At Monterey Car Week, Rolls-Royce debuted its latest creation, the La Rose Noire Droptail, an automotive marvel inspired by the Black Baccara rose. Beyond its captivating design, this Rolls-Royce masterpiece boasts an interior adorned with an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept timepiece.
Born from the brand’s exclusive “coachbuild” program, this creation is a testament to Rolls-Royce’s dedication to crafting unique experiences.
Intrigued to know more about the collaboration between Rolls-Royce and Audemars Piguet that birthed the La Rose Noire Droptail? Keep reading to delve into how Rolls-Royce seamlessly integrates the Audemars Piguet concept into its features.
Inside Rolls-Royce’s New Custom Droptail: Featuring an Audemars Piguet Timepiece
Rolls-Royce introduces a bespoke 43-millimeter Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date, thoughtfully integrated within the car’s interior. This special collaboration features a unique design that lets the timepiece shift seamlessly from the car to the wrist.
When worn, the holder displays an etching of the Black Baccara rose, the same flower inspiring the La Rose Noire Droptail’s name and color, keeping the space vibrant.
As part of Audemars Piguet’s Grand Complications, the Split Second Chronograph GMT Large Date is a pinnacle of horological expertise.
While tailored at 43mm for the 4 Coachbuilt Rolls-Royce Droptails, Audemars Piguet offers this complication in two exclusive variants: a white ceramic and a black ceramic, both at 44mm, reserved for VIP Audemars Piguet customers.
Boasting a power reserve of around 70 hours, the open-worked and self-winding Caliber 4407 incorporates a split-seconds mechanism within the rotor’s bearing and a GMT and large date at 12 o’clock.
The ingenuity extends to the timepiece’s interchangeable strap, allowing it to be a dashboard clock when mounted in the car. When not in use, the rubber strap is housed in a leather pouch, a convenient addition for door pocket storage.
The watch’s titanium open-worked head, featuring a white-gold coin with a meticulously sculpted rose engraving, adds a final touch of elegance, handcrafted by Audemars Piguet artisans.
Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail Exquisite Details
Inspired by the captivating Black Baccara rose, the new Droptail exudes dynamic colors, echoing the petals’ interplay of black, red-burgundy, and pomegranate shades under changing light.
These hues are seamlessly integrated across the car’s design, from the intricate parquetry to the bespoke “True Love” paint.
Innovative features abound, including a removable roof with an electrochromic glass panel, offering both roadster and coupe aesthetics. The monocoque body, crafted from steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber, showcases sculptural lines uniting the interior and exterior.
Inside, 1,603 hand-painted wood triangles emulate scattered rose petals. The exterior flaunts a deep burgundy hue achieved through a meticulous five-layer clear lacquer process, adding depth.
The standard roof is replaced by a sleek glass panel, transformable from opaque to translucent at the press of a button, enhancing the car’s allure with modern elegance.
Beneath this artful design lies a potent 6.7-liter V-12 engine producing 593 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque, harmonizing performance and aesthetics for an extraordinary driving experience.
A Closer Look at Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is prominent within the realm of horology, often mentioned in the same breath as the equally renowned Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711. Designed by the legendary Gérald Genta, the Royal Oak is a classic icon in its own right.
It debuted at the 1972 Basel Watch Fair, becoming an emblematic timepiece for Audemars Piguet, setting it apart as no other watch for the brand.
While Audemars Piguet offers an array of watches, the Royal Oak is its unrivaled flagship model, and imagining the brand without this range would be unthinkable.
So, what makes the Royal Oak exceptional, elevating it to its iconic stature? Beyond its sleek aesthetics, waterproof case, and automatic movement, the Royal Oak’s most defining characteristic lies in its distinctive ‘porthole’ design, conceived by the ingenious Swiss watch designer Gérald Genta.
The octagonal bezel held in place by eight exposed screws, a daring design element, did not immediately resonate with the watch-buying public upon its release.
The visible screws challenged conventions and raised eyebrows, as observers found this departure from tradition unconventional and somewhat perplexing.
