Montegrappa is back with another chapter in its James Bond series, and, design-wise, this seems to be one of the coolest entries yet. This time, the Italian manufacturer turns to A View to a Kill (1985), drawing inspiration from one of the franchise’s most memorable action sequences set around the Eiffel Tower. Unlike the previous Bond editions, which were rather understated in my opinion, particularly the last three, this one finally looks promising. Let’s dive into it and discover what makes it special!
Instead of playing it safe, Montegrappa took a different approach this time. You probably remember the famous Eiffel Tower scene and the dramatic parachute escape of the villainous May Day. Well, the design team came up with the clever idea of incorporating structural elements of the Eiffel Tower into the edition’s design, resulting in one of the boldest Bond creations to date.
The body of the pen is made of stainless steel and is pierced with a geometric pattern that evokes the lattice structure of the Eiffel Tower. A closer look beneath this skeleton reveals a rifled, gold-plated brass core running through the centre of the pen. According to Montegrappa, this detail references the iconic gun barrel sequence that has introduced Bond films for decades. Even with the skeletonised barrel and brass core running through its centre, Montegrappa’s engineers still managed to incorporate a piston-filling mechanism (Sailor, take notes).
The film’s narrative continues on the cap, which is adorned with a micro-cast, gold-plated motif depicting the dramatic parachute escape, one of A View to a Kill‘s defining moments. Hidden inside the cap is another subtle nod: a laser-engraved silhouette of the secret agent reveals itself only when the cap is removed, rewarding those who take a closer look. The official 007 logo appears on the grip section, right above Montegrappa’s insignia.
The fountain pen is fitted with an 18k custom gold nib, available in EF, F, M, B, and Stub 1.1, and engraved with Bond’s silhouette. It is paired with an ebonite feed to ensure consistent ink flow during writing sessions. If you go for the rollerball, you get another nod to the Bond universe: its tip is shaped to resemble a rifled bullet, tying the writing experience back to the collection’s central theme.
Both the fountain pen and rollerball are limited to 250 pieces each. They arrive in a presentation box inspired by Zorin Industries’ airship from the film, while the fountain pen version also includes a dedicated ink bottle.
At 157 mm in length and 16.30 mm in diameter, the edition weighs around 116.00 g – more than three times the weight of a Montblanc 149. That’s quite a substantial weight for a writing instrument, assuming you actually intend to write with it (it’d be a pity otherwise). As much as I like its design, I’m a bit concerned about how it’ll handle during longer writing sessions. Nevertheless, for most collectors, this will probably be a statement piece reserved for signing, display, and the occasional note.
The new Montegrappa 007 A View to a Kill is priced at €6,800 for the fountain pen and €5,700 for the rollerball. It is available at Montegrappa.com and through authorised retailers worldwide.
