Montegrappa Age of Discovery Limited Edition Fountain Pen

With the Montegrappa Age of Discovery, Montegrappa recalls one of history’s greatest explorers: Ferdinand Magellan, and the analogue technology that was used to transform the world.

Ambition, courage and riches were plentiful in the age of the great explorer. But the deeds that etched their names in history were made possible by the tools of their time. The invention of instruments like the telescope, compass and sextant would ultimately change the world.

Montegrappa celebrates the science of exploration in both form and function with a fusion of period materials, traditional handcraft and modern-day innovation. Equipped with a working onboard compass and a telescopic filling action, Age of Discovery is a classic with a twist. The thrill of discovery is close at hand!

Concealed within the cap is a miniature working compass. Created exclusively for Age of Discovery in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano, it marks the first time a wayfinding tool has been incorporated within a Montegrappa writing instrument.

Seamlessly integrated into Age of Discovery’s segmented barrel casing is Power-Push: Montegrappa’s revolutionary, one-touch filling mechanism. Its unique telescopic action allows fountain pen users to refill in one smooth motion. Simply depress, dip, then release!

The Age of Discovery is inspired by the legacy of explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521). He lost his life in pursuit of greatness, but not before making the crucial navigational calculations that would lead to the first circumnavigation of the globe, and thus the way we view the world. An example of a sextant, needed to make these calculations serves as the clip of the pen.

A map plotting the 1519-1522 Magellan Expedition encircles the Age of Discovery’s telescopic barrel, while the silhouette of the Victoria – the lone ship to complete the voyage – appears within a miniature eyepiece. Both are omens for those who navigate uncharted waters, and remind us to follow our own course. The antiqued brass develops a rich lustre with sustained use, providing a record of one’s own adventures.

The pen is made of antiqued brass and mahogany, and comes equipped with a custom 18k gold nib.

The limited editions of 250 fountain pens and 250 rollerballs mark the 500 years since his historic achievement.

Italy's first pen producer, Montegrappa, began manufacturing pens in 1912 in its factory in Bassano del Grappa in Italy. Utilizing natural celluloid and precious metals,Montegrappa combines traditional methods such as die-casting with more recent innovations as low-relief engraving to form their precious art objects. Whether Montegrappa use colors reminiscent of the master painters or ornamentation suggestive of Baroque palaces, the Italian heritage and romance is infused into each product.