Rolls-Royce is no stranger to bespoke one-off cars and its latest project is a Cullinan SUV with a rather unique paint shade. Called ‘The Pearl Cullinan’ it is also the first Bespoke project to be done in Dubai and which brings the bespoke Goodwood experience to clients here.
‘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 to understand his passions and life story; these meetings provided valuable insights to inform the design direction for the commission.
As mentioned above, this project was commissioned by a son as a birthday present to his father hence, the fascia motif features the Arabic symbol for ‘father’ inlaid in stainless steel.
The highlight here is the fact that this is the highest amount of mother-of-pearl ever seen in a Bespoke Rolls-Royce motor car, including the central rotary dial and clock surround.
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The bespoke paint finish is inspired by the colors of the most prized pearl in the owner’s collection and 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. Not surprisingly, it took around 30 different iterations to perfect the paint and these were pre-checked under daylight simulation lamps in the Atelier at Goodwood, then sent to the client to make sure the color 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.
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The Pearl Rose finish also comes with a single coaching, 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.
The interior meanwhile comes with two different leather colours. The front seats, where the father prefers to travel as a passenger – are finished in his favorite Cashmere Grey. About the family’s heritage, the rear seats are trimmed in Ardent Red which takes inspiration from the color of the material on which pearls are presented to customers. Similarly, 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 finish the changes.
Other details spill over to the rear Picnic Tables which have 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, everyone individually selected and placed by hand in the surrounding burr walnut marquetry and sealed with clear lacquer.
The center rotary dial is also finished with mother-of-pearl while the Bespoke Starlight Headliner shows the sky as it appeared on the night and at the very place where the commissioning client’s father was born. As far as birthday presents go, a bespoke Rolls-Royce is as good as it gets!
