The story goes on as Montblanc has announced a sequel to the Around the World in 80 Days collection. After 2 years, “Around the World in 80 Days” returns as a special edition, featuring a range of writing instruments as well as an assortment of accessories that carry forward the story of the classic adventure novel that has captured the imagination of generations.
This second edition builds upon its predecessor, picking up where it left off – the journey from Bombay to Yokohama. Inspired by the spirit of travel and adventure, capturing details from the fascinating and challenging journey of Phileas Fogg and his loyal valet Passepartout from Bombay to Yokohama, the latest collection features incredible details and an impressive LE 811 edition.
To take its fans on an imaginary journey that retraces the adventure of the novel’s protagonists through India, China and Japan, Montblanc adorned its new collection with specific motifs including Indian paisley, Qing dynasty coins and a Japanese traditional wave pattern.
Symbol of the unpredictability and challenges that Philleas Fogg and his valet Passepartout faced during their journey, the elephant Kiouni is set on the cap of the pens. The cap’s feature the number ’80’ representing the full journey from start to finish while the number ’25’ written on the back of the cap marks the days of the journey from Bombay to Yokohama.
A rather tiny but quite significant detail, the red lacquered diamond card suit on the clip stands for the card game Phileas Fogg played at the Reform Club, which ultimately set the plot of the novel in motion. On the other hand, the cone is engraved with the card suits symbolising Mr. Fogg‘s wager as well as a pattern inspired by Princess Aouda‘s jewellery, the princess he falls in love with.
While the LeGrand, Classique versions are crafted of precious resin in anthracite, the Solitaire LeGrand and the Limited Edition 811 boast a barrel made of wood with burnt color effect (reminiscent of the princess being saved by Philleas Fogg from a fire ritual). The Kiouni elephant is also present on each edition either engraved on resin or on the gold-plated metal cap.
From the 14k gold nib on the Classique edition to the 18k gold nib on the Doué Classique, Solitaire Legrand and the Limited Edition 811, each pen bears a fine engraving of a hot air balloon – homage to the author Jules Verne and his first ever adventure novel Five Weeks in a Balloon; the ‘20/10’ and ‘14/11’ engraved alongside it marks Mr Fogg’s departure from Bombay on 20th of October and from Yokohama on 14th of November.
Apart from the Limited Edition 811 (available only as fountain pen), each edition in the new ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ collection is available as ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen and can be purchased online at montblanc.com or through authorised retailers.
To accompany the writing instruments collection, the German brand also launched a stationery set consisting of an anthracite leather notebook with an intricate expression of the elephant in the jungle on its cover, as well as a special ink color in Anthracite available in cartridges or ink bottle.
