Montblanc (company)

Montblanc International GmbH
Private limited liability company
Industry Luxury goods
Founded 1906 (1906)
Headquarters Hamburg, Germany
Number of locations
 449 Boutiques (2012)
Key people
 Nicolas Baretzki (CEO)[1]
Products Pens, Leather, Watches, Jewellery, Sunglasses, Perfume, Cufflinks
Parent Richemont
Website www.montblanc.com

Montblanc International GmbH (pronounced: [mo(n) blaw(n)] or [mon blaan(k)]) is a German manufacturer of luxury writing instruments, watches, jewellery and leather goods, often identified by their "White Snowflake" logo.

History

The start of the "modern" new century had a stimulating effect on inventors and craftsmen. Ingenuity and imagination helped the fountain pen to make its technical and commercial breakthrough as a writing instrument. It was a Hamburg banker, Alfred Nehemias, and a Berlin engineer, August Eberstein, together who recognised the signs of time and decided to produce simplicissimus pens, back in the 1906. After a short period of time Wilhelm Dziambor, Christian Lausen and later Claus Johannes Voss took over the business and thus laid the foundation for the future internationally successful company Montblanc. Their first model was the Rouge et Noir in 1909 followed in 1910 by the pen that was later to give the company its new name, Montblanc. The Meisterstück name (English: "Masterpiece", the name used for export) was used for the first time in 1924, for the top lines of fountain pens. Today, the Mont Blanc brand is on other goods besides pens, including watches, jewellery, fragrances, leather goods and eyewear.

The company was acquired by Dunhill in 1977, following which lower price pens were dropped and the brand was used on a wide range of luxury goods other than pens.[2]

Today, Montblanc forms part of the Richemont group. Its sister companies include luxury brands Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chloé, and Baume et Mercier. Mont Blanc is owned, through Richemont, by the South African Rupert Family.

Branding

Meisterstück 146 (top) and 149 fountain pens

A trademark identified with Montblanc is the white stylized six-pointed star with rounded edges, representative of the Mont Blanc snowcap from above, the symbol being adopted in 1913. The number "4810," the mountain's height in meters, is also a commonly recurring theme.

In January 2014, Hugh Jackman was announced as Montblanc's Global Brand Ambassador, outside of US.[3]

Product range and customer service

Special and limited editions

Next to various Limited Editions like the Patron of the Art Series (e.g. Francois 1er[4]) with only a few hundred of them being produced around the world, there are some Limited Editions produced from editions of 4810 to those in tens of thousands.

The Patron of the Art (POA) Series are found in editions of 888. These models are intricately adorned in diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones into precious metals typically in 18K gold. A signature mark on these include a Mother of Pearl Montblanc Star adorning the cap.

Although cheaper, the Montblanc Writers Edition has been profitable. These pens are launched each year, commemorating the life and work of a particular writer, with their signature engraved into the cap of the edition. Usually, a symbol of their most distinguished work is engraved onto the nibs, of the fountain pen versions. Montblanc use "aged resin" in the caps of the pens in this series, to give the Montblanc star an 'off-white' or 'cream coloured' appearance, thereby ensuring a contrast in colour when next to models from their regular production line-up.

Apart from a serial number the Limited Edition pieces carry a distinct number placing it within the release of the edition, i.e. 1/888 would be the first pen produced of an edition of 888 pens. In 2009 the Signature for Good limited edition was released. Montblanc donates parts of its proceeds to UNICEF. They claim to guarantee a minimum of US $1.5 million worldwide within one year.[5]

Customer service and repairs

Montblanc will not sell customers or dealers replacement parts without the company performing the repair. When a pen is damaged, it is accepted at any Montblanc boutique where it will be forwarded to their service centre for evaluation. A quote for the repair will be provided to the customer if the pen is out of warranty. If the estimate is accepted, the repair is completed and Montblanc will provide a one-year repair warranty on the work that was done.

The Nib Exchange service by Montblanc operates as follows. Newly purchased pens can have their nibs exchanged free of charge within the first six weeks; however, the exchange of older and already worked-in nibs will incur a service fee. All Special and Limited Edition pens need to be returned to the Hamburg manufacture, for strict control of the Limited Edition nibs.

Montblanc provides a two-year warranty on all of its products.

e-Strap

At the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2015 trade show in Geneva, the company announced e-Strap, which adds smartwatch-like features (e.g. a small electronic display, positioned on the underside of the wrist) to a traditional watch.[6]

Characteristics

Montblanc makes several models of pens, with the Meisterstück (fountain pen) representing the cornerstone model. Each model is slightly different, however models created after 1990 have a serial number located on the ring at the top of the clip. Under the clip is usually the words "Made in Germany" and often "Pix". Moreover, the barrel of the pen will reveal a reddish hue under strong lighting. If the pen in question does not have these attributes then it is possibly a fake.

Website blocking

In October 2014 the first blocking order against trademark infringing consumer goods was passed against the major UK ISPs by Richemont, Cartier International and Mont Blanc to block several domains selling trademark infringing products.[7]

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "New CEO for Montblanc", Prestige Magazine, 2016-11-24
  2. ↑ "Penspotters :: Montblanc pens". rickconner.net.
  3. ↑ "Montblanc announces Hugh Jackman as Global Brand Ambassador". The Gentlemans Journal.
  4. ↑ Francois 1er
  5. ↑ "Montblanc pledges 1.5 million dollars for education programmes". UNICEF. 1 June 2009.
  6. ↑ Samuel Gibbs (2015-01-02). "Traditional watchmakers turn to smartwatches as Montblanc unveils the e-Strap". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-01-03. e-Strap attaches to a traditional analogue watch, turning it into a smartwatch with a screen that sits on the underside of the wrist
  7. ↑ Little, Trevor. "Landmark judgment handed down in dispute between Richemont and ISPs". Retrieved 17 October 2014.
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