Visconti Looking East fountain pen in rose gold vermeil.
Italian pen brand Visconti is introducing a couple of new pen collections, each comprising a captivating shade of blue. One, a limited edition, is named Looking East, while the other is called Athena and is part of the Mirage Mythos Collection. Both represent important aspects of Visconti’s perspective on a design and price spectrum that includes collectible limited editions as well as eminently affordable pens destined for everyday use (which, by the way, are also collectible).
Looking East
Visconti’s latest limited edition, Looking East, seems a perfect gift for the holidays. With an intricate rose gold vermeil filigree overlay that offers a glimpse of the pearlescent deep blue resin beneath, the pen is a stunning example of Visconti’s elegant craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The Looking East collection draws inspiration from traditional Asian architecture, which has influenced architectural styles throughout much of the Far East. Characterized in part by bilateral symmetry and the use of “enclosed open spaces,” it is here referenced by the overlay’s repeating geometric design on the cap and barrel. Opulent linear engraving decorates the vermeil crown, end piece, cap band and gripping section.
The fountain pen, priced at $2,595, is fitted with Visconti’s renowned double reservoir power filling system. Its nib is 18-karat rose gold, available in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, and stub sizes. A rollerball pen, priced at $2,295, is also available, and both are presented in a classic box with “Looking East” inscribed on the front. The collection is limited to 188 pieces worldwide.
Mirage Mythos Collection: Athena
Visconti Mirage Mythos Athena fountain pen.
This latest in Visconti’s Mirage Mythos Collection, Athena, is named for the Greek goddess who symbolizes wisdom, the arts, and classical learning. The turquoise-blue pen is crafted from acrylic with swirls of bronze, perfectly pairing with the satin-finished yellow gold-plated trim. The metal center ring is inscribed “Mythos,” along with a “V” referencing Mount Olympus, the highest peak in Greece and, according to Greek mythology, home of the Greek gods. The shade of the pen is reminiscent of Athena’s “bright eyes,” as well as the seas surrounding Greece.
The Athena series comprises a fountain pen, rollerball pen and ballpoint. The cartridge- or convertor-filled fountain pen is priced at $199, and it is fitted with a large German-made yellow gold-plated steel nib. The rollerball pen is priced at $179, and the ballpoint at $169. It’s not often I see a pen from a well-known maker at such an affordable price.
Apollo, Zeus and Aphrodite are forerunners of the Athena pen, in this Greek god-centered collection. Brown was chosen for Apollo, the color of balance and strength and reminiscent of Apollo’s chariot drawn by four horses. Dark blue was chosen for Zeus, since it is a symbol of superiority and purity of the soul. Purple represents Aphrodite as a mark of temperance and devotion.
Visconti says that the mythological personalities it chose to anthropomorphize the pens call forth different forces that are destined to inspire us. Apollo is the god of the arts—music, poetry and science. Zeus is the king of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus, while Aphrodite is the goddess of love. Athena’s wisdom will keep one’s pen busy for centuries.
