Luxe Writing Instruments

Caran d'Ache
Caran d'Ache is the only Swiss writing instrument manufacturer, which is known for creating exceptional pieces with precious and rare materials. Each of their writing instruments is handcrafted. The intricacies involved in creating each pen requires 3-6 months. Edouard Jud, one of Switzerland's leading designers has worked closely with Caran d'Ache for many of the limited editions, especially with the Divinity series.

Bling it on
The brand works extensively with silver and white gold for their pens. They also use precious stones as embellishments for their masterpieces. Its latest limited edition of 18 fountain pens in collaboration with Lalique is Crystal & Diamonds. This edition brings together noble and precious materials in an alliance of light and shade. The gold cap is coated in ruthenium with deep-black reflections that complement the body carved in white gold. The droplets spread over the instrument in a cascade of some 340 diamonds. The lighting effect is complete with the beauty of satin-brushed crystal cabochons and ring. Their two other recent launches are the Black Crystal Limited Edition (999 fountain pens and roller pens) and the White Crystal Limited Edition (999 fountain pens and roller pens). In black or white ceramic, both bodies are embellished with the Coutard motif. The droplets are applied in relief on the pen as if to punctuate its lines. A Lalique crystal cabochon sits atop the pens making a striking contrast between the satin-brushed and polished finishes. The White Crystal Edition's clip is decorated with a diamond solitaire, a majestic seal to the pen's natural elegance. Currently, in India, the Caran d'Ache Shiva, is the most popular limited edition. This edition is a tribute to the Gods, an offering to the Supreme Divinity.Produced entirely by hand in 800 solid silver with a distinctive somber finish, this sumptuous piece evokes all the mystery and symbolism of the most important figure in the Shivaist tradition. Shiva, the personification of the absolute, appears on the body and cap of the writing instruments in several representations of his destructive and regenerative power.

Montegrappa
Montegrappa is the first Italian pen manufacturer. All of Montegrappa's pens are designed in-house. As an extensive traveller, Mr Giuseppe Aquila, the CEO of Montegrappa, takes hues from the cultures of different places he visits and the people he meets. The iconic and culturally rich cities or the legendary individuals are then honored with special edition pens, which are designed and handcrafted with the highest level of precision. The result is pens like Venezia (City of Venice), La Torre di Pisa (Leaning Tower of Pisa) and tributes to Muhammad Ali, Nelson Mandela, Pele and Ayrton Senna, to name a few. The creation of these pens depends upon the concept and the intricacy of the designs. For instance, in case of the portrait pen, where the image is hand-etched on the barrel of the pen, it takes approximately three months to make one pen. Montegrappa uses various metals—including gold, silver and bronze— both in the regular and limited edition collections. The brand also uses celluloid material for pen manufacturing, which is sourced out of cotton. It takes 18 months before the material is conditioned and is fit to be used for pen manufacturing. Every pen that is made out of celluloid becomes a unique pen as the patterns that develop on the pen are never copied.

One-of-its-Kind
While the Dragon pen, made in 1995 continues to be one of the world's most sought-after pens, other limited editions like the Slyvester Stallone designed Chaos Pen and the My Guardian Angel add to the unique portfolio of the brand. Montegrappa's most expensive pen, Tibaldi Fulgor Nocturnus, was sold at an auction in Hong Kong for US$ 8.5 million. The NeroUno series is Montegrappa's most popular collection. Their other favourites include—The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and The Brain Pen – dedicated to the human brain, the most complex organ of the human body.(Inputs by Haytham Nasr, COO –Middle East)

Of Skulls and Angels
Charles Nahhas, Managing Director, Montegrappa Middle East"We're like a family at Montegrappa. We can be as creative as we like with our products but the downside is the big guns outnumber us! But let's focus on the plus. Our creativity with writing instruments and the quality and finish of workmanship makes us who we are. We want to be different. There is a need to be funky. For instance, the number of Batman pens is limited to 1939, the year Batman was published. Our Cash pen was made keeping the 'gangsta rap' guys in mind to use it with the Dollar Bill Box imagery. There are several pens that will thrill users—The Skull pen or the Battle of Montegrappa—or even our Angel pen, which depicts angels and souls on their journey in the afterlife. On a real-life note, Quincy Jones is a marker pen made keeping in mind for the star to sign autographs. We also are proud of our Ayrton Senna pen, a memorial pen in tribute to the great soul."

Montblanc
At the heart and soul of European craftsmanship is fine writing instruments from Montblanc. Even before a Montblanc writing instrument, watch, leather bag or piece of jewellery is placed in the hands of its owner and takes its place as a loyal lifetime companion, it has already lived once. Most pens are still made byhand—from the intricate engravings for the 18-carat gold nib, through the painstaking tasks of cutting the central slit through which the ink flows, grinding the nib's hard iridium point and polishing all its surfaces, to the testing of the finished pen.

Celebrating 90 years
Meisterstück continues to be the most iconic of fountain pens, which was first produced in 1924. This year Meisterstück turns 90 and the anniversary collection of writing instruments will only be available till the end of 2014. It includes fountain, rollerball and ballpoint pens in classic sizes with guilloche engravings coated with black lacquer, a mother-of-pearl Montblanc emblem, red gold-plated fittings and gold nibs engraved with a '90'.In addition, there's a skeleton fountain pen that pays tribute to the Montblanc's first skeleton pen created in 1999 for the Meisterstück 75th anniversary. The skeletonised, ruthenium-plated cap and barrel are topped by a quartz Montblanc emblem. The red gold nib has ruthenium-plated fittings and a '90' engraving. It also includes the limited edition '90', a large fountain pen and a rollerball (each limited to 90 pieces), featuring a cap ring set with 90 diamonds, solid red gold attributes with guilloche engraving, a mother-of-pearl Montblanc emblem, and a gold nib with a rhodium-plated inlay with the '90' years engraving.

Bespoke to You
Because the nib is truly the heart of a fountain pen, Montblanc elevated its craftsmanship in 2011 to an even higher level with the introduction of a bespoke nib service. In an exceptional fusion of tradition and technology, the bespoke nib service, is available in selected Montblanc boutiques worldwide.