The Pen manufacturer Montblanc marks the first ascent of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Europe, with a limited-edition collection that takes craftsmanship to new heights. The Massif is truly impressive and gave the name to the brand, which now pays homage to the first conquering of the mountain.
Mont Blanc is a Massif by definition; It is an incredible mountain on the border between Italy and France, measuring 4,810 metres. The highest peak in Western Europe has been an attraction for Mountaineers from around the globe for centuries. It was finally conquered when an unlikely pair reached the summit on 8th August 1786. Jacques Balmat was a Hunter and collector of crystal, and Michel-Gabriel Paccard was a Physician.
Montblanc has the same pioneering spirit as the conquerers of the Massif. Established in 1906, the three founders took the highest mountain in Europe to symbolise ultimate perfection, adopting the famous white logo. The company marks the incredible achievement of the two Mountaineers with a collection of sublime pens called High Artistry The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition.
Montblanc High Artistry The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition 86
Edition 86 is limited to 86 pieces and takes its title from 1786 when the Massif was conquered. The pen is solid yellow gold and engraved with an image of the Mer de Glace glacier along the forepart. The date 8 Aout 1786 is engraved on the clip ring, and an alpenstock and axe are miniaturised in the clip. These are tools used by Mountaineers to ascend sheer slopes.
A traditional craft of the area was wood carving, and to recognise this, Montblanc has given Edition 86 a walnut wood cap hewed with images of chamois and Alpine Ibex in their native habitat on the Massif. The cap top features smoky quartz that can be detached to reveal the Montblanc emblem made of mother-of-pearl. The nib is embossed with a 3D relief depicting the edelweiss flower, requiring exceptional skill to produce.
Montblanc High Artistry The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition 10
To trace the route taken to the summit, Montblanc has set brilliant-cut diamonds into a 3d depiction of the Massif along the shaft. Montblanc Limited Edition 10’s cap is formed from granite from the Mont Blanc Massif. The initials JqB 1786 are engraved on the rock, remembering Jacques Balmat.
8 Août 1786 features on the clip ring and climbers’ tools miniaturised in the clip. This edition’s solid yellow gold cone is set with a green aventurine, a mineral native to the Alps, covered by a sapphire glass.
Edition 10 has a cap topped with a detachable rock crystal with the shape of Mont Blanc skillfully worked out of the centre. The barrel is hand-engraved with traditional ornamentation from the Chamonix area and set with brilliant-cut diamonds. The gold nib is engraved with a 3D relief of an edelweiss flower. The space created within the mountain massif contains an unrefined chunk of solid yellow gold to remember Balmat’s search for gold in the mountain.
Montblanc High Artistry The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition 5
Edition 5 brings together gemstones and precious metals with artisan marquetry work in a symphony of subtle tributes to the history of alpinism on Mont Blanc. Seventeen different materials and shades are inlaid in the cap, marking the region’s beauty.
On the barrel, delicate woodworking combines seven kinds of wood in a pattern inspired by the Savoy rosette, a recognised regional decoration. The solid rose-tone gold forepart is engraved with the route taken by Paccard and Balmat set with brilliant-cut diamonds in a string of precious steps to the summit.
Handcrafted from solid rose-tone gold, the nib is decorated with a three-dimensional edelweiss flower and a cognac-coloured sapphire. The fittings are solid rose-tone gold, with intricate rows of brilliant-cut diamonds adorning the rings. Set in the end cone is malachite cabochon under sapphire glass.
Montblanc High Artistry The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition 1
Edition 1 showcases the grand vision of scaling the Massif in the delicate precision of a handcrafted miniature grisaille enamel painting encircling the solid white gold cap.
An enamelled icy mountain top scene is shown in masterful colour and detail, framed by vibrant ribbons of alternating sapphires and diamonds. Bejewelled with diamonds, the lower section of the cap contains diverse settings and mixed cuts that artfully transition in a scaled effect from a crystalline base upwards into a light blue sapphire atmosphere.
A rounded rock crystal opens at the top of the cap to show a skeletonised ‘Mont Blanc massif’ holding the high-value centre stone resting atop an engraved Montblanc emblem.
Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, the Inventor of the cyanometer, which measures the intensity of the sky’s blue colour at varying altitudes, was the man who offered a prize for the conquering of Mont Blanc. His invention is recognised on the pen with a visualisation of the device, made of diamonds and blue lacquered colour fields. It adorns the cap of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition 1.
The solid white gold barrel is set with diamonds in mixed cuts and settings, evoking the reflective awe of the snowy and icy Mont Blanc peak in the sunshine. A hand-engraved depiction of Mont Blanc set with brilliant-cut diamonds decorates the forepart, drawing the eye towards the handcrafted solid white gold nib. The nib has a three-dimensional relief of the edelweiss flower with a diamond in its centre. Other diamonds and sapphires adorn the solid gold fittings and the cone, culminating in an azurite cabochon encased in sapphire glass.
Montblanc High Artistry, The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Editions, will be available from May 2022 at Montblanc boutiques worldwide and online. To find out more about the Limited Edition collection, please visit www.montblanc.com.
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