Montblanc Masterpiece

Since 1906, the founders of Montblanc have strived to produce fountain pens of exquisite quality. Leak-proof in use, even when travelling, and perfect in terms of the balance of the device, the smooth gliding over the paper and the sensual flow of ink.

The Meisterstück series, introduced in 1924, is a culmination of this pursuit of perfection – both technically and aesthetically. The name was and is a program and was deliberately chosen, although the umlaut and the "st" in Meisterstück are rather difficult for foreign tongues to pronounce. But no name could better symbolize what one was holding in one's hand with a masterpiece from Montblanc. The series immediately laid the foundation for Montblanc's rapid international success. By the end of the 1920s, the brand was already represented in 60 countries around the world. There, too, the company understood and it was recognized that the masterpiece was truly a masterfully crafted writing instrument.

In 1952, Montblanc finally created a monument to itself as a company and the Meisterstück product line with the "149er". Deep black, hand-polished precious resin, yellow gold fittings with the characteristic 3-ring design on the cap and its timeless design language made it not only a companion for many people's lives, but also an exhibit in art museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Almost 15 cm long and weighing a good 30 g, with around 1 g being the rhodium-plated nib made of 750 yellow gold, this piston filler is a statement in the hand of its owner. Over time, it was given the nickname Power Pen in memory of the many important contracts that were signed with a Meisterstück 149. The writing instrument, which masterfully fulfilled its purpose, became a status symbol.

To imitate the masterpiece 149 is impossible and at best only superficially, the first  Apparently possible - but overall, no one will be able to come close to its perfection. As with banknotes, a security feature protects it and its Meisterstück siblings from crude counterfeits: the magnifying glass-readable serial number engraved in the clip on the cap, which only Montblanc assigns, knows and archives. This makes it possible to trace back forever when the writing instrument was manufactured and to whom it was first sold. In Montblanc German, this is therefore referred to as the Quo Vadis number.

The production of the masterpiece has changed little over time. The place where it is manufactured has not changed at all: it was and still is Hamburg. Machines are used nowadays, but always in a phase where the "rough work" is involved. As soon as it comes down to precise and flawless work, the production of a masterpiece is and remains craftsmanship. Anyone who has seen how laborious it is to tape springs so that they receive their characteristic design in bicolor (gold and rhodium) in the subsequent electroplating process can already imagine something of the amount of manual work that goes into a masterpiece. Dozens of work steps are necessary just to produce the spring assembly. Grinding a spring or the iridium ball welded onto the spring to one of the 8 possible spring widths can only be done by a few talented employees who have developed this talent to perfection in at least 6 months of training.

Each nib, with emphasis on each, is tested before delivery to ensure that it meets the high requirements of a Montblanc nib. To do this, it is written by hand using colorless ink. Only nibs that write quietly and smoothly and have a perfect ink flow make it to the tip of a Montblanc fountain pen. The same strict requirements are applied to all parts of a Montblanc Meisterstück and therefore Montblanc Meisterstück ballpoint pens, rollerballs, propelling pencils and document markers must also prove in a strict quality control that they live up to the Meisterstück claim.

The range of materials has expanded over time. In addition to black precious resin, precious metal versions were added to the range in 1986. Montblanc Meisterstück Solitaire was the name of the product lines that, instead of caps and bodies made of precious resin, were made of sterling silver, white or yellow gold, malachite, lapis lazuli or Later, modern, technical-looking and no less valuable materials were added, such as stainless steel or carbon. Wood and leather and other naturally occurring materials were also used. Solitaire Doué describes those masterpieces that combine precious resin with the aforementioned materials , specifically a body made of precious resin with a “solitary” cap.

Fittings, initially made exclusively of yellow gold, are now also available in platinum or red gold versions.

Montblanc Meisterstück fountain pens, ballpoint pens, rollerballs and pencils are available in Meisterstück families of different sizes. Only the 149 is available exclusively as a piston filler.

The next largest line after the 149 is called Meisterstück LeGrand, which has since been referred to as Beethoven. The fountain pen from the LeGrand series, the Montblanc Meisterstück 146, is also a piston fountain pen. Just under one centimeter shorter, the LeGrand, which is equipped with a 14K gold nib, is the everyday fountain pen for people with large hands. A rollerball, ballpoint pen and propelling pencil in similar dimensions to the fountain pen complete the LeGrand line.

Montblanc Meisterstück 145 Classique, now also sold under the name Chopin, is probably the most popular and best-selling Meisterstück line. The fountain pen, which is filled with cartridges, is ideal for medium and small hands and of course it also comes with a 14K gold nib. Rollerball pen, ballpoint pen and propelling pencil complete the Classique line. Only slightly shorter in length than the LeGrand, the Classique variants are noticeably narrower and therefore also slightly lighter.

Finally, the Montblanc Meisterstück Hommage à Mozart is the version of the Meisterstück that is not only perfect for a lady's handbag, but also as a writing instrument for a notebook or diary. Here, too, the cartridge fountain pen is crowned by a 14K gold nib and a white Montblanc star at the other end. The Mozart is also available as a ballpoint pen and a propelling pencil.

Finally, Montblanc Meisterstück Le Petit Prince is a collection in the LeGrand and Classique sizes. The instruments made of deep blue or burgundy-colored precious resin and various Doué and Solitaire variants are an ode to the world-famous story of the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and the values ​​embodied therein.

A Meisterstück is the ideal gift because it creates lasting memories. A fountain pen or other writing instrument from the Meisterstück line is something special and always reminds you of the giver and the occasion. If handled properly, they are not short-lived consumer products, but lifelong companions that you will enjoy picking up.

With cases from the Meisterstück leather series, you can store them appropriately and take them with you when you travel. Montblanc refills that are perfectly matched to the Meisterstück, whether it is ink in a barrel for the Montblanc piston filler pens, ink cartridges or refills for rollerballs, ballpoint pens or mechanical pencils in various widths or thicknesses, guarantee pure writing pleasure for the lifetime of the Meisterstück, before the Meisterstück and the emotions attached to it can be passed on to the next generation.

The masterpiece does not age and is: New since 1924.