At Pursuitist, we regularly receive press releases from luxury automakers, including from the “King” of luxury motoring — Rolls-Royce.
But the release I received just a few days ago was different, as it contained a personal note in an e-mail message before I downloaded the release:
“Happy Friday Brian! When I saw we had a cool commission named “Lunaflair” inbound, coinciding with a full harvest moon, I knew what I had to do. I hopped on a flight to the middle of nowhere and found an empty cemetery with a clear view of the sky. With the assistance of a professional photographer, we spent the night capturing stunning images of Spectre Lunaflair’s chromatic majesty, second only to the moon itself.” – Gerry Spahn, head of Corporate Communications for Rolls-Royce North America.
Thank you, Gerry as Rolls-Royce has unveiled the breathtaking Spectre Lunaflair – a Bespoke commission undertaken on behalf of a significant client from the United States. The extraordinary and exquisite highlight of this landmark motor car is the remarkable holographic paint finish that creates a captivating ‘rainbow’ effect.
The commission takes its inspiration and name from the optical phenomenon of a lunar halo, which appears as a colorful circle of light around the moon. It is caused by moonlight passing through ice crystals in high-altitude cirrus clouds, which function as microscopic prisms: the light refracts creating a spellbinding technicolor ring effect, like light passing through a diamond.
“We are constantly astounded by the diversity of ideas that inform our clients’ Bespoke concepts, which frequently draw inspiration from materials, finishes, and themes they see in other commissions. Spectre Lunaflair is the perfect example of this, exploring the ethereal beauty of a lunar halo and sparked by the client after witnessing a paint finish on another Bespoke motor car. This symbiotic relationship and cross-pollination of ideas is fostering a ‘virtuous circle’ of innovation and creativity, which is incredibly important to our team of Bespoke designers, as we focus on delivering unparalleled value to those who entrust us with their vision.” – Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Capturing this phenomenon in a Bespoke paint finish required more than one year of experimentation. The paint chemistry, application timings, and base coat were extensively trialed to meet the client’s concept. The final finish is achieved by applying seven layers of lacquer, including a specially formulated pearlescent coat, infused with fine flakes of magnesium fluoride and aluminum. This creates a deep metallic effect under low light that bursts into rainbow technicolor in bright sunshine.
The Spectre Lunaflair concept was partially inspired by another Bespoke masterpiece, the one-of-one Phantom Syntopia. Revealed in 2023, it features a dark iridescent Liquid Noir finish, infused with color-shifting, mirror-like pigment. Captivated by Phantom Syntopia’s appearance, the commissioning patron asked the Bespoke Collective to create a light and luminous expression of this concept that reflected their fascination with the lunar halo phenomenon.
This cross-pollination of ideas, where a previous commission directly informs and inspires a completely new concept and story, speaks to the power of Bespoke. For the marque’s Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers, and craftspeople, this virtuous creative circle and interconnection of ideas constantly provides new opportunities for the advancement of their art.
Spectre Lunaflair’s dramatic coachwork is complemented by a fully Bespoke interior. It includes Navy Blue, White, and Peony Pink tones, recalling the spectrum of hues that can be witnessed during a lunar halo. The color scheme appears on the seats, doors, and the Starlight Headliner. This theme is also carried onto the dual-tone steering wheel, with a Navy outer and an Arctic White inner side.
Only one Spectre Lunaflair will ever be produced. The unique Lunaflair paint finish is reserved exclusively for the commissioning patron.
The Spectre Lunaflair photography was captured in the middle of the United States on the night of September 17th, 2024, as the Supermoon – the full Moon occurring when it is within its closest proximity to Earth – illuminated the heavens. This celestial event coincided with a partial lunar eclipse, as the Moon entered the Earth’s outer shadow.
