Are Montblanc Pens Really Handmade?

A lovely pen is a heritage that everyone would cherish. This form of heirloom encourages the recipient to identify good memories with each use, and it serves as a unique, physical link between the giver and the receiver. These bonds are what Montblanc strives to achieve with their pens.

Except for a few steps in the manufacturing process, Montblanc pens are not handmade. The grinding, assembly and writing test are all hand-inspected and tested by professionals to guarantee they match Montblanc’s specifications. After that, however, the cutting, sculpting, and engraving get done by machine.

Now that you know Montblanc doesn’t make every component by hand, you might have other questions like what materials they use, what prosses they use to make the nibs, how to spot a fake Montblanc pen, and why are the fountain pen nibs Gold and not any other material? If you wonder about any of the following questions, you are lucky because we cover all of them and more in this article.

Is Signature Montblanc Pens Handmade?

Although every component Montblanc manufactures is hand-inspected and tested by individuals, most of the pens’ components are machine-made, such as cutting, bending, and welding, as are most items created today. Craftspersons are skilled specialists who grind and test by hand and assemble various components to verify each item independently.

Montblanc is one of the few pen manufacturers that still produce their own nibs and will not outsource their products to any other third-party company. Montblanc will check every step of the manufacturing process and deliver nothing but the best to its customers.

Montblanc is a highly rated company selling some of the best pens on the market. And because of this, they go to great lengths to uphold their reputation of being one of the best pen companies in the world. And Montblanc caters to all writers no matter their price range, whether it’s a $600 pen or the Mystery Masterpiece costing $730,000, which is the most expensive pen sold by Montblanc.

Although not entirely handmade, Montblanc offers a bespoke service specially created for the individual that wants a custom nib. A Montblanc bespoke nib expert examines your writing style and then recommends the exact nib that best suits your writing style and needs. The Montblanc bespoke nib is made entirely of solid gold by highly trained artisans at the Montblanc nib factory in Hamburg.

They grind it by hand to represent the unique features of each individual’s handwriting. You can have the critical characteristics of your handwriting examined at Montblanc Headquarters in Hamburg and specialized Montblanc boutiques throughout the world, including Hamburg, Shanghai, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico City, New York, Milan, Moscow, and Tokyo.

How They Shape And Cut The Correct Size Nib From Gold Tape

Montblanc’s nibs come in various styles and different nib sizes, ranging from extra-fine to double broad, but that is only the beginning of it all. Custom pens and personalized engravings are specialized features you can expect from a Montblanc pen.

Every fountain pen’s nib gets cut from a 16.5-pound gold coiled ribbon. Each gold coil can generate a large number of fountain pen nibs. The leftover gold is melted down and reused in other projects or recycled into ribbons for creating more fountain nibs.

How The Fountain Pen Nibs Are Engraved And Curved

Each cut-out nib from the ribbon gets embossed with the number 4810, the altitude, in meters, of Mont Blanc mountains highest peak. After being stamped, the engraved nib is placed in a machine that forces the curves into the nib, forming the golden nib found on every Montblanc Meisterstück fountain pen.

Why Is An Iridium Ball Welded On The Nib’s Tip?

The nib is gold because it is delicate and gives the fountain pen a lot of writing flexibility. Even so, gold isn’t strong enough on its own and will wear out rapidly, so a little glob of iridium is welded to the nib’s tip to strengthen it and provide more material for the grinders to work with when polishing the nib to its desired shape and smoothness.

After manually fusing the nib tip, the craftspeople polish it with a high-speed rolling cylinder. Several times during the polishing process, the craftsperson inspects the nib with a magnifying lens to ensure that it isn’t scratchy and that you have a smooth and enjoyable writing experience. Due to the precision and difficulty, it takes years for someone to become proficient enough to properly check and polish these nibs.

Rigorous Hand Testing After Assembly

After assembling the pens, they get sent to a room where skilled artisans test each pen by hand. Writing sets of figure eights, circles, and lines on regular A4 paper will determine if the fountain pen gets shipped out or if it will stay for more extensive tweaking and adjustments. These artisans can tell if a pen is defective or needs adjustment just by its writing feel and the sound the pen makes.

How To Spot Fake Montblanc Pens?

Counterfeiting of these well-known names is a concern, as it is with so many other fine companies worldwide. Mont Blanc is no different. Look for the unique serial number engraved on the ring of the pen clip to verify the authenticity of a Montblanc pen. A serial number is imprinted on every genuine model. After 1991, models featured a two-digit serial number engraved on the ring clip, followed by seven letters.

Some counterfeit versions attempt to imitate this, but you can check online or call your local dealer to make sure you’re buying genuine. Buying from a respected dealer ensures authenticity and long-term investment trust.

Conclusion

Montblanc pens are not handmade except for a few adjustments, like the grinding of the nib tips, which are hand done and inspected using a microscope to ensure every little detail gets done to the exact precision. Montblanc nibs are made out of gold and could bend easily if too much pressure is applied, but they could last a lifetime with the proper care.

Montblanc loves the idea of handing the pen you used all your life down to your children so they build their pens to last. So being said, with the proper care passing down Montblanc pens for generation after generation could be a simple reality. And Montblanc has been a fantastic pen company for over 100 years now and is still one of the best luxury pen providers in the world. So paying a premium for this investment is sure worth it.