Timeless beauty of a fine pen
Published: 30 Aug. 2009, 20:25
From left to right: Graf von Faber-Castell Pocket Pen; Lamy Pico Pen; Cross Compact Pen; and Montblanc Boheme collection. [JoongAng Ilbo]
That is why oftentimes successful people name note-taking as their secret to success.
Kenji Sakato, the author of the book “Notetaking Techniques,” advises people to “record and forget.” Sakato, who graduated from Musashino Art University in Kodaira, western Tokyo, acquired the habit when he was an advertising director.
The author says when people take notes, they don’t have to memorize as much, thus giving their brains a break and gaining more time for creative thinking.
These days, mobile phones serve as memo pads as well.
But some say they cannot replace the conventional way of note-taking - with a pen and piece of paper.
“The pen is a crucial tool in the stipulation process, which passes from one generation to the next,” said James Siano, president and CEO of Montblanc Asia Pacific in an interview on a recent visit to Korea. “The kind of a pen a person uses can also be a standard that determines his or her cultural attainments.”
For guys who don’t carry bags or purses, writing instrument companies have introduced mini pens as small as nine centimeters (3.5 inches) long.
Men can carry these mini-sized pens in their pockets or clip them to their wallets.
Graf von Faber-Castell is a 200-year-old German writing instrument maker. Considered the most noble of German pen brands, it was a favorite of the likes of Vincent van Gogh and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Britain’s Prince Charles is said to use one of these pens.
Lamy, another German pen producer, also has jumped into the growing mini pen market. Lamy pens are known as the gift the German prime minister selects for guests. The brand’s answer to the mini pen boom is the Pico pocket ballpoint, designed to appeal to both men and women.
Cross, the 150-year-old American manufacturer of fine writing instruments, timepieces and personal accessories, is known particularly for its jewelry-quality craftsmanship and sleek, shiny designs.
As a major U.S. brand, its regular customers include employees at the White House - U.S. President Barack Obama being one of them, apparently.
The Compact Pen is the company’s latest mini pen.
Montblanc’s trademark mini pen collection is the Boheme series. They are between 11 and 13 centimeters long, and available with synthetic onyx, sapphire, ruby and emerald accents in line with the brand’s luxurious image.
“These days pens have become a fashion item, but still the most important thing when choosing a pen is the feeling you get when you use it, as well as the values it conveys,” Siano says.
“Writing is an act of expressing interest or affection. A person who can express his feelings and thoughts in carefully written messages is a true gentleman.”
By Seo Jeong-min [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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