

marc newson redefines the writing instrument with montblanc M

image courtesy of montblanc

in june, designboom was invited to a special event in milan to witness the unveiling of montblanc’s first ever designer collaboration. after more than a century, the german brand known for its in-house creative development and production of luxury writing instruments, has worked alongside marc newson who has brought forth a new aesthetic language and contemporary spirit to montblanc with the ‘montblanc M’.

today, we are finally allowed to show you the elegance of newson’s design. characterized by organic forms that highlight his signature style, the ‘montblanc M’ encompasses the original craftsmanship and approach of the maison with newson’s signature stylistic elements, resulting in a handwriting experience that is a perfect balance between form and function.



‘montblanc M’ by marc news

image courtesy of montblanc

marc newson’s ‘montblanc M’ draws from the traditional craftsmanship of the luxury brand, with every element and detail of his design providing a multi-sensory experience. the writing instrument simultaneously functions as a fineliner pen for technical drawing and precision required of creatives like newson himself. the functionality of the ‘montblanc M’ is characterized by a clever magnet that ensures the closure of the body and hood is in perfect alignment; whereby the clip runs in line with the innovative plateau at the barrel end — allowing the instrument to fit comfortably between the thumb and index finger. an additional snap mechanism simplifies the closure to secure the cap in place.



the lines of the clip are aligned with the innovative plateau at the writing instrument’s base

image courtesy of montblanc

aesthetically, newson has maintained the distinctive elements of montblanc with the use of a black precious resin for the body. the plateau at the end is obtained through milling the material using a diamond tool, shaping its fluid lines. the iconic montblanc emblem is also embedded using ultrasonic welding to ensure a surface that is perfectly flat and smooth, while the clip is rendered with platinum plating and is mounted to the cap in a invisible way, as to not interrupt the lines of the design.

image © designboom

for the first time on this occasion a gold nib AU585 is used, in a two-tone finish of rhodium and ruthenium, topped off by the inscription of ‘MN’ — an homage to marc newson — on those nibs produced in the year of the ‘montblanc M’ launch.

‘like montblanc, I seek to strike a balance in the design between the simplicity of the functional qualities of this product and the creation of a sensory experience in its use,’ explains marc newson. ‘from the sight of the shape’s clean lines or the detailed plating of the nib, from the touch and feel of the writing instrument with its polished surface and ruthenium forepart, to the sound of the click of the cap as it is drawn to the body of the writing instrument with the magnet, ‘montblanc M’ offers a seamless writing experience that engages the senses.’



detail of the plateau which fits nicely between the fingers for ease of opening and closing

image © designboom

the ‘montblanc M’ is available as a fountain pen, rollerball pen, ballpoint pen as well as a screenwritier, for use on a touch screen, and as a fine art and fineliner for technical drawing. marc newson’s ‘montblanc M’ will be available in montblanc boutiques worldwide from september 2015.

see our interview with montblanc’s executive VP of marketing jens henning koch who talks about working with marc newson and outlines the details of the ‘montblanc M’ writing instrument.



detail of the platinum plated clip

image © designboom



all nibs made in the year of the ‘montblanc M’ launch will feature the initials ‘MN’ — an homage to the designer

image © designboom



the ‘montblanc M’ in its package accompanied with a service guide

image © designboom