Pens? Jewelry? Leather? Headphones? If you’re a curious watch collector, it might be tough to pin down what Montblanc is actually about.
But since its founding in 1906 as a fountain pen manufacturer in Hamburg, Germany, Montblanc has evolved into one of the most expansive and recognizable luxury brands we know today. And with deep associations spanning well into a range of luxury goods, there’s rich history to be found for any watch enthusiast that digs deep enough to find the real, horological story.
Early Years
Simplizissiumus-Füllhalter was founded by Berlin designer August Eberstein and a Hamburg banker named Alfred Nehemias, and soon changed its name to the much easier to pronounce Simplo Filler Pen Co. GmbH. More changes of ownership and name would ultimately lead to it becoming the more familiar Montblanc.
Their initial success can be credited to the Simplicissiumus pen design, or Simplo, which had a built-in ink well in 1909. The first commercially available model — the Rouge et Noir — was quickly succeeded by another model in 1910, simply called Montblanc. The company’s name change followed.
Arguably, the cornerstone of Montblanc’s brand identity is the Meisterstück (German for “masterpiece”) pen. First launched in 1924, the Meisterstück propelled Montblanc into international stardom, with a model eventually making its way to the desk of one of Montblanc’s most famous customers decades later—United States President John F. Kennedy.
