It’s not every day you get three of the biggest names in their fields sitting down together to talk about the same values, sharing their vision, wisdom, and passion. But that’s exactly what happened on June 25 in Zug, Switzerland, where I attended a special press conference hosted by Writing Culture, alongside Swiss journalists from various magazines.
On stage were watchmaking legend Jean-Claude Biver, automotive entrepreneur Ronnie Kessel, and Samuel Naldi, founder of Writing Culture and one of the leading voices in the fine writing industry today. Three remarkable minds, united by the same belief in beauty, craftsmanship, and excellence, gave us an evening to remember.
The press conference opened with Manuel Venzi introducing Writing Culture’s new name, the latest chapter for the company formerly known as Style of Zug.
The shift from Style of Zug to Writing Culture, he added, came naturally. “We finally wanted a name that clearly tells the world what we do. We are promoting the culture of writing.”
“We strongly believe that handwriting is no longer a commodity,” said Manuel Venzi. “In today’s digital world, nobody needs to write by hand anymore. People who still do it, do it by choice. And when something becomes a choice rather than an obligation, the tools you use suddenly start to matter – the pen, the ink, the paper. We believe the world deserves to know just how beautiful and powerful handwriting can be, and how much craftsmanship and detail go into these writing instruments. We gave that belief a name: Writing Culture.”
Before the panel discussion began, two additional projects were announced (beyond the Writing Culture rebrand itself): a new facility called Mechanics of Writing, and the launch of the John Holland brand. (more on both of these in a separate article.)
The fact that Jean-Claude Biver was part of this conversation might seem surprising to some readers; however, his fondness for writing instruments is nothing new, at least for those who have gotten to know him closely. Samuel shared a story about noticing Biver at Watches and Wonders, signing copies of his book with a Namiki pen in Maki-e. Funnily enough, Biver happened to be carrying that same pen with him – what I assume to be one of his beloved Namikis – and pulled it out to show the whole room.
But Biver’s love of writing goes beyond his Namiki. He mentioned that every year over the holidays, he hand-writes a few thousand cards, starting as early as June.
Picture this: a room packed with journalists from some of the biggest publications out there, and every single one of them completely absorbed in what Biver was saying. Looking around, everyone was taking notes. Then again, how could they not? These words will become a valuable reference, not just for us, but for future generations. Give it twenty or thirty years, and they’ll carry even more weight.
Another topic that came up was Covid’s impact on the industry. Samuel Naldi explained that lockdown made people appreciate the time spent at home, and how that shift gave people more reasons to slow down.
“Finally, people wanted nice desks, accessory sets, notebooks, and pens to go with them,” noted Samuel. He believes this was a pivotal moment for the act of writing, sparking even more desire and interest in the practice.
Ronnie Kessel had an interesting take on the subject as well. He noticed Covid also changed something in people, particularly in Switzerland. “For most of them, not being able to travel abroad, they started to enjoy and appreciate the Swiss territory more. And one of the best ways to enjoy a country is by driving through it. All of a sudden, I saw people investing in nice cars, which added to their experience and their own pleasure, and this doesn’t only apply to the automotive industry,” said Ronnie Kessel.
Right before the event drew to a close, Samuel officially announced Writing Culture’s expansion plans, a moment I believe everyone in the room was eagerly anticipating.
Expanding Writing Culture to other cities, he explained, was actually one of the reasons behind the name change in the first place. In his view, for people to appreciate and consider pens again, they first need to actually see them, on the street, for example. Stores displaying beautiful pens have become a rare sight, he noted, and as a result, what you don’t see, you cannot desire.
“We truly believe in the physicality of opening retail stores in major cities around the world. Over the next twelve months, we’re working to open in New York and Milan, and right after that, Dubai and London, because, believe it or not, these cities don’t currently have a multi-brand boutique for fine pens.”
While everyone rushed to the stage for pictures with the legends, I was still reflecting on Biver’s memorable speech and already imagining how iconic a new Writing Culture boutique in New York might look. The only question is: Madison Avenue or SoHo?
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