Inspired by its near century-long experience in creating luxury writing instruments, the 2023 Meisterstück Collection symbolises the Montblanc’s mastery at blending design, material, function, aesthetics, and artistic brilliance into a luxury master class. Besides the classic black, the signature line this year also features products in ink blue, a colour inspired by the brand’s roots in writing. 

  An ink-stained heritage glass bottle discovered in the archives also inspired Artistic Director Marco Tomasetta to introduce the centuries-old art of the ‘sfumato effect’ on a selection of pieces. The term which comes from the Italian word ‘sfumare’ meaning ‘evaporate like a smoke’ was first used for Leonardo da Vinci paintings to describe the subtle gradations in the shades of a colour. 

Tomasetta has used the Sfumato effect on bags in warm burgundy and modern forged iron colours, where the colour transitions from darker shades at the bottom to lighter tones at the top. The effect was created manually using an airbrush on the finished leather. Each sfumato piece thus becomes one-of-a-kind, a testament to the art of craftsmanship that is so special for the brand. In Tomasetta’s words, “The visual identity of this collection is rooted in the iconic design elements of one of the most celebrated symbols of writing culture. As a collection that is always evolving, the latest pieces explore an additional dimension of writing with colours and effects directly inspired by the beauty of ink and the effect it creates as it takes hold. The importance placed on the functional value of each piece to its owner is reflected in the selection of new shapes and styles that make these pieces versatile and adaptable.”