LUXE
BY NANCY OLSON
Two Swiss brands— one known for its dazzling array of fine writing instruments and the other a conceptual horological laboratory— have joined forces to create an incredible amalgamation of their respective fortes. The resultant Astrograph, by Caran d’ Ache and MB & F, is a limited-edition pen that is part writing instrument and part poetry.
The Astrograph saga began about four years ago, when MB & F founder Maximilian Büsser shared an idea with Caran d’ Ache: he wished to allow his childhood dream of traveling in space to take shape in a writing instrument. Caran d’ Ache was up to the task, creating a pen inspired by a rocket, set inside a launch pad-style box. With the 99 components and 500 manual operations required, construction of the pen was no easy feat, but it was— at its heart— an adventure.
Since the Astrograph is first and foremost a writing instrument, the pen’ s proportions ensure that it rests perfectly and comfortably in the hand. Its structure is articulated by an ingenious mechanism inspired by penknives. A miniature lever, the“ entry door” to the rocket, activates the lowering of three stabilizer legs that allow the pen to stand vertically. These, like the miniature ladder than runs alongside the“ thruster engines,” comprise parts that are sandblasted, satinfinished and rhodium-plated.
The dual-branded Astrograph is available in three styles, each complemented by anthracite lacquer: high-gloss rhodium( fountain pen), sandblasted matte rhodium( fountain pen or rollerball) or ruthenium anthracite( fountain pen). Each variation is engraved on one of the stabilizer legs with its number within the edition of 99 pieces. The fountain pens feature an 18-karat gold nib. The Astrograph comes with a miniature figurine of an astronaut that is rhodium plated and magnetized so it will attach to any part of the pen’ s body, ready for takeoff.
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WRISTWATCH | 2017