Rolls-Royce is famous for many things, but at the top of that particular pile is its bespoke creations. Like a fine suit from a world renowned tailor, the customer is always correct when building their Rolls-Royce, and with enough money you can have pretty much anything you want.
This includes seats clad in exotic leathers, bodywork altered to fit a particular silhouette, and having your favorite timepiece embedded in the dashboard. The car guy/watch guy overlap is real, so the clients demanding this often have exquisite tastes. As we can see in the few examples Rolls-Royce shared with The Manual.
A Royal Oak in your Rolls?
There’s not many people who can look down on a chap with a Rolex on his wrist. But when that does happen, the superior gentleman in question is probably wearing an Audemars Piguet. AP is known for producing meticulously hand crafted pieces that are as beautiful as they are intricate. The brand’s flagship is the Royal Oak, a beautiful and somewhat understated chronograph that has often been mimicked but can never really be replicated. If you’re not a watch person, it’s the hexagonal stainless steel one that chap with the superyacht was wearing.
A “43mm Royal Oak Concept Split-Seconds Chronograph GMT Large Date” found its way into the dashboard of the one-off Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail. It’s an ultra-luxury one-off watch that is now paired with an ultra-luxury one-off vehicle. Though it can still be detached and popped back onto a strap when the situation demands it.
The price of the Droptail in question was somewhere between $30 million and $32-million. As for the price of the watch, we don’t really know. A standard version of the watch has an MSRP ranging up to $210,000. But like many luxury items, you can’t just walk into a jewellers, slap $210,000 on the counter, and walk out with one, You’ll either be paying a not insignificant premium on the second hand market, or “establishing a relationship” with an official retailer by buying plenty of more accessible Audemars Piguet’s over a few years and hoping you’re high enough on the waiting list to snag one of the few said retailer is allocated.
Both the vehicle and the watch are a perfect match, and not just in terms of exclusivity. The red counters and bezel along with the black dial work beautifully with the interior of the La Rose Noire Droptail. Truly an exquisite pairing.
A custom job from Vacheron Constantin
Vacheron Constantin is one of the world’s oldest watch manufacturers, with its Geneva-based business stretching back to 1755. It’s over 20-years older than the United States. When the buyer of the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail wanted a timepiece worthy of their world-class one-off vehicle, Vacheron Constantin stepped up to create a world-class one-off timepiece.
The Les Cabinotiers Armillary Tourbillon features an intricate hand-wound movement that includes a a bi-axial tourbillon and a bi-retrograde display. The Bi-axial tourbillon allows the watch to keep perfect time on a person’s wrist, or in this case a vehicle moving around at high speed. Though it’s a Rolls-Royce so it won’t be tested by any sudden bumps or a rough road surface. The Bi-retrograde display is a unique feature that allows the hour and minute hands to move in an arc instead of a circle, instantly sending either hand back to the beginning of the arc once it reaches the end. As for why? They’re just showing off because they can.
Rolls-Royce worked very closely with Vacheron Constantin to produce this timepiece specifically for the Rolls-Royce Amethyst Droptail. As a result, we’ll never know how much it costs. But it’s a unique timepiece, with a unique purpose, from one of the world’s most historic and highly regarded “haute horlogerie maisons.” So if the word “priceless” was to be applied to anything…
The watch itself is secured in a custom holder, and can be removed from the vehicle if the owner desires. It can then be stored separately for security purposes, or sent away for maintenance if needs be.
A unique “his and hers” combo
Do you remember that time Rolls-Royce built a boat? The Rolls-Royce Boat Tail was a one off commission that included a rather unique pair of time pieces. The “his and hers” watches and the dashboard holder that contains them took 3,000 hours to develop. With a five-day power reserve, they’re capable of keeping perfect time in the car for an extended period. The watches were also “tested to automotive standards” for vibration and crash test safety, which apparently has never happened with this kind of mechanism before.
In addition to living in their case within the fascia of the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail, the timepieces can be used as a table clock, pendant or pocket timepiece. They can, of course, also be worn on the wrist. This is all due to BOVET’s “Amadeo” convertible system, which is designed for this amount of versatility.
Each watch has a case diameter of 44mm and thickness of 14mm. The “gentleman’s” timepiece boasts a high polish finish, while the lady’s is “hand engraved and filled with blue lacquer.”
As for the watchmaker who worked with Rolls-Royce to create these timepieces, you may not be aware of them. BOVET 1822 made its name selling luxury pocket watches to wealthy patrons in China. It is one of the few watchmakers to manufacture its own spirals and regulating organs, while also being a world leading specialist in tourbillons. It also holds a good number of patents, and that kind of creativity is ideal for the level of quality and uniqueness demanded by Rolls-Royce and its clientele.
