In honouring the first ascent of the Mont Blanc summit, Europe’s highest peak, and the pioneering spirit of the Maison, Montblanc has unveiled a limited edition-collection of stunning writing instruments. Taking craftsmanship to greater heights, the High Artistry The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition features five detailed and grand designs, each with its unique appeal and shine.
Montblanc is a Massif of definition; it is an incredible mountain on the border between Italy and France, measuring 4,810 metres. It has been an attraction for Mountaineers from around the globe for centuries and as Western Europe’s tallest peak, the Mont Blanc posed an indomitable challenge to climbers. In 1786, two mountaineers overcame fears of the unknown to conquer the “White Giant”.
That same pioneering spirit would later influence the three visionaries who founded the Maison Montblanc.
In the 18th century, a new era of discovery began in Europe, leading alpine expeditions to be undertaken in the pursuit of scientific observation. Because of the Mont Blanc chain’s mighty glaciers, Chamonix became an area of interest to those with a thirst for knowledge.
Jacques Balmat born in Savoy, was the First to Climb Mont Blanc. He was a mountaineer and mountain guide, as well as a chamois hunter and a collector of crystals, the ambitious young man who set his sights on conquering Mont Blanc – a feat that no one had ever achieved before.
On 8 August 1786, Balmat set off on his expedition, accompanied by fellow alpinist Michel-Gabriel Paccard. They were equipped with riveted shoes, axes, alpenstocks and measuring instruments – including a newly-invented cyanometer, designed to measure the blue of the sky. Following a perilous climb across uncharted territory, the pioneers became the first to reach the 4,810 metre summit of the Mont Blanc – the highest peak of the Alps.
A shining example of how determination can make the seemingly unsurmountable achievable, Balmat’s accomplishment marked the birth of modern alpinism. Over a century later, inspired by the enduring pinnacle of achievement that the mountain represents, three visionaries established the Maison Montblanc.
Channelling this inspirational story, in all 5 writing instruments, the maîtres d’art of the Montblanc Artisan Atelier showcased a wide variety of time-honoured skills such as diamond cutting, wood carving, marquetry, enamelling and painting miniature portraits by hand. Each edition is an artisanal work of art.
For centuries, the glaciers nestled in dark mountain valleys were feared as “devil objects” and “realms of evil spirits” – or even home to dragons. In tribute to the Mont Blanc legend, this Au750 solid gold fountain pen features an intricate engraving of a monster glacier.
The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc Limited Edition 333 is based on the Meisterstück 149 shape. The rhodium-coated Au750 solid gold skeleton overlay adorning the cap and barrel of the edition is tracing the shape of the Mer de Glace glacier near Chamonix. Based on the legend that this glacier resembles a giant monster hugging the northern slope of the Mont Blanc, the overlay’s engraving depicts a monster. Visible beneath the overlay, which has been specially treated to create a frosted surface, the translucent glacial blue lacquer recalls the icy blue colour shades of a glacier.
The rhodium-coated gold cap top is crowned by the Montblanc emblem crafted out of granite originating from the mountain range where the Mont Blanc is located – the Alps. This symbol of both the Maison Montblanc and the summit of the highest mountain in Western Europe is embedded in polished black onyx. In memory of the triumphant first ascent to the summit of Western Europe’s highest mountain by Balmat and Paccard, the rhodium-coated gold cap ring is engraved with the date “8 Août 1786”.
The handcrafted rhodium-coated Au750 solid gold nib is adorned with an edelweiss flower. Symbolising the cultural history of the area, the cone of the edition is engraved with a traditional pattern from the Chamonix valley.
A sophisticated fountain pen crafted in Au750 solid yellow gold. The elaborate engraving on the wooden cap depicts flora and fauna found around the Mont Blanc, whilst a leather barrel is embossed with a paragraph taken from Jacques Balmat’s diary, written during his climb.
The walnut wood cap of the Limited Edition 86 is artfully carved with images of alpine ibex and chamois in their native habitat on the slopes of the Mont Blanc. The barrel is made of vegetable tanned leather embossed with an excerpt from Balmat’s handwritten account of that historic day, in 1786.
Mountaineering shoe rivets provide the inspiration for the decorations on the solid yellow gold fittings. The forepart in 18K yellow gold is engraved with a depiction of the Mer de Glace glacier near Chamonix. Based on the legend that this glacier resembles a giant monster hugging the northern slope of the Mont Blanc, the engraving is envisioned as a monster from the ancient stories.
In memory of the triumphant first ascent to the summit of Western Europe’s highest mountain, the yellow gold clip ring is engraved with the date “8 Août 1786”. The alpinist’s essential tools, alpenstock and axe, are miniaturised in the clip.
The cone is adorned with a granite cabochon while the cap top features a smoky quartz that can be detached to reveal the Montblanc emblem made of mother-of-pearl embedded in black onyx underneath. The handcrafted Au750 solid yellow gold nib is decorated with a 3D relief depicting the edelweiss flower.
In reference to the year of the first ascent of the Mont Blanc, this edition is limited to only 86 pieces.
The design creates a look of regal sophistication with delicate engraving, diamond detailing and a hand-painted miniature portrait of alpinist Jacques Balmat.
Crafted from authentic Mont Blanc granite and a solid Au750 white gold overlay, the cap of the Limited Edition 10, is crafted from granite obtained from Mont Blanc itself, refined with a lacquered engraving of “JqB 1786” – the initials of Jacques Balmat and the year of the first ascent of Mont Blanc. Encircling this natural rock surface is an Au750 solid white gold overlay with a 3D depiction of the Mont Blanc massif. Brilliant-cut diamonds set into the rock surface trace the historical route to the summit, and the date of that event, “8 Août 1786”, is engraved on the yellow gold clip ring.
The cap is adorned with a handcrafted miniature painting of Balmat. It is framed by a hand-engraved mountain scene in solid white gold, coated in yellow gold. The important tools used by alpinists to explore the mountain landscapes, alpenstock and axe, are miniaturised in the clip.
In homage to the crystalline beauty of the Alps, the cap top is crowned by a detachable rounded rock crystal with the shape of the Mont Blanc massif sculpted in the centre. The space created within the mountain massif is occupied by an unrefined chunk of solid yellow gold, in tribute to Balmat’s passion for hunting gold.
The solid yellow gold cone of this edition is set with a green aventurine – a mineral native to the Alps, covered by a sapphire glass. The white gold forepart is engraved with a depiction of the Mer de Glace glacier near Chamonix. Here, also, the glacier resembling a giant monster hugging the northern slope of Mont Blanc, is envisioned as a monster from the ancient stories.
Underneath this icy creature, the Au750 solid yellow gold barrel is hand engraved with traditional ornamentation from the Chamonix area and set with brilliant-cut diamonds. The handcrafted Au750 solid yellow gold nib is engraved with a 3D relief depicting the edelweiss flower.
Inspired by the first ascension of the Mont Blanc, this elegant fountain pen is detailed with a vision of the famous landmark. The historic route is brought to life with marquetry created from 17 different shades and materials, whilst Au750 solid rose gold adds a touch of luxury.
The majesty of the mountain winds around the cap in a handcrafted inlay work that echoes the natural beauty of the landscape using a color palette of seventeen different shades and materials. The materials used to create artistic depth range from delicate parchment to shimmering mother of pearl, from leathers to a selection of fine woods.
The fine woodwork on the barrel combines 7 different types of wood in a motif inspired by the Savoy rosette, a traditional decoration of the region, set with cognac-colored tourmaline. The clip again is designed to resemble the two essential tools: the alpenstock and ax.
Inspired by the geological wonders of the Alps, the top of the cap is crowned with a smoky quartz that opens to reveal the treasure within: a skeletonised “Mont Blanc massif” set with a 2-carat diamond over an engraving of the Montblanc emblem. On the ring of the clip is engraved “8 Août 1786”: the date of the first ascent to the top of Mont Blanc.
The front of this writing jewellery in Au750 solid rose gold bears an engraving of the route taken by Balmat and Paccard with brilliant-cut diamonds creating a row of precious steps to the top. The fittings are also crafted in solid rose gold, with thin rows of brilliant-cut diamonds adorning the rings.
At the end of the cone a splendid malachite cabochon is set under sapphire glass. The nib, the heart of this High Artistry Edition, is handcrafted in Au750 solid rose gold decorated with a three-dimensional edelweiss and a cognac-colored sapphire.
This unique fountain pen features a rounded Topaz top that opens to reveal a skeletonised ‘Mont Blanc massif’ and a 6.05-carat blue sapphire. A hand-crafted enameled motif of the Mont Blanc peak adds decoration as well as a non-functional cyanometer. A degrade of diamonds and light blue sapphires evokes the reflective awe of the icy Mont Blanc peak in sunshine.
The fountain pen expresses the great vision of conquering the Mont Blanc massif in the delicate precision of a handcrafted miniature grisaille enamel painting, encircling the Au750 solid white gold, rhodium-coated cap. The exquisitely enamelled icy mountaintop scene, displayed in masterful colour and detail, is framed by vibrant ribbons of alternating sapphires and diamonds. The lower part of the cap is densely bejewelled with diamonds in mixed settings and mixed cuts that artfully transition in a graduated effect from a crystalline base upwards into a light blue sapphire atmosphere. At the top of the cap, a rounded rock crystal opens to reveal a skeletonised “Mont Blanc massif” holding the high value centre stone resting atop an engraved Montblanc emblem.
In tribute to the historical first ascent of Mont Blanc, in this exclusive version also, the clip resembles the dual forms of an alpenstock and an axe, used by the first climbers to reach the summit of Mont Blanc, and the clip ring is engraved with “8 Août 1786”.
The Swiss naturalist who offered a prize for the first successful expedition to the summit, Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, invented the cyanometer to measure the intensity of the sky’s blue colour at varying altitudes. A special visualisation of this device made of diamonds and blue lacquered colour fields adorns the cap.
The Au750 solid white gold rhodium-coated barrel is artistically set with diamonds in mixed cuts and mixed settings to evoke the reflective awe of the snowy and icy Mont Blanc peak in the sunshine. Further diamonds, as well as sapphires, adorn the solid gold, rhodium-coated fittings and the cone, which culminates in an azurite cabochon encased in sapphire glass.
A hand-engraved depiction of the Mont Blanc mountain set with brilliant cut diamonds decorates the forepart, drawing the eye towards the handcrafted Au750 solid white gold nib, bearing a three-dimensional relief of an edelweiss flower and a diamond in its centre.
Fountain Pen 333
Fountain Pen 86
Fountain Pen 10
Fountain Pen 5
Fountain Pen 1