Dyson might have spent $96 million developing their Supersonic hair dryer in beauty testing labs, with a fresh team of engineers working on the product, but it clearly was not enough. The British technology company, known primarily for their vacuum cleaners and air purifiers, stepped up their 2016 hair care offering in the most extra way possible — by covering it in gold.
Alright, it might not be completely wrapped in the precious metal. Launched in India earlier this week, shortly after its international debut, this version is partially hand-gilded using traditional methods. But there is enough of 23.75-carat gold to warrant a hefty price tag of ₹37,900 — at today’s prices, you could buy a little over 10 g of actual gold for that money.
Speaking from Singapore, senior engineer James D’Souza says that the design idea came from founder James Dyson. “He was fascinated by gilding — it is very intricate and gives a unique finish. It is also quite tedious and takes a lot of effort, as it is done manually. The challenge was to take the process and use it in a modern way,” he says, adding that it is different from gold plating.
He explains the process briefly, saying, “The base is prepared with a traditional red gesso. It is important that it is absolutely blemish free, as it affects the final look of the product.” Five gold leaves are used to gild each hair dryer, a process that takes 30 hours, drying time included. With each leaf being 1/666th the diametre of human hair, almost translucent, it is a painstaking operation.
A review product was hard to come by — one really cannot expect it from a limited edition — but the matte finish described by D’Souza is perceptible enough in the photos. To top it off, somewhat amusingly, the care instructions say, “Through use, some of the red base colour may become visible beneath/through the gold. This is intentional and should not be considered a defect, but rather something that makes each hair dryer unique to its owner.”
Available on dyson.in and at Dyson Demo stores in New Delhi (DLF Promenade and Select Citywalk) and Bengaluru (VR).
