How do you blend luxury, detail, and craft into one item? Many try but few are successful in accomplishing such a task. One French brand has consistently since 1872 produced high-quality items from leather to lighters, to fine writing instruments.
St Dupont is a huge player in the writing industry, but what makes them so special? And how did a small family-owned company go on to make gifts presented to royals of other countries? Without a doubt it is because of their attention to detail and use of luxury materials. In 1872 when St Dupont was founded by Simon Tissot-Dupont of Savoy France, it was just a small carriage making company. Soon after it was destroyed in a fire. After that disaster, Dupont would go onto purchase a small shop where he would make leathers for exclusive clientele. By 1884, Dupont became the supplier to one of the world’s largest shops – Les Grands Magasins du Louvre. Dupont saw his vision through, by only working with the most skilled workers and using the highest quality materials. With a little bit of misfortune and a vision beyond his time and we have what is known as St Dupont today.
One of the latest releases by the company is the new collection, ” From Paris with love”. A collection dedicated to the history of Parisians and a tribute to the renown architecture the city offers. The collection which features a ballpoint pen, a rollerball pen, a fountain pen, and a lighter is just as stunning as the display that it comes in.
When you receive this piece, it comes as a part of a tranquil Paris scene inside of a globe. The pen is an actual building in the globe. (pictured right) The stand is solid wood and looks incredible. This part stood out to us the most, a very cool display for this very interesting piece.
The pen itself is of intricate design. “The Line D” writing instruments evoke one of the classic corner constructions of the city’s grand Haussmannian buildings with elegant stories created in a Paris stone effect, edged with gold metal detail and a cap modeled on a domed zinc rooftop. That subtle grey look on the cap is a special lacquer called “Pierre de Paris”. It creates the look of a cool evening in Paris.
The pen body is decorated with sumptuous dormer windows. At the very end of the barrel, you see the signature cursive “D” encased in glitter in the archway. This creates a spectacle, the see-through frosty glitter was a nice touch. We like the color palette that this piece uses. The cream compliments the grey well, as does the gold details and accents. As you run your fingers down the side of the barrel you can feel every ridge and line in the details of the buildings on this piece. Each one created by the Artisans at St Dupont.
If you have ever gotten lost in Paris (like me) do not worry, The grip has you covered. The grip features engravings of Parisian street signs. The nib does not disappoint on this model either. The nib is 18kt gold and is available in Fine and Medium. Another cool thing to add is, this piece comes with a rollerball conversion kit as well.
This piece did exactly what it was designed to do, it pays homage well to the history of Parisian architecture. When you purchase this you can almost smell the croissants and baguettes in the air. (not really) One of our favorite things about this piece is that it is limited to just 599 pieces. You can find that number on the nib and the outside display of the globe. Hands down one of the most interesting things about this piece is the display. It is truly unlike we have seen. The street light on the globe lights up as well, putting you right in the heart of a Paris evening. We love pieces like this that push the limits of what a pen is “supposed to be”. This was truly a wonderfully crafted piece.