With 100 years of German design backing the brand, Otto Hutt is a luxury brand that feels luxurious. While much of the pen world moves towards acrylics, Otto Hutt has stuck to metals. This may have made Otto Hutt an acquired taste for many pen collectors; but, by God, they are gorgeous pens.
What sets Otto Hutt apart is that function follows form for this brand. Each design in its flagship series has a century of design principles behind it. In an age when other brands may have flashier, brighter, and kookier pens, it’s Otto Hutt who has stuck to these principles and manufactures pens with substance.
Remember: the tortoise beat the hare, didn’t he?
With that in mind, here are three of my top picks from Otto Hutt. The sleek designs and precise detailing blend beauty and braun in a way only Germans can accomplish.
design04
Described in Otto Hutt’s catalogue as being an “homage to linearity”, this pen is balance of lines and perpendicularity. Coming in a wide variety of finishes (I’m quite partial to the Wave options), this pen is probably one of the most aesthetic-forward pens from Otto Hutt. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s a great entry pen to those who are unsure of using a heavier metal pen, but will be intrigued by the detailing that any of the design04’s has.
design07
Probably one of the most popular Otto Hutt models out there, the design 07 is a true gentleman’s pen. Made of sterling silver and subtly designed with crafted thread guilloché on the barrel and cap, this pen is as timeless as it is handsome. The large 18-karat gold nib doesn’t just add a touch of elegance, it provides a smooth, wet writing experience that pairs well against the bulk of the pen. This pen would look just as nice on a gentleman’s desk as it would in a businessman’s jacket pocket – the true epitome of Otto Hutt is in design07.
designC
This limited-edition pen of 500 units was created in partnership with renowned designer Mark Braun for Otto Hutt’s 100th anniversary. In that century, all design principles lead to this pen. From afar, this may seem like a minimally designed pen, but the devil is in the details. Every inch of this pen has been perfectly considered to pay homage to German heritage. From the sterling silver body to the 18-karat gold index on the barrel and cap replaces the “classic” clip. Most exciting of all is the “Pull +Twist” mechanism, which is described as a slow pull that brings it into the filling position. The designC then only has to be dipped into an inkwell and turned back to be able to absorb ink with its gold nib. Everything about this pen is the pinnacle of Otto Hutt: combining user-oriented design with technical innovation.
