You wouldn’t think it at first glance: “Come on, a hairdryer of all things?” But look past the nozzles, diffusers, and concentrators and you’ll find something with far more value.
It goes without saying that the gold inlays of the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer are pretty expensive, but what’s even more priceless is the art of gilding said gold. For the uninitiated, gilding is a process by which an artisan applies flattened gold leaves or powders onto solid surfaces like wood, metal, or stone; thereby giving them a distinct golden sheen without being made of the heavy (and expensive) metal.
Considering not everyone can afford such an expensive material to be applied to everyday objects, the practice of gold gilding is slowly dying. So in order to preserve it, Dyson actually went to master gilder Karen Haslewood to learn how to apply the process to their hairdryers.
The gilding process starts with the application of a traditional red primer. As the gold lies on the hairdryer over a set amount of time, the color underneath the metal eventually reveals itself, giving it a unique sheen all its own.
While the primer and gilding adhesive are applied mechanically, the gilding process is done entirely by hand (just as it was meant to be) with 23.75 Karat gold leaves brought in from Florence, Italy. In total, five leaves are applied to each Dyson Supersonic before being hand brushed to create the golden finish.
Finally, the gilded hairdryers are assembled and put into a snazzy red case, where they will dry the scalps of thousands worldwide. The Dyson Supersonic hairdryer includes your standard blow nozzle, a concentrator, diffuser, and many other hair-related settings to get you looking your best. Considering that one of these gold-inlaid babies costs an eye-watering $499.75, they better do a good job of styling your hair.
Find out more about the hairdryer and its insane manufacturing process over at Dyson.
