“2016 is the 110th Anniversary of our Maison. We will celebrate this important birthday looking forward to maintaining the pioneering spirit that has pushed us from 1906 till today.”

—-Christian Rauch, CEO of Montblanc,

world renowned German manufacturer of luxury writing instruments, watches, jewelry, and leather goods.

I pay a visit to their store to get an up-close look at some of the products in this year’s line. The manager greets me with a friendly smile. I introduce myself and soon she is taking me on a tour. It is not a large space, maybe thirty square meters, but there is a lot to see. Situated on bustling Via Condotti, the location receives a constant stream of customers comprised of both resident Italians and tourists. The store is also a destination for collectors from around the world who seek the newest annual installments to Montblanc’s various limited edition pens. I took the opportunity to examine a few, like Patrons of Art, Writers, Muses, Great Characters, and Artisans. The pens feature notable figures like Peggy Guggenheim, Warhol, JFK, Da Vinci, Pavarotti, Mark Twain, and Tolstoy.

The star of this year’s Great Characters limited edition pen series is Andy Warhol, who, famous for many things, was also very well known for his own limited editions. Warhol’s posters are a perfect illustration of how limits create value. Everyone has seen his Campbell’s Soup Cans or Marilyn Monroe iterations. You can get a factory-printed poster of these images for less than €10, but if you want a handmade version from Warhol’s personal “factory”, one of a limited set that will never be reproduced again in the history of the world, you’ll have to pay at least €800. Warhol’s choice to reproduce the same image multiple times is what made him famous and simultaneously infamous. He was criticized for depersonalizing art. Ironically, these same critics have no problem buying a pen that is one of a countless number of copies, because for some reason they don’t view a pen as art.

But then it’s not a big surprise that a person might not think of a pen as a work of art, because most producers of pens don’t apply the same sort of virtuosity to their creations as the Montblanc Maison does. Their limited edition pens and watches are made from the highest quality materials, like gold, titanium, fine leather, and lacquer. [a] Many are crafted completely by hand. Some editions contain as few as 100 pieces worldwide and can sell for as much as €30,000. While that may seem like a lot, consider that Warhol’s poster of Queen Elizabeth II, a limited edition of 40, goes for upwards of €125K.

The manager puts on a white glove and opens the case to give me a closer look. I am fascinated with the level of detail that goes into each design. The Peggy Guggenheim pen, the subject of this years Patron of The Arts limited edition, has paw prints engraved on the nib because Miss Guggenheim was well known for her love of dogs, so much so that her ashes are interred next to theirs. The clip has a distinctly art déco style, referencing the culture that surrounded the collector when she arrived in Paris in the 1920s. The lion heads engraved around the rim of the cap refer to the lion of St. Mark, a symbol of the city where Peggy Guggenheim chose to house her collection. The geometric patterns represent some of the collection’s art.

Moving on, we take a look at some other interesting designs. There is a gorgeous pen the size of a large cigar, limited to only 333 in the world.

Next, there is an elegant, slim model, used by world leaders to sign important documents, sometimes called the President or Pope pen. I learn that just the nib of the iconic Meisterstuck pen goes through 35 steps in its fabrication process. I am shown the JFK pen, which is part of the Great Character series, celebrating the great personalities from the last century. The Pavarotti pen is a part of The Patron of Art limited edition series. There is one pen that can calculate the time in any other time zone. I am given the opportunity to try a rollerball that doesn’t need a cap. It lays down charcoal-black ink very smoothly. The weight is perfect.

the Montblanc M

With sleek lines in black resin, the Montblanc M is the product of collaboration with world-renowned designer Mark Newson of Apple fame. Besides the minimalist beauty, a bewitching twist gives it an even more Newson feel: A magnet in the pen’s cap causes the platinum-plated clip to always automatically line up with the Montblanc logo embedded in a flat plateau at the base.

“A work done with extraordinary skill; especially a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement.”

Montblanc Meisterstruck Heritage Limited Edition

We move on to the watches, which have been part of the Montblanc line since 1997. Models range from very traditional, to sporty, to slim and sleek feminine models. There is one that will even communicate with your smartphone via Bluetooth. Some of the watches require the traditional winding while others are self-winding. Looking more closely at the details of one of the watches, I see that the back is clear and I can see all the inner workings. Noticing my fascination, the manager opens another case and shows me the Minerva Villeret. This watch also has a clear back that reveals all the intricacies of the clockwork movement, which, I am amazed to learn, are all handmade. Gawking at the overwhelming complexity and beauty I notice a number engraved on the casing. I learn that it is an indicator that this piece is #20 of a total of 100 in the world. I notice the word Meisterstück, which I’d seen engraved on some of the other watches as well.

Meisterstück is German for masterpiece. According to Webster’s dictionary, a masterpiece is “A work done with extraordinary skill; especially a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement.” I feel like the terms Masterpiece and Limited Edition are thrown around a lot by just about anyone wanting to make their products seem more valuable. But when I see them engraved on Montblanc’s artifacts, which represent such a masterful blend of art and science, I feel satisfied that the words have found a true home.

Montblanc

Via dei Condotti, 70

montblanc.com