attached. The movement is finished with etching on the dark aluminum rim, revealing the bright metal underneath. This beautiful piece of contemporary craftsmanship is the result of more than 14 design steps.
Ékleipsis
During a total solar eclipse, there is a moment when a golden twilight surrounds those viewing the eclipse, creating the illusion of a 360-degree sunset. In the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis, the beauty of this rare phenomenon is captured in two-tone seats with a unique perforated artwork made of more than 200,000 individual perforations.
The striking tangerine leather is stained black and then perforated to reveal the brighter contrasting color underneath, creating an effect with extraordinary depth and subtlety. Using the computer, the Bespoke Collective developed a unique pattern, which was then refined manually through seven test versions.
Bespoke finishes include illuminated running boards, umbrellas with tangerine-colored piping hidden in the doors and a unique interior car cover with the Private Collection logo.
All 25 examples of the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection have already been assigned to customers around the world. Prices have not been made public.
