High Artistry Pen Collection 2023

Discovery and adventure have been enduring sources of inspiration for Montblanc, energizing its range of luxury pens while acting as metaphors for the company itself. Its Hamburg-based High Artistry atelier, where many of the brand’s limited edition writing instruments are conceived, regularly premieres novel ways to dazzle fans worldwide, while challenging in-house skills with new techniques and newer ambitions. Thus the remarkable performance begins anew with each successive pen.

The now-annual High Artistry pen collection, considered by many to be the pinnacle of Montblanc’s limited edition writing instruments, blurs the lines between pens, jewelry and art. And the brand-new High Artistry A Journey on the Orient Express Limited Edition, the company’s 11th High Artistry introduction, carries the tradition forward—with requisite surprises and stunning innovation.

High Artistry A Journey on the Orient Express Limited Edition

The Orient Express has been a frequent subject in literature and film, and its upcoming relaunch by the Accor Group has reinvigorated public imagination. Synonymous with luxury since its inaugural trip from Paris in 1883, the historic long-distance train offered Montblanc an abundant playground to explore, and translating its opulent spirit to a writing instrument was both a welcome challenge and a satisfying opportunity.

No detail was left unexamined during the design phase of the pens and many of them became part of the final vision. The marquetry wall paneling on the train, for example, inspired a unique inlaid wood traveling pen case, and the oval shape of the cars was transmuted (not without challenge, I hear) into the shape of a one-of-a-kind pen. So, too, Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and tales of spies and espionage—part of the train’s long and fascinating lore—are tastefully noted in the pens’ designs.

Two One-of-a-Kind Pens

There are seven variations of the High Artistry A Journey on the Orient Express, two of which are unique pieces. One comes with the aforementioned wood travel case that includes an inkwell and a mechanical timepiece fitted with the Minerva 62.00 movement affixed to its front.

The $1.37 million pen is crafted in Montblanc’s signature gold, 18-karat, and its art deco-style diamond décor again recalls the train’s interior marquetry in an exquisite display of stone setting. The gold forepart of the pen is set with diamonds, rubies and blue sapphires that trace the 1930s route of the train like a glittering treasure map. An intricate snap mechanism smoothly releases the cap at the press of a button, exposing the 18-karat gold handmade nib engraved with a steam engine set with a brilliant-cut diamond. The pen’s crown displays a sapphire, framed by a diamond-studded grid that evokes the Gare de Lyon in Paris, where travelers often boarded the train.

The second unique piece is an homage to Montblanc’s ability to find creative solutions for demanding situations. This “Papillon” pen, as it is called, comprises a colorful articulated butterfly, created by Richemont sister brand and enameling expert Van Cleef & Arpels. The delicate stained-glass-like plique-à-jour figure rests behind a glass door on the 18-karat gold ruby-and-diamond-studded body, its wingspan unfolding when the portal is opened. But there’s a bit more to its raison d’etre: it is a nod to Orient Express passenger and British spy Robert Baden-Powell, whose butterfly drawings encoded secret information.

Diamonds decorate the 18-karat gold clip and also highlight the special cap-release apparatus, while the cap crown acts as a ruby-set hinged door that conceals a small mechanical watch. The oval shape of the $1.69 million pen posed a particular challenge when it came to filling it with ink. An ingenious multipart mechanism was designed in house, activated by turning a small decorative wheel on the pen’s body.

Other models in the collection, with varying numbers of pieces, introduce new configurations, new techniques and new Orient Express-inspired characters. Exotic dancer, spy, and frequent train traveler Mata Hari made it to the lineup in a detailed miniature painting ensconced behind an articulated window on the LE5, priced at $541,000.