Jacques Blanc is a modern-day King Midas, a man whose London-based company Alchemist is known by opulent trendsetters worldwide as the path to true luxury. Alchemist specializes in covering cars and their rooftops in pure 24-carat gold leaf. True trendsetters go one step further and either have precious gemstones inlaid into the gold or select a precious film of palladium or platinum to protect it.
Each car takes about a week to get the completed Midas touch. First, the surface is polished and gets a special base. Next, the gold leaf is applied, followed closely by an invisible shield. An Alchemist gold roof is scratch-proof and cannot be picked off.
Since gold is impervious to heat, air, moisture and oxygen, it's an ideal precious metal for a luxury car's roof. Alchemist roofs are signed, numbered and come with a guarantee and certificate of authenticity.
Gold-Leaf Car Roofs
Alchemist Treatments by Jacques Blanc
Trend Themes
1. Luxury Car Customization - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new methods and materials for customizing luxury cars, such as gold leaf and precious gemstones, to cater to the growing demand for personalized luxury experiences.
2. Sustainable Luxury Materials - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore eco-friendly alternatives to gold leaf, like sustainable materials and coatings, to create luxurious car roofs that align with consumers' increasing focus on sustainability.
3. Authenticity and Certification - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build a blockchain-based authentication system to ensure the traceability and authenticity of luxury car customization, providing customers with verifiable certificates of authenticity.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with luxury car manufacturers to integrate customizable gold leaf and gemstone options for car roofs, creating unique selling points and enhancing brand exclusivity.
2. Jewelry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Partner with jewelry brands to develop innovative techniques for inlaying precious gemstones into gold leaf, offering new luxury customization options for car owners.
3. Coatings and Surface Treatments - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Research and develop advanced scratch-proof coatings and protective films that can be applied to various surfaces, expanding the possibilities for luxury car customization.