Montblanc Meisterstück

A Timeless Icon of Design and Craftsmanship

[New York], December 17, 2011 - Christmas is a time for peace, love and giving. A special time of the year, when we remember what really matters to us and we cherish precious times with family and friends.

In 2009, the Montblanc Meisterstück celebrated its 85th Anniversary. Praised for its superior craftsmanship, the Meisterstück has become the most famous and sought after writing instrument of our time. Its timeless design and handcrafted attributes have granted the Meisterstück global recognition as a modern design icon.

Hand-crafted in the best European tradition and the Montblanc Meisterstück 149 with its 18 K hand-ground gold nib with platinum inlay, three gold-plated rings, gold-plated clip and deep black precious resin barrel make this luxurious writing instrument a legend among fountain pens. The white star at the top of the pen represents the snow-covered summit of Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc. This peak reflects the high standards of quality and craftsmanship for which Montblanc has become famous. This is reinforced through the engraving of the number "4810" on the instrument itself, the unmistakable height of the Mont Blanc.

The Meisterstück is cherished like a lifelong companion, kept safely in its owner's pocket or bag. It is a treasured family heirloom travelling through time as it is handed down from generation to generation.

Montblanc Soulmakers - Introducing the Guardians of Perfection Who Bring the Meisterstück to Life

Each piece, an individual work of art, created with passion and precision by a team dedicated to the preservation of a long and rich tradition. The Meisterstück is more than a shape or a functional design, it is the bearer of unique values, which have been preserved for many decades, and will continue to be maintained for decades to come by a carefully chosen team of craftsmen.

In our fast-moving world, Montblanc's approach stands out with its ongoing commitment to the preservation of traditional craftsmanship. In a process comprising of over a hundred individual steps, Montblanc's craftsmen draw on skills and knowledge built over five generations to maintain the highest quality in production. The ultimate goal is to create a masterpiece that is to be kept, guarded and preserved so that it can be handed down from generation to generation.

"New Since 1924"

The craftsmen at Montblanc are often described as "Soulmakers". Indeed, they imbue each individual Meisterstück, not only with functional excellence, but with a soul. Patience, dedication and passion are vital skills for anyone who works so relentlessly to bring the pens to life. Still today in 2009, most of the production steps of the Montblanc fountain pen are completed by hand, as they were in 1924.

One such person is Ayla Wendt, who has dedicated herself to the solitary ritual of testing every single nib produced in Montblanc's ateliers. Her patience, commitment and above all her crucial work have earned her the title "High Priestess of the Ritual". But what is this secret ritual?

She runs the nib across the page, watching the movement of the nib in motion and listening to the sound it makes. At the slightest imperfection, no doubt unnoticeable to the untrained ear or to the inattentive eye, the nib is instantly returned to where it came from. Ayla Wendt is what the piano tuner is to the concert pianist, an essential element in the pursuit of artistic perfection.

This is but one of 50 tests completed on each writing instrument to ensure the product is flawless and the Meisterstück 's reputation of quality is never put into doubt. Things cannot be rushed, it takes time to make timeless beauty.

"May I help you Mr. Adenauer?" - The day the Meisterstück became known as the "The Power Pen"

From international summits to boardrooms around the world, the ritual of signing an agreement of the highest importance can only be completed using a Meisterstück. The act of pulling out the writing instrument from a pocket, unscrewing the cap, fitting it on the barrel before making that statement signature has in itself become a universally recognized ritual.

Being the writing instrument of choice for many presidents, heads of state and business leaders, it is no surprise that it has been referred to as the ultimate "power pen". All of them have made their mark on modern history using the classic Montblanc Meisterstück.

Recent sightings of the Meisterstück in the hands of various acting presidents are proof that the iconic pen will continue to be the tool of choice in moments that define history.

In the age of digital technology and instant communication, the Montblanc Meisterstück has lost none of its importance. On the contrary, in this fast paced world, the values which the writing instrument embodies, are in fact more important than ever - reliability, craftsmanship and tradition. The written word has become even more precious to us as is the pen we use to lay it down.

The design and the quality of the product have made it stand the test of time, and confirm that 85 years after its creation, there is little room for improvement - the aesthetical shape of the black barrel, the refinement of the gold rings, the perfectly formed nib. The Meisterstück was launched in 1924 as a perfect design, and retains this reputation to this day.

The only development, reflecting changing times is the wide range of precious pieces available in addition to the traditional fountain pen: ball point pens, mechanical pencils, document markers and the practical fountain pens with cartridges for travelling, and not to forget the solitaire versions of precious metal.

Many people have been given a Meisterstück as a precious gift to signify important milestones in their lives. Whether for an important birthday, a graduation or a confirmation, the Montblanc Meisterstück is the ultimate gift, which confers on the recipient maturity, style and a tool on uncompromising craftmenship. The writing instrument re-awakens memories and all the emotions of heartfelt words penned on paper.

Why the Meisterstück Has Become the Most Recognizable Design Icon of Modern Times

The Montblanc Meisterstück 149 embodies the pioneering spirit of the 1920s when some of the greatest inventions were born, whether the combustion engine automobile, the robot or the early versions of the television. This was a time when anything and everything seemed possible, a time for ingenious ideas all boundaries there to be broken.

It was in this spirit that three individual pioneers Claus-Johannes Voss, engineer August Eberstein and salesman Alfred Nehemias came together to share their ideas as early as 1906. But nobody imagined that it would mark the birth of the Montblanc brand and the birth of the most pioneering writing instrument. Every element of the Meisterstück was carefully planned out and tested. It was with excellence in mind that they chose the snowcapped summit of the imposing Mont Blanc mountain as the brand's identity - a six-pointed star with rounded edges, signifying the highest mountain in Europe with its six glacial tongues and, for many decades, European craftmanship of the highest possible standard.

Later on in Montblanc's history nothing was left to chance with the choice of the number 149 - number "1" designates a writing instrument in the Montblanc Meisterstück Collection; the "4" stands for a fountain pen with a piston mechanism, the most reliable system ever developed for a fountain pen, the "9" denotes the nib size exclusive to the classic writing instrument.

There are not many objects in modern history that remain unchanged and can command such instant recognition. The Montblanc Meisterstück has become a timeless design icon, an object of desire and unmistakable statement of style.

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