Objects of Our Time: The Montblanc x Ferrari Pen

Engineered past our sanity, is this object of our time inciting a dystopian future, or does it shed light on the facets of our current, inescapable reality?

First thought: What kind of a world do we live and operate in, where a simple writing instrument costs more than 30,000 euros?

It is the world where a German luxury brand, most known for upscale pens, partners with an Italian luxury sport car company to create the Montblanc Ferrari Stilema SP3 Limited Edition 599. Co-designed by Ferrari chief design officer Flavio Manzoni, it is a pen whose elegance and beauty are not encumbered by the technical sounding name. In other words, the world is the one of luxury, brimming with abundance.

Second thought: Why would anyone need such an expensive writing device?

If you need to sign a contract inside a volcano or your grip is stronger than a table vice, then the titanium body — which is rarely used in Montblanc’s pens — will withstand the heat and pressure. If you are composing poems in highly corrosive environments, for example, a seaport, or if you have shaky hands, the 750 white gold nib will not corrode. It will act like a car’s suspension, providing a smooth ride as you take your notes.

Third thought: Who is it for?

Montblanc maniacs and Ferrari fanatics; superyacht owners looking to spend some chump change; contemporary art collectors, who acquire works that aren’t supposed to actually be displayed; modern art collectors who love the lines of De Stijl; aesthetes who appreciate the beauty of well-crafted objects; castle owners and people with old money who would never show off their wealth with jewelry but who prefer to use their affluence in doing deeds.

Fourth thought: What is with the design?

The red, semi-transparent slat cuts through a titanium barrel comparable to a Ferrari on the Autobahn. The pen pays homage to the Daytona SP3 — a limited-edition Ferrari that pays homage to another Ferrari, the 330 P4, a car that took all three medals in the 24-hour endurance race of Daytona in 1967 — with a cap top based on the streamlined nose of the race car and a barrel inspired by the slats of the bumper.

Fifth thought: How many did they make?

599. So be quick.