Survival of the fit pens in the computer age

A vintage Montblanc ad Courtesy Euro Trading

Signing credit bills is an art, at least for me. I look forward to that moment when I can reach to the inner pocket of my suit and feel the assuring body of my Montblanc pen. When I have a meal or purchase that is heavy on my wallet, I forget the feeling the instant I scrawl my signature. As I said, it’s an art. When I am done, a brief glance at my Montblanc is a must for a job well done. Ahhh... It’s a good feeling to have.
Not born in the age of computers, I filled my elementary school days with fountain pen ink splattered across my notebooks. Of course I wasn’t using a Montblanc then.
But at home I would always try to write with my father’s. Maybe being born in Berlin has helped nurse my love for Montblanc pens. I think that growing up around someone who carried such a pen like a treasure box had some influence on me.
Maybe the symbolic meaning attached to a pen led me to my current job. I love writing. It’s me versus writer’s block; me against the deadline. The constant struggle is addictive. If not for the deadlines and the convenient instant-eraser ability of a computer, I would use a pen in my work. It would do the job nicely.
Today, brand-name pens have taken on a different meaning in their diminished role. Consider this: Middle-aged men have few outlets to express themselves in the way of a fashion statement. Suits, ties, cuff links, glasses, watches and maybe hairstyles are the limited venues.
Enter a stylish pen. History has witnessed how great men with great pens signed significant treaties.
It’s the same nowadays except that corporate deals and mergers are on that list, too. Did JPMorgan Chase and Co. executives sign their takeover bid for Bear Sterns with a Montblanc? I don’t know, but I can assure you that corporate bigwigs didn’t sign with a Bic.

Officials at Montblanc fret now that they are no longer a “strictly pens” company. Today, the company has expended its business into watches, jewelry, handbags and accessories. The company has even bought a watch movement maker. This way, they can manufacture watches with their own movements, which is the yardstick for serious watch enthusiasts.
Yet despite all this, my private thinking is that when you want to buy a product, buy it from someone that specializes in making it. So even if it’s just for drawing circles during long, boring meetings or some pen twirling, having a classic pen will go a long way. It takes more than six weeks to make a nib for a fountain pen at Montblanc. I appreciate such craftsmanship because when you shell out a fair amount of money, you need more than sentimental reasons to do so.
There is a reason why the name Montblanc ― or any other pen company for that matter ― has survived over 100 years, well into the age of computers. To find out your own reason, you’ll just have to get a pen for yourself.

By Brian Lee Staff Reporter [africanu@joongang.co.kr]

korea joongAng daily

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Survival of the fit pens in the computer age

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