The write stuff

Montblanc

John Lennon Limited Edition 70

Celebrating the musician's 70th birthday, and echoing his most remembered solo hit, the word 'Imagine', rendered in a skeleton of white gold, encircles the pen. The transparent precious resin on the cap and barrel recalls Lennon's trademark round blue glasses; a colour that's repeated in the sapphire set on the clip alongside three diamonds that mark out the song's chord. The pen's cone is lacquered to resemble a piano keyboard, and, on this 70-piece edition (HK$2.08 million), the 18K gold nib bears Lennon's self-portrait signature.

Dunhill

Sentryman Explorer II

The barrel conceals a little torch; a reference to the 'bag light' Alfred Dunhill created in the early 1900s for his wife. Three interchangeable nibs provide the choice of 18-carat gold fountain nib, pencil or ballpoint. Made from gunmetal grey PVD-coated carbon fibre, and limited to 150 globally, each pen is priced at HK$26,200 and comes in a black lacquered box.

Montegrappa

Limited Edition Icons Tribute to Muhammad Ali Pen

The nib sports the boxing legend's victorious silhouette, while the white pearlised resin barrel bears the colours and stripes of his outfit. The end of the cap - which carries Ali's signature - is shaped after his diamond-encrusted world championship ring. The Knock-out edition fountain pen (pictured) comes in solid 18K gold with diamonds, for Euro15,000 (HK$161,300). For inquiries: www.montegrappa.com

Caran d'Ache

1010 Chrono Sport Limited Edition

Designed to evoke the intricate workings of a chronograph, the 1010 Chrono Sport pays tribute to the first recorder of time and the athletes it recorded. It's available in two versions: fountain pen and roller pen, both in a limited edition of 500 pieces. An extra 10 collectors' pieces were made in solid rose gold (pictured, HK$580,000). The fountain pen, set with a ruby, has a piston pump finished in soft-touch matt black.

Visconti

The Golden Man HRH

Visconti pays tribute to the fifth-century BC nomadic tribes of the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea, referred to by Herodotus as 'griffins - treasurers of gold'. The collection is inspired by the mythical Golden Man, a mysterious armed warrior who adorned himself with thousands of jewels - gems and gold - representing leopards, ibex, winged horses and floral motifs. The colours and motifs are a tribute to the animalistic Scythian art used by these nomads, a limited edition of 18 fountain pens (HK$494,000 each) has been created, in yellow gold with red lacquering, and 250 white diamonds on the clip and barrel.