High Artistry The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc
A Tribute to Pioneers, Glaciers & Mountaineering
Every great achievement starts with a pioneer attempting something that has never been done before. Just as climbers strived to scale Mont Blanc in th...
As Western Europe’s tallest peak, the Mont Blanc posed an indomitable challenge to climbers. In 1786, two mountaineers overcame fears of the unknown to conquer the “White Giant”. That same pioneering spirit would later influence the three visionaries who founded the Maison Montblanc.
Channelling this inspirational story, writing instruments are crafted with time-honoured skills such as diamond cutting, wood carving, marquetry, enamelling and painting miniature portraits by hand. Each edition is an artisanal work of art.
Channelling this inspirational story, writing instruments are crafted with time-honoured skills such as diamond cutting, wood carving, marquetry, enamelling and painting miniature portraits by hand. Each edition is an artisanal work of art.
Limited Edition 1
Features a rounded Topaz top that opens to reveal a skeletonised ‘Mont Blanc massif’ and a 6.05 carat blue sapphire. A hand-crafted enameled motif of the Mont Blanc peak adds decoration as well as a non-functional cyanometer. A degrade of diamonds and light blue sapphires evokes the reflective awe of the icy Mont Blanc peak in sunshine.
Features
Features a rounded Topaz top that opens to reveal a skeletonised ‘Mont Blanc massif’ and a 6.05 carat blue sapphire. A hand-crafted enameled motif of the Mont Blanc peak adds decoration as well as a non-functional cyanometer. A degrade of diamonds and light blue sapphires evokes the reflective awe of the icy Mont Blanc peak in sunshine.
Brilliant-cut diamonds in mixed cuts and settings capture the reflective beauty of the Mont Blanc peak, whilst an intricate hand-engraving of the Mont Blanc decorates the forepart, together with brilliant-cut diamonds.
The Au750 solid white gold nib is intricately adorned with a 3D relief of an Edelweiss flower and decorated with a diamond.
Resembles the dual forms of an alpenstock and an axe, two essential tools of early mountaineers.
Features a setting of azurite cabochon under sapphire glass.
Limited Edition 5
Inspired by the first ascension of the Mont Blanc, this elegant fountain pen is detailed with a vision of the famous landmark. The historic route is brought to life with marquetry created from 17 different shades and materials, whilst Au750 solid rose gold adds a touch of luxury.
Features
Detailed with an engraved ring and marquetry created from materials such as leather, parchment, mother-of-pearl and precious wood. The cap top features a detachable smoky quartz crystal that opens to reveal a skeletonised ‘Mont Blanc massif’, set with a diamond.
Crafted in solid Au750 rose gold with wood. Detailing includes cognac-coloured tourmalines and solid Au750 gold fittings adorned with brilliant-cut diamonds. The forepart bears an engraving of the historical route to the Mont Blanc summit.
Made from solid Au750 rose gold, the nib features a cognac-coloured sapphire and is adorned with a 3D motif of an Edelweiss.
Shaped to resemble an alpenstock and an axe, vital tools of the world’s first mountaineers.
Features a setting of malachite cabochon under sapphire glass.
Limited Edition 10
A luxurious fountain pen in Au750 solid yellow gold. The design creates a look of regal sophistication with delicate engraving, diamond detailing and a hand-painted miniature portrait of alpinist Jacques Balmat.
Features
Crafted from authentic Mont Blanc granite and a solid Au750 white gold overlay. Decorated with both a 3D depiction of the Mont Blanc massif and the historical route to the summit, recreated from brilliant-cut diamonds. Detailed with a miniature handcrafted painting and fine-hand engraving. The cap top features a detachable rock crystal with a solid yellow gold chunk underneath, in tribute to Balmat’s passion for hunting gold.
Crafted in Au750 solid yellow gold and adorned with brilliant-cut diamonds, with decoration inspired by traditional Chamonix ornaments. The forepart is engraved with a depiction of the Mer de Glace glacier in addition to a monster, in tribute to ancient mountain stories.
An Au750 solid yellow gold nib featuring a 3D Edelweiss flower, the symbol of the Alps.
Designed to resemble the forms of alpenstock and an axe, essential tools of early mountaineers.
Features a setting of green aventurine, a mineral native to the Alps.
Limited Edition 86
A sophisticated fountain pen crafted in Au750 solid yellow gold. The elaborate engraving on the wooden cap depicts flora and fauna found around the Mont Blanc, whilst a leather barrel is embossed with a paragraph taken from Jacques Balmat’s diary, written during his climb.
Features
Walnut wood is decorated with special engraving showing alpine nature. The cap top features a detachable smoky quartz crystal showcasing the Montblanc emblem in mother-of-pearl embedded in black onyx.
Solid cowhide leather is embossed with an extract from Balmat’s diary. The fitting engravings are inspired by mountaineering shoe rivets, while the forepart engraving depicts the Mer de Glace glacier in the form of a monster, recalling ancient stories about the mountain.
An Au750 solid yellow gold nib is adorned with a 3D motif of an Edelweiss, the symbol of the Alps.
Shaped to resemble the silhouettes of an alpenstock and an axe, important tools of early mountaineers.
A granite cabochon is set into the Au750 yellow gold cone.
Limited Edition 333
For centuries, the glaciers nestled in dark mountain valleys were feared as “devil objects” and “realms of evil spirits” – or even home to dragons. In tribute to the Mont Blanc legend, this Au750 solid gold fountain pen features an intricate engraving of a monster glacier.
Features
A solid Au750 gold, rhodium-coated overlay depicts the form of a monster, whilst precious resin and lacquer shape the tube. The Montblanc emblem crowns the cap in alpine granite and black onyx. The cap ring is engraved with ‘8 Août 1786’, the date of the first ascent.
Made from Au750 solid gold, rhodium coated, and adorned with an embossing of an Edelweiss.
The Height of Craftsmanship
Inspired by dreams and fuelled by collaborative venture to turn creative visions into a reality, Montblanc’s Artisan Atelier team are united in a shared goal to take exquisite crafts to new heights.
Métiers d’Art
Master artisans showcase a variety of time-honored skills in The First Ascent of the Mont Blanc editions, including marquetry, enameling, and intricate stone setting.
The Story
A History of Mountaineering
Man has long dreamt of conquering mountains. History shows that early attempts were undertaken to view surrounding terrain, or to find monsters said to haunt once-forbidden heights.
Later, in the 18th century, a new era of discovery began in Europe, leading alpine expeditions to be undertaken in the pursuit of scientific observation. Because of the Mont Blanc chain’s mighty glaciers, Chamonix became an area of interest to those with a thirst for knowledge.
Later, in the 18th century, a new era of discovery began in Europe, leading alpine expeditions to be undertaken in the pursuit of scientific observation. Because of the Mont Blanc chain’s mighty glaciers, Chamonix became an area of interest to those with a thirst for knowledge.
The Story of Jacques Balmat, the First to Climb Mont Blanc
Jacques Balmat was born in Savoy, 1762. A mountaineer and mountain guide, as well as a collector of crystals, the ambitious young man set his sights on conquering Mont Blanc – a feat that no one had ever achieved before.
On 8 August 1786, Balmat set off on his expedition, accompanied by fellow alpinist Michel-Gabriel Paccard. They were equipped with riveted shoes, axes, alpenstocks and measuring instruments – including a newly-invented cyanometer, designed to measure the blue of the sky. Following a perilous climb across uncharted territory, the pioneers became the first to reach the 4,810 metre summit of the Mont Blanc – the highest peak of the Alps.
A shining example of how determination can make the seemingly unsurmountable achievable, Balmat’s accomplishment marked the birth of modern alpinism. Over a century later, inspired by the enduring pinnacle of achievement that the mountain represents, three visionaries established the Maison Montblanc.
