Graf von Faber-Castell Pen of The Year 2022 Aztecs Fountain pen

Ever since the first edition of the Graf von Faber-Castell’s collector’s series in 2003, the Pen of the Year has gained a special status among connoisseurs of fine writing culture. Each limited edition tells the tales of eras and peoples whose deeds shaped the history of humanity. The Pen of the Year 2022 is inspired by the Aztecs and their culture, look and religious rituals. 

The metal barrel with the diamond-like carbon coating is milled with decorative skulls inspired by the skull racks found in Templo Mayor. Dark obsidian adorns the writing instrument’s grip. A relief in turquoise – the Aztecs’ most precious gemstone – depicts an eagle and the feather-clad god of the dead in the end caps. The grooved cap is reminiscent of the shape of the cactus from the prophecy, which resurrects the spirit of the Aztecs.

The fountain pen has an ink window and a ruthenium-coated, 18-carat gold nib that promises unique writing pleasure.

The exclusive Aztec edition of the Pen of the Year 2022 is limited to 125 rollerball pens and 375 fountain pens.

To ensure this exclusive writing instrument gives you many years of writing pleasure, Graf von Faber-Castell is pleased to offer a complimentary annual service having your Pen of the Year checked, cleaned and maintained through their specialists. You are eligible for this service after registration of your Graf von Faber-Castell Pen of the Year on their website.

In 1428, three city-states formed the Aztec Triple Alliance in what is today known as Mexico. It formed the basis of what was to become the mighty Aztec Empire, which produced impressive works of art, a modern state and a creation myth that still intrigues people to this day. 

The charcoal-grey barrel of the Pen of the Year 2022, which has a diamond-like carbon coating, has a military look to it. The walls found in Templo Mayor, which were made of rows of skulls, are the inspiration behind this design. 

Dark, glassy and smooth – obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass created when lava cools rapidly. The grip of the Pen of the Year 2022 is made of this cool, matt stone. Aztec commoners made swords, spearheads and arrowheads out of this sharp-edged matter. 

As one of their most valuable treasures, the Aztecs adored the rare turquoise gemstone. Two turquoise discs are set into the Pen of the Year 2022, one in the cap top and one in the barrel’s end piece. The blue-green stone was highly prized by the Aztecs, who used it to decorate masks, knives and shields as well as for ritual purposes. 

Mictlāntēcutli (MIC) – the god of the dead – adorns the end piece of the Pen of the Year 2022. Depictions of Mictlāntēcutli (MIC) portray him as a skull wearing a headdress adorned with owl feathers. Aztecs considered skeletons to be symbols of fertility, health and excess. The engraved turquoise set into the end piece represents this god of the dead and the power and look associated with him.

The god Huītzilōpōchtli (HUI) decreed that the Aztecs should seek a new home in the place where an eagle sits on a cactus devouring a snake. After 200 years of exploration, they spotted the prophesied image in the marshy Lake Texcoco. The grooved shape of the cap on the Pen of the Year 2022 represents that prickly pear cactus. The eagle is engraved in the turquoise gemstone in the end of the cap. The place where the Aztec people settled in ca. 1320 after following the prophecy is now one of the largest cities in the world: Mexico City.

In 1761, Kaspar Faber started to produce pencils in Stein, near Nuremberg. When the fourth generation,Baron Lothar von Faber, took over the company in 1839 he turned the pencil into a true quality product and the world's first branded writing instrument. Over the centuries, he and his descendants created remarkable products. The result is the Graf von Faber-Castell Collection, a range of extraordinary writing instruments and accessories. They embody "Luxury in Simplicity" by combining selected materials, functionality and superb aesthetics.