To most of us, a pen is a pen. A tool for writing the rare check, a thank you note or a way to fill out paperwork before a medical appointment. As long as ink flows from it, most of us don’t give our pens a second thought.
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But many collectors and aficionados think differently about pens, especially luxury pens. What makes a pen luxury? Aside from superior craftsmanship and design, most luxury pens have the ink flowing through a “nib,” the fine, pointed tip at the end.
And for the truly special pens, collectors will pay top dollar. How much? Millions. Read on to learn more about 10 of the most expensive pens in the world.
1. The Fulgor Nocturnus — $8 Million
The Fulgor Nocturnus is billed as the most expensive pen in the world and it sold at a charity auction in Shanghai for $8 million in 2010. Created by Tibaldi, an Italian brand, the pen’s design follows the Golden Ratio, also used in architecture and art. Forget the science and focus on the bling. The pen has 945 black diamonds and 123 rubies. It’s a good bet the owner displays this work of art and doesn’t have it in the kitchen junk drawer to write the grocery list.
2. The Boheme Royal — $1.5 Million
From luxury pen manufacturer Montblanc is the Boheme Royal, which has a barrel and cap made from 18-carat white gold and encrusted with more than 1,400 diamonds, including on the clip. SuperMoney says it’s the second-most-expensive pen in the world, worth $1.5 million.
3. The Aurora Diamante — $1.28 Million
The Aurora Diamante is one of the most exclusive pens in the world, with reportedly just one made per year. The pen, produced in Italy, has a solid platinum barrel with 30 carats of diamonds. Buyers can personalize the pen with a signature, portrait or family coat of arms. A Diamante is estimated to have a value of about $1.28 million.
4. The 1010 Diamonds Limited Edition Fountain Pen — $1 Million
From the Swiss manufacturer, Caran d’Ache, comes the 1010 Diamonds Limited Edition Fountain Pen. More than 850 diamonds in brilliant, emerald and baguette cuts are encrusted over the 18-karat white gold pen, which is designed as a tribute to watch dials. The cap resembles the teeth of a watch gear. The pen is valued at about $1 million, but Caran d’Ache does make a simpler version, called the 1010 Timekeeper, without the jewels for about $10,300.
5. Heaven Gold — $1 Million
Jewelry designer Anita Tan made just eight of the Heaven Gold pens, with each valued at about $1 million, Rarest.org reported. Her design was informed by Chinese numerology, and she adorned it with 1,888 diamonds since the number 8 signifies fortune. The diamonds total about 48 carats. The pen has an additional 43 carats of the gemstone tsavorite, a deep green stone from Africa.
6. The Mystery Masterpiece — $730,000
This pen is the result of the combined efforts of luxury pen maker Montblanc and jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. The two manufacturers created just a few of the Mystery Masterpiece pens, according to SuperMoney. The pen was created with 30 carats of gems — either rubies, emeralds or sapphires — with diamond accents. Are Montblanc pens worth it? Only a few buyers who paid about $730,000 for this pen could answer that question.
7. Prince Rainier III Limited Edition 81 — $256,000
Montblanc designed the Prince Rainier III Limited Edition pen following the 2005 death of Prince Rainier. The pen made its world premiere in 2007 at a charity function in Monte Carlo, and only 81 of the pens were created and sold for $256,000. The pen is created from 18-karat white gold with more than eight carats of diamonds and rubies designed to commemorate the life of Rainier III.
8. La Modernista Diamond Pen — $250,000
Swiss house Caran d’Ache made only eight of these pens which released in 2001, and they now cost more than $250,000, Pensguide reported. The pens have more than 3,000 diamonds spread over the platinum barrel of the handmade luxury pen.
9. Boheme Papillon — $198,000
The gold and gemstone Boheme Papillon pen by Montblanc has a price tag of $198,000. The company designed six different varieties that featured different themes or color palettes. Many of the more than 1,000 stones are diamonds.
10. The Perrier-Jouët Anniversary Edition — $135,000
A special champagne deserves a special pen, right?
When French champagne manufacturer Perrier-Jouët marked its 200th anniversary in 2002, Italian manufacturer OMAS created an anniversary pen that sold for about $135,000, Pensguide reported. The design includes flower engravings and a dark green background that reflect the origins of Perrier-Jouët as well as its bottle color.
The Bottom Line
Not everyone can own one of these extremely pricey luxury pens, but luxury pen manufacturers do offer more affordable versions of their products. You can own a Montblanc ballpoint pen for $270 or a Caran d’Ache model for just about $25. Your pen won’t have a nib or diamonds, but at least you can own a pen from the world’s top manufacturers.
Information is accurate as of June 19, 2023.