wish list - Pens
Written by Oryx
In the electronic age, there’s something classic about handwritten notes and letters. In keeping with that theme, here are some appropriately crafted tools.
Faber-Castell – Pen of the Year 2011
Graf von Faber-Castell Pens of the Year are distinguished by a high degree of craftsmanship, and for the 250th anniversary of the company the 2011 edition is no exception. Using Russian jade – set in a platinum-plated frame – the emerald-coloured nephrite is delicately mottled; and craftsmen from the Stephan gemstone laboratory – who uphold the 15th-century tradition of the Idar Oberstein workshops – recognise the unique nuances of jade and bring out its natural gleam.
US$4,845
www.harrods.com
Tibaldi – Crew 60th White Gold Fountain Pens
Italian pen designer Tibaldi is to writing tools what Bentley is to fine automobiles. The two merge here with a set of pens featuring two-tone, 18-carat yellow gold nibs covered in rhodium and ruthenium. Bentley’s unique fine-finish dashboard is replicated on the pen’s barrel, while the ink level is visible through a transparent window.
US$37,000
www.tibaldi.it
Montegrappa – Limited Edition Muhammad Ali Fountain Pen
Arguably the greatest boxer of all time is immortalised in kicking off Montegrappa’s Icons series, which pays tribute to international cultural giants. With Ali’s life figures as the basis, Montegrappa produced 1942 fountain pens and 1942 rollerballs (for the year of Ali’s birth), 61 fountain pens with gold trim (the number of his fights), and 56 rollerballs (his wins) with solid gold trim. Of special note is the gold-trimmed and diamond-set Knockout edition – of which 37 were produced.
US$2,600
www.montegrappa.com
