MAGAZINE . Montegrappa Style • The art of giving fountain pens

The art of giving fountain pens

Practical and sentimental

 

We all have milestones in life that deserve to be crowned with an appropriate gift – something that symbolises and memorialises the moment. A degree, for instance, marks a transition from academic to professional life. For moments like these, fountain pens make exceptional gifts. Their classic status is well deserved: as well as being remarkable, sentimental and affirming, they are tools that can be relied on every day. Prestige pens are always gratefully received.

When it comes to recognising hard-earned, life-altering achievements, fountain pens possess obvious prestige and value – with elegant packaging and presentation to amplify the effect. Fine pens are usually supplied with a soft pouch and housed in a sturdy wooden case. Sealed with the maker’s badge, these accessory items lend ceremonial touches that make an important and memorable contribution to giving pens as a gift.

Pens’ suitability as graduation gifts also comes from their symbolic value. Gifting a pen signals empathy and goodwill for a successful future career. Far from being a token gift, fountain pens sign important documents, and are useful companions in all professional settings. Throughout one’s working life, a graduation pen is a reminder of ambitious beginnings.

However, like jewellery, fountain pens are personal accessories and should be selected carefully. Details, colours and finishes should match the tastes of the intended owner.

 
 
 

PENS AS GIFTS

Ideal occasions

 

Special achievements

Besides graduations, there are many other moments where a fountain pen can be a thoughtful, meaningful gift. Confirmations and communions of friends and relatives are a perfect moment to signal the start of a new life chapter. They can be used straight away, or kept for a future date.

 

Milestone moments

Promotions and retirements are further occasions where pens express more than their material value. A precious fountain pen is a salute to a brilliant career, condensing an entire professional life into an object to treasure, admire and use.

 

Style and status

Pens also solve the eternal dilemma: "What to give to a man?" While many men enjoy calligraphy and writing, the styling credentials of a fine pen should not be underestimated. Fountain pens are enjoying a renaissance as essential gentleman’s accessories. Men working in professions like health, hospitality and education also appreciate the status and intrigue of a fountain pen. Details like personal engraving express proficiency and professional esteem.

 

FOUNTAIN PENS

The best of the best

Classics never go out of fashion. First made in 1884, fountain pens are evergreen objects – admired as much for their eccentricity as their elegance. As the most expressive of personal accessories, a fountain pen can be lavishly styled, yet retain its charm for generations. But finding the best fountain pen to give a person with well-defined tastes can be a complicated matter.

To simplify things, the Italian manufacturer, Montegrappa, offers its customers an online customization tool for creating personalised pen designs. Visitors to Montegrappa Configurator can choose from a selection of shapes and writing modes, then set the colours, materials and details of a writing instrument to perfectly fit its owner’s personal style.

Besides their intrinsic prestige, there are other practical advantages to buying pens as gifts. They are useful, inobtrusive and easily transported. Unlike most modern lifestyle gadgets, they have no date of expiry or obsolescence. While fountain pens are often regarded as precious collector's items, they are recommended for daily use. Pens evolve with their owners’ touch and can take on talismanic qualities: everyone knows the sensation of having a favourite or lucky pen.

 
 

Montegrappa has been making writing instruments by hand for more than a century, but their pens embody the best of modern Italian craftsmanship and styling. Many of the maker’s showpiece models are rare jewels: gifts guaranteed to leave an impression. Precious metals and other exotic materials are used in their construction, with imaginative flourishes and meticulous detailing added by career artisans.

Graduations, religious ceremonies and life milestones are fine occasions to consider giving a fountain pen as a gift. But at their very best, fountain pens are a point of fascination gift for anyone who appreciates style, intellect and mechanical refinement. Like fine watches, their elegance of pens is both external and internal.

 

The Montegrappa name and ‘Made in Italy’ legend certify a long tradition of high-end craftsmanship. The maker’s collections include a wide selection of rollerballs and ballpoints in addition to their famous fountain pens. With many bold and avant-garde silhouettes on offer, a Montegrappa is a gift that will certainly not go unnoticed.

Many of the limited-edition models in the Montegrappa catalogue are inspired by special interests – with spectacular designs that channel connoisseur passions, or references from history, literature and pop culture. Gift-seekers can also bring their own style and story to high-grade pens by using the company’s innovative Configurator platform. If you are searching for gifts for fountain pen lovers, creating a unique design is a sure way to leave an impression.

 
 
 

Regardless of the gifting reason or recipient, fountain pens express sincerity, individuality and prestige. Combined with their ability to provide useful service over many years, they are primed to rise to any occasion.