DAVID OSCARSON REMEMBERS ELLIS ISLAND | 2

Pen & Ink F. P. JOURNE’S INVENTIVE WRITING COLLECTION | 21

DAVID OSCARSON REMEMBERS ELLIS ISLAND | 25

Featured Ink P. W. AKKERMAN’S LIMITED EDITION DELFTS BLAUW | 29

Horology THE ART OF THE ETERNAL AND THE MECHANICS OF TIME | 51

THE PATEK PHILIPPE CALATRAVA PILOT TRAVEL TIME | 55

PARMIGIANI’S SPORTY NEW TONDA GT | 59

MB&F’S FEMININE LM FLYING T, ONE-OF-A-KIND HM4 KITTYHAWK AND NEW HM9-SV | 63

Special Feature VANCOUVER’S EXCLUSIVE TERMINAL CITY CLUB | 71

Automotive ROLLS-ROYCE UNVIELS THE KEY TO THE LIMITED EDITION KRYPTOS COLLECTION | 77

Yachting PRESTIGE’S LUXURIOUS 590 FLYBRIDGE | 81

After Hours DAVIDOFF’S ANIVERSARIO SPECIAL «R» | 87

The Last Word LIFE CYCLES | 91

THE ART OF CONNOISSEURSHIP ISSUE No. 4 | APR - JUN 2021

Publisher

J D Banck editor.thecirclevancouver@gmail.com

Editor-in-Chief

J D Banck

Photography

Herbert Derksen

THE CIRCLE | TORONTO Copyright © 2021 by Joel Derksen. All rights reserved.

THE CIRCLE | TORONTO MAGAZINE Copyright © 2021 by Joel Derksen. All rights reserved.

THE ART OF CONNOISSEURSHIP Copyright © 2021 by Joel Derksen. All rights reserved.

圈子 | 普通話

Copyright © 2021 by Joel Derksen. All rights reserved.

鑑賞的藝術

Copyright © 2021 by Joel Derksen. All rights reserved.

THE CIRCLE | TORONTO Print Edition and Digital Edition are subject to copyright. Copyright © 2021 by Joel Derksen. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

THE CIRCLE | TORONTO is published as a quarterly journal by Joel Derksen.

TheCircleToronto.blogspot.com

A Message from the Publisher

COMING FULL CIRCLE

t was in the early days of COVID-19 that articles were prepared and layout work was being done for the very first issue of THE CIRCLE | VANCOUVER MAGAZINE. Launched in June with delivery of the Print Edition held up until July due to the pandemic, we were greeted with an audience ready for something beautiful, a window into a world not only exclusive, but now physically inaccessible due to lockdowns and government restrictions. One year later, we are pleased to be Canada’s premier showcase for high horology, the finest limited edition writing instruments and the connoisseurial lifestyle. Perhaps our first Guest Contributor and dear friend, Nino Marino (the former President and co-founder of Delta, and current President of the Maiora Pen Company and Nettuno 1911) said it best when he wrote:

“THE CIRCLE | VANCOUVER MAGAZINE is a fascinating conceptualization of beauty that gives life to objects and ‘things ’ capable of telling extraordinary stories. It is inspired by the concept of BEAUTY, the pleasure of discovering wonders and exciting stories, even just to give a dream, or a pleasant distraction.”

This gracious observation encapsulates our core principles and approach in, perhaps, the most noble mission statement we could embrace. Celebrating one year of success, we raise our Davidoff Aniversario to you, our readers, our partners and our friends: To many more years together!

J D Banck Publisher THE CIRCLE | TORONTO

Celebrating One Year!

Giuseppe Aquila

A CONVERSATION WITH THE CEO OF MONTEGRAPPA

THE CIRCLE asks Montegrappa’s passionate CEO about the company his family has directed for generations, the future of the fountain pen industry and what inspires him.

Unknown to many people, Montegrappa is actually a nib-maker and a penmaker, which distinguishes it from many other pen manufacturers. Can you tell us a little about this aspect of Montegrappa’s heritage and how you are preserving it?

Indeed, the company that we know today as Montegrappa opened its doors in 1912 as Italy’s first nib makers. The onset of the World War I saw it quickly expand into fountain pens, when writing products were deemed essential to the war effort. Our factory has been manufacturing fountain pens continuously ever since.

Our decision to bring nib making back in-house during 2021 reflects an urge to connect with our past, but it also forms part of a larger goal to optimise our sustainability profile. We have been working for several years to localise our supply chain, both through developing our own capability and by collaborating with companies close to Bassano del Grappa.

Agility is another aspect. Since the launch of our Configurator platform in 2018, uniqueness without compromise has become an important pillar of our offering and reputation.

Naturally, at the core of our decision to reintroduce nibs is our conviction that that we can do it better. Nibs are not easy to make: they are the nerve centre of a fountain pen, and require large investments in machinery and materials. Fortunately, the access we have to world-class artisanal expertise in northern Italy enables us to start from a very high level, and hopefully bring something new to the equation.

Sometimes innovation does not come through a change in culture but a refinement of its expression. How do you perceive innovation unfolding in the pen making industry over the next 50 years?

Certainly, technology’s contribution to manufacturing and relationship-building points to increasing levels of collaboration between manufacturers and their customers. We think the trend towards custom and bespoke production is deep-seated because they bring luxury manufacturers back to their original promise, which is to make the customer feel special. We are only at the beginning of this journey, if you imagine that technologies like augmented reality and 3D scanning are still relatively narrowly available.

Ironically, the recent proliferation of digital devices has only heightened the analogue charm of writing instruments. It might be naïve to expect a continuation of this trend without consequences, but would you bet on the keyboard, stylus or mouse being more useful than pens in fifty, twenty or even ten years? Pens are intrinsic to human learning and expression, but the distinctions between analogue and digital devices will surely blur as things continue to evolve.

You have said that you are personally involved in the development of new products. What do you look for in the subjects you consider for your limited and special edition collections?

For us, the sweet spot is usually a blend of timeliness and scope for artistic expression. Our Raffaello collection was released to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Raphael’s death, and allows us to showcase special, in-house skills such as hand-painting and avant-garde design.

Social causes offer a different kind of timeliness, and we have several collaborations in development in a similar vein to Victory of the Whale, which was created with Sea Shepherd – founded of course by a Canadian.

A very important impulse is our desire to show leadership in design and engineering, which brings novel materials and solutions into play. Here I think back to our Q1 Limited Edition from 2015, which was made from titanium and leather and featured a multi-colour ink magazine. Since then, we have always been very open to ideas that suggest a level of magic at work. Current products like Viking and Moon Landing L.E. are a continuation of that spirit.

Products developed with names like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter compare with themed pens like Grappa and Cigar. Both help bring Montegrappa to the attention of those who care deeply about their passion. Within communities like these, our joie de vivre and attention to detail come across very well, and helps us create and reinforce relationships.

You have studied a broad range of subjects in your own education, covering humanities, computer science and business administration. What areas of personal interest do you derive your passion from as you shape and direct Montegrappa?

I’ve always been passionate about the mechanics of how things work. This translates into the way we bring external engineering and design ideas into the realm of writing. Watches are a big area of interest –both from a mechanical and cultural standpoint. In recent years we have worked on increasing our profile within the horological community, particularly with our Configurator platform and the design ethos of the ZERO Custom.

Literature and the arts are another big passion: fortunately, these are inextricable from the Italian identity our products project. I mentioned Raphael earlier, and we are on the cusp of launching a new series to honour the life and work of Dante Alighieri, who died in 1321. Our Icons and Genio Creativo collector series are other domains where creative accomplishment can be elegantly expressed through a writing instrument.

Montegrappa

Montegrappa.com

Pen & Ink

Master of Time, Master of the Moment F. P. JOURNE’S INVENTIVE WRITING COLLECTION

We uncover the little known but extraordinary writing collection of legendary independent Swiss watchmaker, F. P. Journe.

ike many true geniuses, it was a young François-Paul Journe who began drawing new time measuring instruments long before anyone in the world of high horology knew his name. Sought after by the world’s most discerning watch collectors, and revered by his peers as a legend in his own time, François-Paul has built his reputation on the development of unique timepieces, crafted with his trademark aesthetic. Always exploring new concepts, François-Paul turned to the tools of his trade – not as a watchmaker, but as a watch designer – to create a limited edition writing collection with the same technical prowess and finishing as his exclusive timepieces.

Wanting the ease of a capless fountain pen, François-Paul Journe set out to design a retractable nib mechanism with a self-sealing aperture, unique to anything previously created. Now protected by patent number EP 07 405119.4, this mechanism is comprised of a retractable nib, operated from the barrel cap, with a closure of six flaps resembling the petals of a flower. The complete writing collection includes a capless fountain pen and a rollerball, crafted in platinum PT950 or 18-karat gold and titanium, and finished entirely by hand in the finest guilloché. Distinguishing the platinum models within this collection is a blue lacquer coating, with a naturalcoloured lacquer on the 18-karat gold and titanium models to protect their surfaces and to create a smoother finish. The fountain pen is enhanced with a unique 18-karat red gold nib, entirely polished and engraved by hand with the F. P. Journe logo. For those interested in the world of François-Paul Journe, we recommend exploring his timepieces at an authorized dealer near you, with the availability of the writing collection being limited to F. P Journe boutiques worldwide.

F. P. Journe FPJourne.com

From Everywhere Around the World…

DAVID OSCARSON REMEMBERS ELLIS ISLAND

Master of guilloché and hard enamel, David Oscarson creates his 34th collection to honour the millions of people who sought freedom, opportunity and a new way of life in the United State of America.

ort of entry for more than 12 million people who sought the burgeoning American dream between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island is immortalized in David Oscarson’s 34th collection of limited edition writing instruments. Sculpted in low and high relief, finished in stunning vermeil and covered with hand applied hard enamel, these pieces are not only demonstrations of the rarest craftsmanship and skill, but art, in the highest sense. Available as a fountain pen or rollerball, the Ellis Island Limited Edition Collection will be crafted in a limited run of 62 pieces of three colours variations.

Adorned with the flags of those countries with the highest number of immigrants who passed through the island, the barrel also features a detention stamp at its base. The cap is swathed in the American flag, with the statue of Liberty below it, and is engraved with the American Public Health seal on its finial. David OscarsonTM is known among collectors and connoisseurs the world over for its hard enamel work, applied through an arduous method of hand grinding glass, metal oxides and water with a mortar and pestle, and then applying the resulting compound with a quill in multiple layers which are then fired in a kiln at temperatures above 1,000° F. The Ellis Island Collection will be produced in the following color variations: translucent ruby red hard enamel with gold vermeil, translucent white hard enamel with gold vermeil and translucent sapphire blue hard enamel with gold vermeil.

Join our group for collectors of David OscarsonTM pieces, and meet the man behind these extraordinary creations! Use the icon below or find THE CIRCLE | CONNOISSEURS on Facebook.

David Oscarson

DavidOscarson.com