Richard Fox
Astrum
Phantom has been the canvas for some of the most opulent expressions of true luxury in recent years. From handwoven, hand-embroidered and hand-painted silk, to elaborate depictions of cityscapes made from thousands of individually set pieces of marquetry, Phantom embodies the Bespoke wishes of patrons like no other.
British Designer and Goldsmith, Richard Fox, has himself been part of Phantom’s rich history. The allure of gemstones and the desire of Phantom’s patrons to furnish their interior cabin with precious metals and captivating stones has led Richard Fox to embellish many personal Rolls-Royce commissions with precious and semi-precious jewels including diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and Tanzanite.
Astrum, meaning star, constellation, glory, immortality and Heaven, was a concept produced by Alex Innes of Rolls-Royce Bespoke Design and Richard Fox of Fox Silver for New Phantom’s Gallery.
Inspiration was sought from artists who had explored the starburst formation in both the natural and man-made world. Sea urchins and plants, explosions and skyscapes, all had influence on Astrum’s final design.
A star burst emanates from a centrally placed single brilliant cut diamond, encased in platinum. Each solid silver spear, filed, soldered, shaped and hand-polished, has been created to carry pear-cut amethysts, evoking a precious jewel-like quality to the artwork. The backing has been engraved with a guilloche effect, a technique found in the finest of jewellery, formed to incorporate the curvature of the dashboard and to provide visual depth to ‘The Gallery’. A rich amethyst lacquer, named Violet de Nuit, is used to reflect and intensify the colour of the stones carried at the ends of the spears.
The clock, viewed by many patrons as the jewel of the interior, carries an additional guilloche design in sterling silver with the same amethyst tint complementing that of the main body of work. Fine wires have been laser-welded to the spears, positioned so the stones stand proudly against the resplendent backdrop.
Alex Innes, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, said of the commission, “Richard Fox’s work can be found in some of our recent most highly Bespoke iterations of Phantom. It is fitting therefore that he has turned his hand to ‘The Gallery’, a space in which patrons are invited to commission unique works of art, to bring objet d’art to the centre stage of their New Phantom.”
Richard Fox MDes RCA commented, “The Gallery offers patrons of Phantom an unparalleled level of Bespoke opportunities. The use of natural gemstones and a brilliant cut diamond will bring movement to ‘The Gallery’, as light refracts, accentuating the depth of the design. This work brings an entirely new interpretation of diamonds to the dashboard.”
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