Lifestyle Buzz

Hardly any other wood expresses such an enigmatic beauty as oak. It takes a long, long time for oak to turn into such a sought-after and precious wood; these extraordinary pieces of wood have been buried for as many as 8000 years in German bogs and marshes. Its deep, often gnarled textures make oak look like driftwood found on the shore. The discovery of each find is a matter of chance and each piece seems to have a mysterious story to tell.
 
Gold has fascinated mankind for thousands of years and across all continents. At the beginning of the modern age it was one of the key driving forces behind the great voyages of discovery: People searched for El Dorado, the legendary land of gold; they decorated themselves with gold and fought over it until its very name was synonymous with value and sovereignty.
 
The combination of precious wood and precious metal is fascinating: The deep structure of oak, whose beauty has been naturally wrought over thousands of years, together with gold that lends a supernatural sheen to the most magnificent works of art created by mankind.
 
A sensitive touch and artistic virtuosity are demanded if gold leaf is to mould perfectly to the graining of the barrel of the pen: with the greatest care, the gold leaves are applied by hand using a fine squirrel-hair brush. A 4000-year-old technique is used that dates back to the ancient Egyptians and is mastered by only a select few people today. One of these is the art restorer and church painting specialist Ernst D. Feldmann who has devoted himself to the study of ancient Venetian gilding techniques. For the Pen of the Year 2012, he applies layers of 24-carat gold to the oak pen barrel in an intricate and detailed process. Embedded in resin, this reveals a unique pattern of reflections that only the purest gold can display.
 
The combination of gold leaf and oak makes the Pen of the Year 2012 an extraordinarily luxurious fountain pen. Inscribed by hand, the 18-carat bicolour gold nib is available in sizes M, B and F. An end-cap protects the rotary knob of the plunger mechanism and is, as all metal coats, 24-carat gold plated. The cap is crowned by a citrine. The individually numbered writing instruments are kept safe in an exclusive jet-black wooden case. A certificate, signed personally by Ernst D. Feldmann, attests to the 24-carat leaf-gilding on the 1700 year old oak, as well as to the limited edition to 1500.
 

 
Technical details of the Pen of the Year 2012