Montblanc has released a pair of Limited Edition fountain pens to commemorate the Lunar New Year as part of the Signs & Symbols collection. First introduced in 2015, the the collection is made up of the “Legend of Zodiacs”, and “A Journey Among Dragons”. Since 2018 is the year of the dog, The Dog Limited Edition 512 (shown above) has a sterling silver cap, black lacquer barrel, with the dog stamped on the rhodium-coated Au750 solid gold nib. To up the luxurious ante, the cone is also set with a brilliant cut diamond, the birthstone for the Year of the Dog, with the Montblanc emblem in mother of pearl, on top of the cap. And, since superstition is prevalent when it comes to Chinese culture, this limited edition is a celebration of the number 8 (traditionally perceived as an auspicious number), with 512 which is the sum total of 8x8x8.

For the “A Journey Among Dragons” series, the 2018 edition is the Azure Dragon Limited Edition 88. So why the dragon? Well, that’s because this mythical creature also features prominently in Chinese folklore. Qinglong, the Azure Dragon, known as the God of the East in ancient myths, this glorious creature dates back to the Han Dynasty of China (206 B.C. – 22o A.D.). The Azure Dragon also finds itself as part of Japanese folklore, and is known as one of the four guardian spirits of cities that protects Kyoto on the east.

This year, the sterling silver cap is hand-engraved with the figure of a dragon, which has blue sapphires for eyes. The coloured lacquer is also reminiscent of the scales on the dragon, accented by 18karat gold fittings on the barrel. Limited to just 88 pieces (which, numerically symbolise double prosperity.

The Legend of Zodiacs “The Dog” Fountain Pen 512 retails at MYR 22,000, and the Signs and Symbols Azure Dragon Limited Edition 88 Fountain Pen retails at MYR 64,700 at Montblanc boutiques.

Images courtesy of Montblanc