the watch marks its progress and the pen seals its testimony.
November 9, 2011
Ulysse Nardin Fountain Pen.
It takes around three days to carry out the polishing work which is still done entirely by hand, following the traditional three-step method of roughing, buffing and polishing.
For more than 165 years, Ulysse Nardin has forged a reputation through its precious and exclusive timepieces. Continuing its long tradition of innovation and passion for craftsmanship, Ulysse Nardin is opening up new horizons for its discerning clients and has now developed an instrument dedicated to the art of writing.
Ulysse Nardin has teamed up with Visconti, the writing instrument specialist with 20 years’ expertise, to present a fountain pen that reflects the highest values of its clientele: a masculine communication tool that is classic yet innovative.
A small masterpiece of fine jewelry craftsmanship, the fountain pen is hewn from a block of the purest resin in the Ulysse Nardin color. More than 20 separate stages are required to produce the resin sections alone. The metal parts, made of 18-carat gold or 925 sterling silver, are produced in Florence at the Visconti headquarters. The patented mechanical parts of the pen offer many outstanding features, such as the bayonet closure system with safety mechanism, whereby the cap can be locked shut with just a quarter turn. There is also the filling system which benefits from a maximum writing autonomy equivalent to around 10 ink cartridges, and an ingenious system that prevents ink spillage during flights. And the famous Visconti triple-channel ink feed, unique in the world, is the same color as the resin and allows for optimal ink flow to the nib.
The Ulysse Nardin fountain pen crystallizes the brand’s core values: innovation and technical perfection, as well as its references to the marine world, with the tight, carefully hand-sewn net and the stylized anchor, another characteristic motif. The brand name and gold purity mark are meticulously engraved by hand, while the clip, sculpted from a block of solid gold or silver, is inscribed with the pen’s serial number.
Accompanied by the travel inkwell, the fountain pen can be carried in a briefcase to be refilled even on the move. The brand itself evokes the sea, the world of sailing ships, ancient and modern, and the life of travel. Likewise, the inkwell has been specially designed for use on journeys, and allows the pen to be easily refilled in even the most inconvenient situations, by a sailor or businessman alike.