It was the end of a chilly winter and we were all getting ready to welcome the spring.
The phone rings and the customer care answers with the usual warmth you get when calling Pen Boutique. “Thank you for calling Pen Boutique.This is Cindy speaking. How may I help you?” . “I heard about Faber Castell Pen of the year 2011 and I would like to place order for that” said an elderly gentleman who is ordering from us for the first time. Cindy,quickly said in her pleasant tone “We are taking only preorders on that,as the pen is supposed to arrive only by end of March”. He said, “No problem,I would like to place a order and get it shipped when it comes in”.
Spring came and it kept the entire town wet all the time,but the pen had some issues coming from Germany and it kept getting delayed.Frustration among customers started growing.Since then, the gentleman kept calling every other day to know whether the pen has arrived or not. Cant blame him,that’s the kind of reception the pen has had among pen enthusiasts.
It’s that time of year again. Time for pools, ice cream, walks in the park and “The Pen of the Year” from Faber-Castell is finally here and all the preorders has been shipped.We special ordered a few more because of the interest it has created in the past many months. All the customers who received the pens have nothing but good things to say about this pen.
Every year since 2004, Faber-Castell creates a uniquely designed pen that distinguishes itself from all other pens. The series represents a one of a kind union of art and technology coming together to create a unique writing experience. They represent a distinctive tone and elegance that makes them a marvel(did I say marbel?) to write with and are very pleasing to the eye. The 2011 Pen of the Year is absolutely no exception.
The Faber-Castell 2011 Pen of the Year is a tribute to artmans. Faber-Castell uses Russian jade(Jade is also found in China,India) or nephrite, to bring a new level of design to the Pen of the Year series. Known by many as a bringer of luck(could be a good addition to hit that jackpot) , symbol of power(Did superman……?) , elixir of immortality, jade is an ornamental stone and has always been surrounded by a special aura.
Jade is not easy to come by and is extremely difficult to work. Used by many civilizations, jade has inspired craftsmen through the ages to create amazing works of art. Extraordinary skill is required to bring out the amazing qualities of this gemstone. Faber-Castell uses eight segments of jade on the Pen of the Year 2011, symbolizing the eight generations that have made their mark on the family firm to date.
Now that we got that out of the way, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of it. The moment you first lay your eyes on this pen, you quickly notice its 2” inch long jade segments. Jade is an interesting stone because it is a subtle stone that still catches your attention very easily. The stones are surrounded by a platinum plated frame that complements the stones very nicely and do not overpower the jade at all. The next thing you notice is the weight. As soon as you pick it up you can really feel the weight of this instrument. With a pretty hefty weight and close to 5 1/2 inches long from cap to cap, this pen of the year has plenty of substance. Almost half of the weight seems to be on the cap itself. Once the cap comes off though, you instantly feel like writing. The pen fits very comfortably in your hand and has a great feel to it. It has a screw on cap with the classic Faber-Castell spring action clip with one downside. The cap does not post. It will protect the nib very well though.
Faber-Castell has incorporated green gemstones that celebrate Faber-Castell’s 250th anniversary. The emerald-colored stones on the cap and blind cap are delicately mottled with a deep green that really shows some unusually appealing shadings.
There are many processing steps that are required before a piece of jade can be inserted into these pens. From the first slice of the raw stone to the final polish, the artist must recognize its unique nuances and bring out jade’s nature. Only very experienced jewelers can achieve that. Only the most experienced artists can master the cuts typical of jade. These are chiseled piece by piece to create a masterpiece in stone. This chiseled jade is found in Siberia, but the exact location has always been one of the dealer’s best-kept secrets. Needless to say, real jade is usually not found at your local hardware store.
The faceting of the stones on the barrel are really the crowning glory of the Pen of the Year. Immaculately faceted and polished, the jade is given its final and perfect form by a master craftsman of the Stephan gemstone manufactory. All of this backed by the long tradition of the Idar Oberstein workshops that were set up in the 15th century and now enjoy a world-wide reputation. So, it seems like they know what there doing.
For more intricate details about how the pen was made,please click here –> Graf Von Faber Castell
The 18-carat bicolor gold nib is very smooth available in Fine, Medium, and Broad nib sizes, each one ‘run in’ by hand. The platinum-plated end cap, or blind cap, protects the twist knob for the filling piston mechanism.
Each pen is individually numbered and comes in an exclusive wooden case. The green lid is polished to a high gloss and is a very nice touch to the whole design. It’s the kind of box that gets you curious and makes you wonder what is inside. Included is a certificate that bears the personal signature of Count Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell (Click the link to read an interesting article about him on Money Week magazine), reminding you that what you hold in your hands is the limited edition Pen of the Year 2011.
The Faber-Castell Pen of the Year 2011 is absolutely a must have for any pen enthusiast. It’s also a prefect birthday gift for anyone born in the month of March since jade is listed as the mystical birthstone for the month of March and is also the birthstone for the sun sign Virgo. A beautiful design and immaculate engineering backed by the Faber-Castell name, the “jade” pen is a sight to behold and a fine writing instrument to be had.
For those of you ,who are reading this and you are holding one of these prized possessions in your hand..I have one to thing to say . This is going to be the pen you would cherish for a long time.
