Certain novels go down in literary history and, at the same time, come to symbolise an entire epoch. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ is one such gem of modern American literature. Published in 1925, the novel paints a fascinating picture of the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties, a time of unprecedented affluence and self-indulgence. Pulsating New York City, the opulent mansions of Long Island and the dazzling high society parties are the backdrop to the story of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire, who will stop at nothing to regain the affections of the lost love of his youth, Daisy Buchanan. Montblanc honours this much-filmed literary masterpiece and the flamboyant parties of the 1920s with the Great Characters Homage to The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 8. Extraordinary, elegant, chic – such was the Art Deco creed which governed the scintillating melting pot of artistic creativity, conviviality and hedonistic pleasure that was New York. Seemingly born of the material abundance of the Roaring Twenties, the solid 750 Au yellow gold of the cap and barrel contrasts with their vibrant red and deep black lacquer coating, in turn playfully interspersed with a scattering of mother-of-pearl. The eccentric combination of clear shapes, precious materials and elaborate lacquer techniques reflects the sophistication of the age and the influence of centuries-old Japanese craftsmanship, its exotic and luxurious look being very popular in the 1920s. Immersed in this effervescent design, an elegantly dressed couple dances along the edge of the barrel. The two figures are the embodiment of a world of glittering cocktail parties, yet together they seem somewhat detached from it. Created as a nod to an early Montblanc writing instrument of the Art Deco era, the Great Characters Homage to The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 8 tells the story of Gatsby’s glittering existence in that bygone age. Dazzling colours, bubbling champagne and a dancing couple. Gatsby with his beloved Daisy – here, at least, forever by his side. Jay Gatsby is the embodiment of a universal ideal, the American self-made man. Yet behind Gatsby’s wealthy façade, the dream begins to unravel. His riches stem from illegal dealings in alcohol during the Prohibition era, when the forbidden liquid was frequently filled in small, screw-cap bottles which were easy to conceal. Every drop was precious. Correspondingly, not only the contents but also the design of these hip flasks was revered. Inspired by this, the engraving on the cone of the writing instrument imitates the engraved screw cap of an Art-Deco flask. The myth of the American dream is referenced by the fine rings in the colours of the American flag adorning the cone. Like the cap and barrel, the fittings of the Great Characters Homage to The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 8 are made of solid Au 750 yellow gold, as gold is the symbol of wealth, power and status and the colour mentioned most frequently in the novel. By contrast, the red and deep black lacquer represents the corruption and moral decay lying beneath the glittering façade of affluent society. The intoxicating yet seemingly illusory power of money is symbolised by the yellow gold-coated clip in the form of a money clip. Its rounded opening is resplendent with the initials of Jay Gatsby as a rhomboidal Art-Deco monogram – a dazzling array of diamonds in a pavé setting. The crowning Montblanc emblem is made from a diamond with a solid Au 750 gold outline surrounded by black jade, a material combination which inspired some of the most elegant creations by jewellery designers of the Art-Deco period. The message at the heart of the novel seems to crystallise at a single point: the shimmering beam of green light on the dock at Daisy’s house. This same green light shines out from the heart of the writing instrument, the handcrafted, solid Au 750 gold nib: a tsavorite lighting up an elaborately engraved lantern. Together with the green cabochon in the cone, it stands for the yearning for a better future and for Jay Gatsby’s desire to win Daisy back again. The eighth day marks the beginning of a new week, a new era. Jay Gatsby would have appreciated the Chinese interpretation of eight as a lucky number, sounding as it does like the word for fortune and prosperity.