Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled the Phantom Hummingbird, a bespoke Phantom Extended private commission featuring the marque’s first application of abalone shell marquetry in a motor car. Commissioned as a personal tribute to the client’s wife, the one-off creation was curated by the Rolls-Royce Private Office Dubai.
The design draws inspiration from the hummingbird’s iridescent plumage, combining abalone shell and mother-of-pearl to create intricate bird motifs throughout the cabin. The shimmering materials are used to capture the changing colours and natural beauty associated with the hummingbird.
Each of the two rear picnic tables features a detailed hummingbird crafted from 53 individual pieces of abalone shell and mother-of-pearl, including 18 pieces used for the wings. A separate botanical design on the rear Waterfall panel incorporates a further 84 individual pieces of the materials.
Nine Months of Development
The bespoke marquetry required more than nine months of development, during which Rolls-Royce craftspeople produced six different iterations before finalising a suitable technique for working with the thin and brittle abalone shell.
Each fragment was initially laser-cut slightly larger than its required dimensions. The pieces were then individually shaped and carefully fitted by hand to achieve the final design. According to Rolls-Royce, the three marquetry panels required a combined 45 hours of craftsmanship to complete.
The marquetry is set against Ash Burr veneer, while Silver Birch is incorporated into the picnic table designs. The cabin combines these natural materials with Creme Light leather, complemented by Moccasin and Tan detailing, Seashell carpets and a Starlight Headliner.
Bespoke Exterior Finish
The Phantom Hummingbird is finished in a distinctive two-tone Wildberry and White Sands exterior colour scheme. The two shades are separated by a hand-applied White Sands Coachline, which itself features a bespoke hummingbird motif.
Phil Fabre de la Grange, Head of Bespoke at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said the use of abalone shell introduced a new technical and creative challenge for the company’s designers and craftspeople.
The Phantom Hummingbird further demonstrates Rolls-Royce’s bespoke capabilities, combining rare natural materials with highly intricate craftsmanship to create a highly personalised interpretation of the Phantom Extended.
