Quick Summary
The latest luxury TV from Loewe is made in part from cooled lava.
Prices start at £3,299.
The luxury German electronics brand Loewe doesn't think like other TV manufacturers. It's constantly trying interesting materials, which is how you end up with TVs made in part from stone. And for its latest UHD OLED TV it's found an even more unusual material – lava.
The new TVs are part of Loewe's stellar range of high-end W-OLED TVs, which first launched last summer and which run the firm's own os9 operating system.
The new stellar alu black + lava (Loewe uses lower case for the branding here) has a back panel made from concrete with pigments of cooled lava. And according to Loewe, it's not just for show – lava has useful properties that make it handy to have in a TV.
Why is Loewe putting lava in its TVs?
Cooled lava is one of the most abundant natural materials in the world, and Loewe says it's being used for its superior strength, anti-corrosive properties, longevity and heat resistance. And according to the firm, adding the ultra-fine volcanic powder to concrete is also great for sound thanks to the powder's density and anti-vibration properties.
It sounds like a bit of a gimmick and in all honesty it probably is, but it's worth noting that Loewe is primarily targeting design-conscious high fliers, for whom materials and unusualness matter. It's similar to how some high-end hi-fi firms offer to wrap their speakers in designer textiles.
As you'd expect from Loewe, this luxury TV comes with a luxury price tag. There are four models in the range – 42, 48, 55 and 65 inches – and their prices range from £3,299 to £5,999. We're currently awaiting detals of US and Australian pricing and availability.
The Loewe stellar alu black + lava will be available for purchase from late February in Harrods or online at loewe.tv.
