Now that we spend our time scanning emails or glued to our PDAs it can feel like days pass without putting pen to paper. Internet banking means fewer cheques to sign and there's always the free biro in the hotel room for scribbling a quick "to do" list. So who needs a fountain pen, with its archaic ink cartridges and annoying habit of leaking on planes?
Well, plenty of us, it seems. Overall sales of writing instruments may have dipped, but the demand at the luxury end is growing every year, and there are more brands of luxury pen than ever before. In spite of the electronic age, the humble pen is thriving.
Fountain pens are no longer the indispensable writing tool they once were, but a judiciously chosen one can still press home a powerful statement. When world leaders signed pledges on poverty at Scotland's G8 summit in July 2005, they used bespoke fountain pens hand-carved from ecologically certified Rhododendron wood. Clearly there are some occasions when pulling out a freebie from a trade fair just isn't appropriate.
More than this though, a good pen is becoming a must-have accessory. Colin McClymont, managing director of specialist UK retailer The Pen Shop, says: "The humble writing instrument has become the new watch – it's the new accessory on the block. It's okay now to have five or six pens depending on what you're doing and where you're going."
Shelley Sofier, PR consultant for the Parker and Waterman brands, says people buy a luxury pen for several reasons. "One reason is as a stylish accessory. People see the pen as an extension of their personality and self-image. It can also be an occasion purchase, to go with a new handbag or a new job." And in these impersonal days of electronic communication it also provides a human touch. "People feel if they sign a letter with a fountain pen it makes it look more personal," says Sofier.
It helps that pen manufacturers have moved with the times, producing more exciting pens using semi-precious metals and jewels and coming up with snazzier designs including slim line and handbag-sized models for women. And as the choice of colours and styles has grown, so has the number of brands. "Compared with 10 or 15 years ago when the brands were Schaefer, Parker, Waterman and Cross, there are now about 25 different brands," says McClymont. As well as highly traditional European options such as Graf von Faber-Castell, Pelikan and Montegrappa there are those from luxury fashion houses such as Cartier and Paul Smith and even the revival of forgotten names, such as the quintessentially English brand Conway Stewart.
Before you decide the brand that you like the look of, there are some practicalities to consider. Fountain pens come in at least six different nib sizes and then there's pen weight, shape and size before you even think about colour and finish. Those who are not yet pen-savvy should visit a specialist pen shop (The Pen Shop has branches at Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted; penshop.co.uk) where a well-versed member of staff will watch you write and recommend a pen that suits your hand size, writing style and preferences.
The ultimate status symbol is the limited edition pen, which is so precious it is no longer described as a pen, but a "piece". When Montblanc released its UK-only limited edition in November it produced 53 pieces, at just under £10,000 each. Each limited edition has a theme to mark its exclusivity – in this case Winston Churchill. UK marketing manager Jennifer Wright says: "We always try to find a story. We wanted to choose someone who is close to British people's hearts so we chose one of the greatest Britons."
Many of those who snap up limited editions are avid collectors who request the same numbered piece from every edition. Before the lacquer was even dry on the Churchill, the first 15 had been allocated. Some clued-up customers treat the pens as an investment, selling them later as vintage special editions (Wright admits a few of every collection find their way, inevitably, onto Ebay). Some display the pen without even unwrapping it.
There can be no more eye-catching limited edition than the Modernista, by Swiss maker Caran d'Ache, which, at 385,000CHF (£168,500), is the most expensive pen in the world. It may be modern but it is by no means modest, weighed down by 5,072 diamonds, 96 rubies and armoured with 18-carat gold plating.
Then there's the sublime Sakura-Rose, a collaboration between Dunhill and Japanese pen manufacturer Namiki. Launched in November, it's decorated with hand-painted cherry blossoms on the cap, golden roses on the body and an 18-carat engraved nib. Each pen is made over six months by a Japanese artisan. It is so utterly exclusive, that the Sakura-Rose was a collection of one, and it was sold long before it was finished – at a cost of £50,000.
For most of us mere mortals, the big question is how to prevent your super-stylish fountain pen from leaking all over your shirt during a flight – creating a less than stylish effect. Most of the luxury pen makers claim their pens are leak-proof, but Colin McClymont has a simple tip: just don't fill it up, to make sure there's enough room for the ink to expand in a pressurised cabin.
The real problem though, might be how to turn back once you've sampled a truly great fountain pen. McClymont warns: "Once you have written with and owned a nice pen you'll never want to go back to a cheap one."
Below are a few examples of the pens currently on offer, as well as some new releases (this is not an exhaustive list of brands).
What to buy
The regular collections may not have the "x-factor" of the limited editions but there are still some stunning products for both men and women. In July 2005, Caran d'Ache (carandache.ch) introduced the eyecatching ballpen Eclat (£120), part of its popular long-running Ecridor range and angled at the female market. Slim and hexagonal, the pen is silver plated, coated with rhodium and embedded with 35 Swarovski crystals. Also new this year is the Saffron model in its Leman Bicolor range, with its bright saffron-coloured lacquer (£325).
For an entirely different style turn to German pen maker Graf von Faber-Castell (graf-von-faber-castell.com). Its Classic collection includes an elegant fountain pen made from Pernambuco wood and platinum with an 18-carat gold nib (£380). Faber-Castell prides itself on its environmental approach; the wood used for its pens comes from a sustainable plantation in Brazil. Its limited edition Pens of the Year have included stingray leather and precious amber, but the 2006 edition, to be released in spring, will be its trump card, made from preserved mammoth tusk. If you want to make an impression, you can't get much more precious a material for your pen than the ivory of an animal known only from 30,000-year-old cave paintings. And it's a relative bargain at £1,600.
For a seriously masculine choice, Dunhill (C) is bringing out some new additions to its sleek, streamlined Sidecar range, including a gunmetal plated fountain pen which is arriving this spring, for £365.
Mont Blanc (montblanc.com) is perhaps the best-known luxury pen brand. Its longest serving product is the 80-year-old Meisterstuck 149 (£335), a classical, well-proportioned pen that would look nicely at home next to a leather-lined ink blotter in an oak-panelled study. Just launched as part of its feminine Boheme range is the Boheme Lacquer Pearl (£795), which has a body of mother-of-pearl lacquer and an Akoya culture pearl on the gold-plated clip. And, in a special touch for the ladies, the 18-carat gold nib twists out like a lipstick.
Classic Italian pen maker Montegrappa (montegrappa.com) also has some distinctive pens. The Miya Argento range was launched in April 2005, and is the latest of the Miya pens, which fall under its traditional collection. Argento has a smooth rounded barrel of precious celluloid made of cotton cellulose with coloured pigments and mother of pearl. It's available in midnight blue, red, yellow and turquoise with sterling silver detail and a solid silver cap (£340 for the fountain pen and £305 for the rollerball).
Montegrappa has also launched an unusual limited edition, the "Eternal bird", to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Dragon pen, inspired by oriental mythology. Eternal bird consists of 1,912 fountain pens and 500 roller pens with sterling silver (£1,510 and £1,370 respectively), 100 fountain pens in 18-carat yellow gold (£6,500) and 10 fountain pens in 18-carat yellow gold with diamonds (£16,100). There's no mistaking this pen. As an even bolder statement you could, for a mere £7,560, invest in the matching gold ink pot.
Luxury brand Cartier (cartier.com) has been in the pen business since 1868. Its Must collection starts from £95, with prices rising up to the Exceptional Cartier collection that includes the showy Louis de Cartier solid white gold and diamond pavé-set fountain pen valued at £67,500. It also launched the Pasha de Cartier collection in December 2005, which it describes as being "modern, masculine and powerful". Fountain pens in this range cost from £240. Fellow luxury brand Asprey, meanwhile, has the cigar-shaped Havana pen range in two sizes, for men and women. There are fountain pens, rollerballs and ballpoints available in several lacquers plus a striking alligator version in pink, blue, green and purple (costing £850).
At the other end of the market, Waterman has a colourful range with new affordable designs (£34) for each fashion season in its Audace collection. Cross (cross.com) also has fountain pens from £44 and recently launched the Apogee range in its Contemporary collection, with an 18-carat gold nib and spring-loaded clip for £100.
Parker is famous for budget fountain pens, but it has also revitalised its top end. At the forefront is the Presidential Esparto Solid Gold (£6,500), hand-crafted in 18-carat gold with a gold nib highlighted with platinum (visit sanford.com for Parker and Waterman), perfect for giving an impressive flash of gold from your top pocket.
Prices given are retail prices but most of these pens are available at The Pen Shop branches at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports at tax-free prices (minus 17.5 per cent). Pens can be pre-ordered at penshop.co.uk. Cartier pens are available in Cartier boutiques in Heathrow Terminal 3 and 4 and Gassan Diamonds in Heathrow Terminal 1 and 2.
