What do luxury pens and wrestling have in common? Little to nothing, most would say, including myself, unless you’re Montegrappa and decide to create a highly intricate limited edition of 96 inspired by a sport genre that has become something of a religion in Mexico over the past century. While some may find it surprising, I’ve grown used to Montegrappa’s rather unconventional creations as they’ve become part of the brand’s DNA, after all. What continues to impress me, though, is just how far the Italian manufacturer is willing to push the boundaries with every new release.
Lucha Libre: A Cultural Icon
Just as Italians and the English grew up admiring their favourite football players, generations of Mexicans have grown up idolising their favourite luchadores.
Lucha Libre is a fast-paced style of professional wrestling whose origins date back to the 1860s. However, it wasn’t until 1933 that Salvador Lutteroth González organised the first event of his Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre, marking the beginning of modern Mexican wrestling.
Beyond the theatrical battles between good and evil and the colourful, almost sacred masks that have put Lucha Libre on the world map, the sport has always been deeply rooted in identity and honour. This is why losing one’s mask in the ring can be seen as losing one’s identity as a wrestler. For Mexicans, Lucha Libre holds a special place in their culture, and in 2018, it was officially recognised as part of Mexico City’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Now let’s take a closer look at the new Montegrappa Lucha Libre and discover what inspired the designers in Bassano del Grappa.
The Edition
One look at the Lucha Libre is enough to realise it’s unmistakably Montegrappa. The Italian manufacturer has once again gone all out with the details, combining sterling silver, glossy resin, and colourful enamel, all brought together in a pen measuring 159 mm in length and 21 mm in diameter. What’s particularly impressive is just how many intricate details the designers have managed to fit into a writing instrument of this size.
Starting with the barrel, one of the first things you’ll notice is the three-dimensional sterling silver structure that wraps around it, recreating the ropes of a wrestling ring. However, the real highlight, in my view, is the luchador mask, which appears in two different interpretations on opposite sides of the barrel.
On one side, Montegrappa uses translucent enamel over a guilloché-patterned surface, allowing the elaborate pattern beneath to remain visible. If you turn the pen around, you’ll find another interpretation of the mask, this time crafted in sterling silver with raised details, textures and ornamental decorations, adding to the tactile experience for anyone who appreciates it.
The wrestling theme continues on the cap, where a raised clip bears the LUCHA LIBRE inscription, while an engraved championship belt made from gold-plated sterling silver adorns the base of the cap.
Under the hood, there’s a piston-filling mechanism (Sailor, take notes) paired with an 18k gold nib engraved with a luchador mask. The nib is available in five sizes: EF, F, M, B and 1.1 mm Stub, offering enough variety to suit a wide range of writing styles.
The edition is priced at €9,995 for the fountain pen and €9,120 for its rollerball counterpart, putting it firmly in collectors’ territory. Now, whether you’ll actually use the Lucha Libre for its intended purpose or simply keep it on display in your lavish office, only bringing it out to sign your most important deals, is entirely up to you. Either way, it’s certainly not a pen that will go unnoticed.
I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this one! Would you go for the Lucha Libre, or do you have other favourites from Montegrappa on your radar?
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