S.T. Dupont takes exclusivity to new heights with its Montgolfière hot air balloon lighter. The French luxury manufacturer is known for its bespoke accessories, often entailing the exceptional work of artisans in lacquer, fine-engraving and leatherwork.
For its, perhaps most magnificent piece in savoir faire, S.T. Dupont has collaborated with 2 Saints to produce a lighter inspired by the first hot air balloon demonstration of 1783, invented by Montgolfier brothers.
For months the French brothers, Joseph-Michel Montgolfiere and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfiere had been developing their flying object. They made the first public demonstration of this discovery on June 4, 1783 and let it fly unmanned at their home in Annonay. The Montgolfier was a bag made of canvas, covered with wallpaper from a factory owned by their family.
The Montgolfiers repeated the experiment in Versaille, in front of King Louis XIV on September 19, 1783 sending a sheep, a rooster and a duck aloft as passengers. And the in the same year on 21 November took place the first manned flight, completely free for the first time near Paris.
From that point on, people saw the heavens with different eyes. It was something new, seeing the earth from above. To this day, balloon aviation has not lost any of its fascination. And the balloons are still colorful – just as they were the day Montgolfière took flight near Paris.
The Ultra Exclusive Montgolfière Limited Edition
The replica of the Montgolfière hot air balloon may just look like an intricate display piece, but the item also features a distinct luxe cigar lighter.
But the Montgolfière lighter is not simply a luxury cigar lighter. Rather, this work of art is based on a magnificent moment in French history, set in the royal epicentre of grandiosity: Chateau de Versailles.
The balloon with marvellous historical exactness includes 20 individual castings and is decorated with a variety of designs, including the zodiac signs, which are carved out of 24K gold on a blue porcelain background. The rest of the ornaments and decorations including the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of French royalty, are cast in bronze and covered with 18K gold before being separately applied to the whole.
This exclusive piece is fitted with an electronic switch or a remote control. At the push of a button, the balloon rises, unveiling a 24K gold Ligne 2 Lighter featuring 110 inset pavé diamonds, worth 3.85 carats. The lighter required artisanal fine engraving techniques using diamond-tipped tools and micro mechanics.
Each detail is added separately. It took 3000 hours of work to create the first Montgolfière from S.T. Dupont.
Launch 2018
Limited to 8 pieces worldwide
