Handcrafted in Italy’s Aosta Valley, the Grifos Calypso fountain pen is made from galuchat—also known as shagreen, or stingray leather. Originally used by Japanese samurai to improve the grip of their sword handles, galuchat is also valued for its beauty and water resistance, and has been a popular material for bookbinding and furniture making since the 17th century. The pen’s textured leather is complemented by gleaming bands, and an intricate guilloche pattern on the grip section completes the executive aesthetic.
Note: At checkout, you'll have your choice of body color: blue or gray. The default nib is stainless steel in extra-fine, fine, medium, or broad. Or, upgrade to a solid 18-karat gold nib (+ $150). Choose yellow gold in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, or oblique broad; or white gold in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, or stub. For a matching set, you can add a Grifos Galuchat rollerball pen (+ $160) with your choice of ink color: black or blue.
Due to the handmade nature of this pen, shipments will be split into two batches, with the first 20 orders shipping on the estimated shipping date and the next 20 shipping 2 weeks later.
Offering solid weight and a smooth, pleasant feel, this fountain pen has an engraved nib and a matching pocket clip for easy transport. The screw-on cap bears the Grifos logo, collection name, and country of origin on a thick band around its base, and posts to extend the length to 7 inches.
The guilloche technique originated in the 18th century, and uses a manual diamond-cutting tool to engrave metals with intricate patterns. Over the years, the craft has been handed down from generation to generation using machines that are operated the same way they were three centuries ago. Rare among pen companies today, Grifos has an in-house guilloche machine that allows its experienced silversmiths to engrave on-site.
Estimated ship date is July 23, 2019 PT.
Payment will be collected at checkout. After this product run ends, orders will be submitted to the vendor up front, making all orders final.