Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco (cont.)

As a tribute to Princess Grace's three children, whom she considered the most important of all things in her life, this rare Montblanc fountain pen is limited to just three pieces. Crafted entirely from champagne-colored solid gold, the pen is further embellished with diamonds (~2.69 ct.) and rubies (~ 0.26 ct.) on the cap and barrel. The feminine neckline shape of the cap top and clip reflect the elegance of the Princess. Princess Grace's monogram is finely engraved on the cap-top and the clip sparkles with a drop-cut diamond (~0.41 ct.). The cap is also adorned with a circle of rhomboid-shaped cut rubies, inspired by the Principality of Monaco coat of arms. The pen is priced at $107,700. Still more to come...

Collection Princesse Grace de Monaco

A collection of writing instruments honoring Princess Grace was launched by Montblanc on September 8 at a gala event in Monaco. There are three versions, the first of which is the Special Edition Writing Instrument, available as a fountain pen ($950), rollerball ($795) or ballpoint ($690). Embodying Princess Grace's style, this edition is crafted from a deep purple precious resin, creating a contrast with the champagne-toned gold fittings. The pen features a feminine neckline design and a lavish addition of a drop-cut pink topaz on the clip. Both the gold-plated cap and barrel rings are intricately engraved with a rhombus pattern, inspired by the Principality of Monaco's coat of arms. The fountain pen's 18-karat gold nib is decorated with a heart-shaped breather hole. Princess Grace's monogram can be found on the cap top. More to come...

Royal touch

Visconti created a pen in honor of the royal wedding of HSH Albert II of Monaco, Sovereign Prince, and Miss Charlene Wittstock, held July 1 and 2.   

The royal couple agreed to the release of a special limited edition pen of just 388 pieces, and all profits from the subscription of the pen will be donated to a Monegasque charity chosen by the newlyweds.

Each pen is made from ivory-color resin and features a hand-crafted sterling silver filigree plated in 18-karat rose gold, evoking the Monaco Crown. The pen is available in either a fountain pen ($2,950) or rollerball. The fountain pen fills using Visconti's patented Double Reservoir Power Filler and features Visconti's 23-karat palladium nib in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, double broad and stub sizes. Each pen is displayed in a wooden box lacquered in pearlescent white with the official wedding crest embossed on top.

Tough stuff

Tuff-Writer pens are precision machined in the US to aerospace tolerances. Made from 6061-T6 aluminum, hard anodized to MIL-A-8625 “F” standards for maximum durability, the pen's custom-designed steel spring clip is attached with hardened bolts and then chemically bonded. Tuff-Writer pens utilize a pressurized cartridge made by Fisher, which writes at any angle, even upside down. All Tuff-Writer pens are guaranteed against material and workmanship defects for the life of the pen.

Tuff Writer, Inc., located in Phoenix, Arizona, designs and manufactures tactical pens used by special operations groups, military personnel, tactical officers, emergency response personnel and civilians under the most extreme working and environmental conditions.

International Opening

The Sheaffer Pen Company is hosting a fundraising gala to benefit the Sheaffer Pen Museum today and tomorrow, September 21 and September 22. 

Tim Williams, general manager of Sheaffer Pen, noted that, “Everyone who works at Sheaffer is passionate about the Sheaffer brand and legacy. While building our wonderful brand for the future, we recognize all the achievements of Sheaffer’s glorious past. A central pillar is the long-standing link of Sheaffer with Fort Madison, Iowa and its people – now perfectly captured in the wonderful Sheaffer Pen Museum, which we are so proud to share with our distributors who will be joining us for this event.”

Richard Canella, president of the Sheaffer Pen Museum, noted. “It was important for us to keep the Sheaffer history in Fort Madison as part of its heritage, and to share that with the public. Much of Sheaffer history touches on world history, like Sheaffer® pens used to sign the Japanese peace treaty and the United Nations Charter. We have creatively integrated Sheaffer’s history, art and science in our demonstrations and displays.”

The Sheaffer Pen Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation operated entirely by volunteers. The museum is open to the public Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. Group tours are welcome by special appointment. 

Montblanc Gala

Montblanc hosted a black-tie gala event in Monaco on September 8 to pay tribute to the iconic Princess Grace of Monaco in the presence of members of the royal family, such as H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, H.R.H. Princess Caroline of Hanover, and Princess Charlene of Monaco. Three-hundred and fifty VIP guests and celebrities such as Naomi Watts, Jerry Hall, Elsa Pataky, Olivia Palermo, Eva Herzigova, Viktor & Rolf, Carmen Cass, Daryl Hannah and Natalie Imbruglia celebrated the global launch of the Montblanc Collection Princess Grace de Monaco collection. Montblanc supports to the Princess Grace Foundation USA, and this collaboration will provide aid to emerging actors, designers, directors, filmmakers, choreographers and dancers in this sixtieth year since Grace Kelly’s silver screen debut. Before the collection was unveiled, guests enjoyed a one-night-only-event production by Robert Wilson at the Opera Garnier. Attended by H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco and H.R.H. Princess Caroline of Hanover, “Grace for Grace” is a tribute in three acts: a musical and visual journey through Princess Grace’s life from Philadelphia girl to Hollywood star and finally to princess. The performance featured singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright, opera stars Bryn Terfel, Diana Damrau, Shenyang, prima ballerina Gillian Murphy and singer/songwriter Martha Wainwright.  The costumes were specially designed by Viktor & Rolf.

Photo Credit: Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Montblanc

The Beatles!

The long-awaited Beatles collection from Acme is now in select stores, with various other Beatles writing instruments and memorabilia being introduced through 2013. Nine distinct pens were developed for the nine years the Beatles were together. Shown is "1962," a limited edition of 1,962 lacquer-over-brass pens. It is priced at around $100.

Bright idea...

The most prolific inventor of all time, Thomas Edison is probably best known for his invention of the incandescent light bulb. And his developments resulted in over 1,000 patents during his lifetime. The Krone pen company is paying tribute to Edison with its newest limited edition, the Thomas Edison collection.
 
The Italian resin from which the cap is made is shaded from dark to light and houses a functioning light bulb. Edison’s distinctive autograph decorates the sterling silver cap band, and the barrel, which features a hand-painted portrait of Edison, is embellished with a gilded light in gold leaf. The pen’s blind cap is reminiscent of the base of a light bulb (WARNING...this is for decorative purposes only...do not plug your pen or any part of it into any electrical source...injury may result and then you will feel really silly).
 
The Thomas Edison is available in a worldwide limited edition of 388 piston-filled fountain pens, each with an 18-karat nib available in fine, medium or broad sizes, and 38 rollerballs. The fountain pen is priced at $5,900, and the rollerball, $5,700.
 
Thomas EdisonTM Licensed by The Charles Edison Fund, Represented by GreenLight.

Remembering 9/11

As I ponder the horror of 9/11, now ten years ago, I can't help but think about all the phone calls, texts and notes that were instigated during the harrowing time after the attack. It's an undisputed fact that when it looks like our life as we know it is over, the first thing that occurs to us is to communicate with those dearest. September 11 will always be a day of meditation for me. And if it's true that the only way to make sense out of tragedy is to raise something good from the ashes, I'm living this day to the fullest. I'm also making it a point to let my loved ones know what they mean to me, since so much of our humanity is buried in the rash surprise of our mortality. 

In Memory of Otto Bock

Otto Bock, son of the founder of Peter Bock AG, died on September 5. The firm, best known for producing widely acclaimed fountain pen nibs since 1939, is located in Handschuhsheim, a suburb of Heidelberg. Mr. Bock became involved in the 1950s, positioning the company for growth worldwide. 

Sandringham from Conway Stewart

Conway Stewart Sandringham follows the Balmoral and Windsor in the company's Prestigious Series. The fountain pen, in sterling silver and green resin veneer, is hand engraved by master engraver Marcus Hunt, one of England's premier engravers. Based on the Duro model, the Sandringham limited edition fountain pen features an 18-karat gold nib available in eight sizes, from extra fine to extra broad, as well as italic fine, italic medium and italic broad. Just 15 pens were produced, each priced at $3,300.

Bold move in Precious Metals from Krone

The new Bold limited edition from Krone features lavish lacquers, sterling silver, guilloche and gemstones. Bold comes in two colors, Steep (charcoal gray) and Brave (royal blue), and two modes, fountain pen and rollerball. The beautiful "wave" guilloche in sterling silver is visible through the transparent lacquer.The fountain pen is priced at $1,600 and the rollerball, $1,500. The edition is limited to 388 pieces in each mode.

All About AL-Star

I am a huge fan of the Lamy AL-Star, and its most recent rendition is in Ruby Red anodized aluminum. It's a limited production model, with all the AL-Star details that we've come to know and love: chrome wire clip and see-through grip in charcoal gray plastic. It is available as a fountain pen, rollerball and ballpoint, priced at $45, $40 and $35 respectively.