AT YOUR SERVICE
Ultimate Penmanship Montblanc takes personal signature to a new level and pays homage to artistic genius.
[Above] A to-do list written by John Lennon, on display at the GOTTA HAVE IT! Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction Press Preview in New York City. [Below] A John Lennon 1940 limited-edition Montblanc pen in sterling silver
THE URBANE AND VERY CHARMING Carlo Giordanetti, creative director at Montblanc, tells Private Edition that just before Prince Albert of Monaco married South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock, he was summoned to the palace for an important meeting. It seems the Grimaldi family have been Montblanc fans forever, but this time, the tricky question of ink – not a new writing instrument – was the issue. Charlene fancied the blue; protocol demanded black and never the twain would meet. Stalemate. Luckily, Montblanc has a special blue-black made by a combination of pigments designed to last 50 years. It was a done deal. Montblanc also has a ‘DNA’ ink created from plant matter to protect you from counterfeiting. Very useful for presidential peace signings and general territory ceding after a war, no doubt. But the most desirable ‘app’ – if you will – is a bespoke nib that’s designed after you’ve taken a test to determine your writing style. Your acceleration, pressure, spread, angle and inclination is measured and then a nib is designed to allow you to write effortlessly and precisely. Of course, these are very clever addons for the brand that’s become synonymous with a range of extraordinary signature pens designed to capture the essence of great artists and authors – from a Frida Kahlo and John Lennon to one of Giordanetti’s all-time favourites, the Charlie Chaplin. The Collection Princess Grace de Monaco is the latest in the line-up and the delicate colour and diamonds are fitting tributes to her style and glamour. Giordanetti is ‘passionate about passions’, something he gets from his Italian blood. ‘I find in contemporary arts and culture as well as in classic expressions of man’s genius, the nourishment for my soul – and my job.’ And it’s a job that’s as good as it gets if you’re designing the writing instruments that officially sign historic pacts and seal royal romances; each pen not only a masterpiece of design but one that, when passed down for generations, carries its own secret history. For more information, visit montblanc.com.
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P R I V A T E E D I T I O N ISSUE 16
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUPPLIED AND GETTYIMAGES.COM
Words LES AUPIAIS