Montblanc pays homage to Hannibal with diamond-topped artistry

The luxury world may have been mainly about complicated watches and dazzling jewellery in recent years but the launch of Montblanc’s new high artistry limited edition writing instruments last week is a sign that connoisseurs of the art of writing are still alive and well.

Unveiled at an exclusive invitation-only event in Singapore for less than 200 worldwide VIPs and media (of which STYLE was one), Montblanc’s High Artistry Homage to Hannibal Barca Limited Edition is inspired by the tale of a genius Punic military commander from Carthage, named Hannibal Barca (247 – between 183 and 182 BC), who fought his way over the Pyrenees on elephants from Spain and scored three dramatic victories in Italy.

“Hannibal’s lifelong passion for pushing boundaries in his unstoppable quest for glory is also very much what we at Montblanc have always believed in. And I believe it also represents the mindset of our collectors who have always appreciated good storytelling,” says Jens Henning-Koch, executive vice president of marketing at Montblanc.

A post shared by Style_SCMP (@style_scmp) on

The Hannibal collection displays several outstanding techniques from stone cutting and setting, to granulation lacquering and cutting-edge technology such the use of an ultraviolet laser. Each of the editions features a cap top in the shape of an elephant with a clip shaped like the animal’s trunk. In reference to his military exploits, many details evoke the military armour worn by the Punic army, in the form of delicate engravings on the cone ring to ancient drawings to Punic armour design engraved on the nib.

High Artistry Homage to Hannibal Barca Limited Edition 1

This unique piece, priced at a whopping 1.5m euros (over HK$14 million), which features white gold and diamonds offset by a full pave of blue sapphires is undoubtedly the highlight of the collection. The elephant trunk clip is said to be one of the most sophisticated clips ever conceived by Montblanc with all stones set on clip and elephant head of the cap individually cut and set by hand requiring months of meticulous work. Crowning the fountain pen, a magnificent 6.03-carat brilliant-cut DFL diamond is displayed on a stone-holding table set with diamonds.