Every Montblanc Limited Edition tells its own individual story. The inspiration for these writing instruments emanates from the cultural history of mankind: its historical milestones, landmark architecture and most eminent characters are the creative source for fascinating editions of extraordinary and strictly limited writing instruments. Created from the most select materials and shaped by highly skilled master craftsmen with the utmost care and meticulous dedication, these unique writing instruments make their proud owners themselves a part of this history – a history of unconditional devotion to culture and passionate craftmanship.
Leonardo da Vinci/Universal Genius
His curiosity was insatiable, his thirst for knowledge unquenchable. Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most famous polymaths of all time.
The untiring artist and scientist of the Renaissance (1452-1519) left behind such famous paintings as the “Mona Lisa” and the “Last Supper”, as well as over 10,000 manuscripts with sketches and scientific drawings arising from his other great passion: the meticulous study and exploration of the world.
The Dream of Flight
Leonardo spent almost 30 years investigating the question of how a living creature can propel itself through the air under its own power, analysing the aerodynamics of bird and bat wings in his quest. His drawings and his study of bird flight were the basis for the development of his spectacular flying machine – and they are now the inspiration for the Limited Edition Leonardo 3000. The engraving on the forepart of the writing instrument shows the study of a wing from this collection.
The finely engraved depiction of a bat adorning the handcrafted 750 gold nib is based on a drawing from Leonardo’s study of bird flight.
Leonardo brought to his pursuit of engineering the same intensity that he brought to his bird flight analysis. He developed countless new ways of using gears for power transmission – many of which are still used today. Alluding to the large number of sketches Leonardo created in pursuit of his inventions powered by gear drives, the clip of the Limited Edition Leonardo 3000 is adorned with a small, red gold-plated gear that has a rotating mechanism.
Most of Leonardo’s technical inventions were intended to be mechanically driven. This meant that he constantly faced the challenge of creating secure connections between the different components of his machines. For gear drives in particular, where the individual parts must be especially well anchored, he used innovative wedge-shaped fittings. The detail-rich fittings of the Limited Edition Leonardo 3000 are inspired by these wedge connections. The cone, too, resembles a gear with narrow, almost lamellar teeth, honouring Leonardo’s impressive gear-driven inventions.
Leonardo wrote with both right and left hand and often changed directions, most commonly writing from right to left in “mirror” script once seen as a kind of secret language possibly used to protect his inventions.
Leonardo also dealt with mirrored perception in the realm of science. One of the most advanced examples in his concept for using concave mirrors as sun reflectors for warming water. In tribute to his invention, a mirror is placed inside the cap top of the Limited Edition Leonardo 3000. When one looks through the openings of the cap, this mirror reflects the hidden Montblanc emblem.
Dedicated to the genius of Renaissance, the Limited Edition Leonardo 3000, limited to 3000 fountain pens and rollerballs each, is crafted from a silver-coloured, anodised cap and barrel with highly polished platinum-plated fittings (anodized aluminium – a reference to the material now used to build todayʼs flying machines or aeroplanes). Every design detail corresponds directly to Leonardo’s original sketches. in this way, the rotating gear on the clip reflects his numerous inventions driven by gears.
The sketch of a bat with spread wings is Leonardo’s study of bird flight, which investigates the different flight characteristics of bat and bird wings.
Launch 2013
Fountain Pen
Rollerball
Rollerball Video
