Montblanc, a superb writing utensil brand, commemorates the rich artistic traditions of the ancient Indian Mughal empire, introducing a new series of writing instruments inspired by the well-known Indian palace Taj Mahal-High Artistry, A Celebration of the Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan, the fifth ruler of the Mughal Empire in 1632 to commemorate the second wife, is regarded as the finest example of Mughal architecture. The pen cap of the new series also adopts a dome structure. The end of the pen is specially designed with a slightly curved contour. It is inspired by the dagger inherited from his father when Sha Jahan was crowned. It symbolizes kingship and status. The pen head is carved with Mughal’s traditional patterns. A pattern of love birds with a beautiful meaning.
In this new work, Montblanc abandoned the traditional pen holder design and designed the shape of the pen into a peacock feather studded with gems, which naturally extends from the cap to the barrel. This also pays tribute to the Peacock Throne commissioned by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. The top of the throne is decorated with two peacocks inlaid with gems and is considered to be one of the most magnificent thrones in history.
This series also introduced a number of fountain pens with different configurations, all feature hand-carved gold carving, enamel craft and gorgeous gem setting combined by excellent craftsmen. The black-and-white color model was designed based on the prototype of Sha Jahan who had a precious dagger. The platinum pen body was inlaid with black sapphires and diamonds. The top of the cap was set with a 6.24ct round diamond. The feather eyes of peacock feathers are decorated with a curved opal, which can show the lotus flower pattern carved by the mother of pearl if it is removed.
There is also a gold style inspired by the Red Castle on the opposite side of the Taj Mahal. The body of the pen is closely inlaid with an arc ruby. The feather eyes of peacock feathers match with a ruby in the shape of a fruit. As a symbol of love, you can see the daisy pattern drawn by enamel. A 6.42ct old mineral cutting diamond with a history of 200 years is inlaid on the top of the pen cover.
Others are streamlined decorative versions, which reproduce the Arabian decorative pattern with gold carving. The lacquered pattern uses the classic Indian hand-carving process. The pen cap and the end of the pen are embellished with different gemstones to complement the whole pen.