MONTBLANC GREAT CHARACTERS HOMAGE TO THE GREAT GATSBY

New writing instrument collection celebrates F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary character’s extraordinary story and his influence on culture.

While the Montblanc Great Characters collection usually pays homage to the individuals whose accomplishments have left an indelible mark on humankind, the latest collection shines a light on a fictional character who continues to have influence in the real world. The Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby collection brings to life the fascinating story of the central character of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece. First published in 1925, just one year after Montblanc first introduced its iconic Meisterstück writing instrument, the novel explores the themes of decadence, debauchery, idealism, resistance to change and social upheaval during the so-called “Roaring Twenties” through the story of its protagonist, the young and mysterious billionaire Jay Gatsby.

Gatsby’s lifestyle reflects an aura of luxury and sophistication synonymous with Montblanc’s tradition of elegant and timeless style, while the fine craftsmanship and attention to detail displayed in the collection of writing instruments evokes Gatsby’s own penchant for perfectionism and his quest for flawless aesthetics. Each of the five individual editions that make up the Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby collection features design elements evoke a different aspect of the character’s life, yet certain elements are recurring in each edition. Every cap is decorated with a crest that bears the initials of Jay Gatsby, while the shape of the clip is inspired by a money clip, a reference to the meaning of wealth and success as a measure of the American dream. The cone of each edition is modelled on the screw cap of a hip flask and refers to the Prohibition era and the success of Bootleggers. Each of the nib designs emphasizes important elements of the novel: Jay Gatsby’s famous yellow car, Art Deco style, and the green light that symbolizes Gatsby’s deep love for his romantic interest Daisy but also his pursuit of the American dream.

Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Special Edition

The Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Special Edition depicts New York City in the 1920s, the capital of the American dream where anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success and prosperity through hard work. The overall shape is inspired by the shape of Art Deco skyscrapers as well as historical Montblanc writing instruments of the era. The pattern on the barrel and the deep blue color come together to recreate the view of a scintillating skyscraper at night in the city that never sleeps. The pattern on each writing instrument’s barrel is rendered unique thanks to a special technique combining precious resin and lacquer, a first Montblanc’s writing instrument collections.

The red and blue rings are reminiscent of the US flag and stand for the American dream, hinting once again at one of the novel’s main theme. The luminosity of the fluorescent Montblanc emblem that crowns the edition refers to the green light permanently lit at the end of Daisy’s dock, representing Gatsby’s enduring love for her and his unrelenting dream of success. The solid Au 585 gold nib with rhodium coating is decorated with the front view of Jay Gatsby’s famous yellow car, evoking the utter opulence and extravagance with which the character surrounds himself and the high social position he seeks to maintain.

Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 1925

All the design elements of the Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 1925 tell the story of the resilient and ambitious self-made Gatsby who achieved his own “American Dream” through hard work, determination and a little bit of luck. Limited to 1925 pieces, the number pays homage to the original publishing year of the novel. The pattern on the cap is reminiscent of a classic pinstripe suit, an outfit that was considered a status symbol in the higher strata of society, while the yellow gold-coated fittings represent the color yellow, the most common color in the novel and a symbol of money and materialism. The cap also features a yellow gold-coated plaque with Jay Gatsby’s initials. The mother-of-pearl Montblanc emblem set in black lacquer atop the writing instrument also evokes wealth and prosperity and exudes pure elegance, a representation that can be immediately associated with Jay Gatsby. The synthetic green stone inlay in the cone is a reference to the green light at the end of Daisy’s pier, symbolizing Gatsby’s love for her and his high ambitions. The embossing on the solid Au 750 bi-color yellow gold nib also depicts Jay Gatsby’s famous yellow car, the ultimate status symbol of the self-made man.

Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 100

Art Deco, the art and design movement that emerged in the 1920s, was characterized by a simple, modern aesthetic with a focus on geometric shapes, bold colors and luxurious materials. This style plays a significant role in helping to define the novel’s setting, characters, and themes, establishing the opulence and decadence of the Jazz Age. With a limitation of 100 to mark the upcoming 100th anniversary of the novel’s publication and allude to the highest-denomination dollar note in circulation at the time and the prosperity it represents, the Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 100 leans into the Art Deco style associated with the Gatsby era with a solid Au 750 yellow gold skeleton overlay contrasted against a layer of black translucent lacquer beneath. The skeleton overlay is further enhanced with precious stones such as a green tsavorite, standing for the green light of hope at the end of Daisy’s pier.

The cone made from solid Au 750 yellow gold features a decorative pattern modelled on the screw caps of 1920s hip flasks and is set with green malachite cabochon. The decorative plaque on the side of the cap displaying Jay Gatsby s initials is set with brilliant-cut diamonds. The Montblanc emblem in mother-of-pearl surrounded by black onyx, adds to the lavishness of the edition. The gold nib is embellished with a classic design in the style of the Art Deco era.

Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 30

Hope, associated with the color green, is a common thread throughout the novel and gives design inspiration for the Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 30. The cap and barrel feature a skeleton overlay made from PT950 Platinum set with precious stones such as princess-cut diamonds and a translucent underlay crafted from green lacquer. The use of platinum on the overlay and the writing instrument s fittings is a reference to the important role the precious metal played in luxurious Art Deco style, often used in jewelry making and symbolizing prosperity and prestige. A detail of an original United States Peace Dollar minted between 1921 and 1935 has been artistically incorporated into the cone, its date reflecting the period of the novel and commemorating the peace after the First World War, a war in which Gatsby took part as an officer and the novel’s narrator Nick Carraway as an ordinary solider. The Montblanc emblem on the top of the writing instrument is made of a green tsavorite pavé, symbolizing Gatsby’s eternal hope and his love for Daisy. The decorative plaque on the cap framing Jay Gatsby s initials is set with brilliant-cut diamonds, while the rhodium-coated solid Au 750 gold nib features a special design in the style of Art Deco.

The limitation number of 30 is a reference to several mentions of the number in the novel including Nick Carraway, the reader’s trusted guide through the opulent world of East and West Egg, who turns 30 in the novel.

Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 8

Beyond the novel, film adaptations of the Great Gatsby have made its decadent parties infamous. The overall design of the Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 8 captures the energy and extravagance of a glittering high-society party in the Roaring Twenties bold colors, fireworks, bubbling champagne and a dancing couple: Gatsby with his beloved Daisy, immortalized on the writing instrument in an elaborate hand-engraving. The solid Au 750 yellow gold cap and barrel feature hand-applied black and red lacquer coating, interspersed with mosaic-like mother-of-pearl inlays – reminiscent of the ancient Japanese art form “Maki-e”, a technique popular in the Art Deco period.

Because diamonds play an important symbolic role in “The Great Gatsby” as a representation of wealth, luxury and power, the decorative plaque on the cap with Jay Gatsby s initials is crafted from solid Au 750 yellow gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds in a pavé setting. The Montblanc emblem on the black jade cap top is made of a singular diamond with a solid Au 750 yellow gold outline. The solid Au 750 yellow gold cone features a geometrical pattern mimicking the engraved screw cap of an Art Deco flask as well as a cabochon made of green malachite. Meanwhile, the nib depicts a lantern with a green light, recreated with a single tsavorite, referring to the permanently lit green lamp at the end of Daisy’s pier that stands for Gatsby’s yearning for a better future and his unwavering desire to win Daisy’s heart. Eight, the writing instrument’s limitation number, is also often associated with hope: the eighth day marks the beginning of a new week and symbolically, a new era, while various East Asian cultures consider eight a lucky number an interpretation Jay Gatsby would have likely appreciated.

While Fitzgerald never lived to witness the full success and fame his literary masterpiece went on to achieve, the great character he created on the pages of his novel lives on 100 years later as fascinating, exhilarating and influential as ever, and now as a limited Montblanc Great Characters edition.

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