Mankind has always been fascinated by
petrified shapes of plants and creatures. For centuries such fossils were
considered to be inexplicable ludi naturæ, Nature’s playful whims.
Leonardo da Vinci was the first, after the
ancient Greeks, to recognize them as genuine remains of living organisms. Some
spectacular finds confirmed this view. In Arizona and Patagonia, for example,
people discovered entire petrified forests that must have come about many aeons
ago.
After volcanic eruptions had buried the
vegetation under a hail of hot ashes, or it had become flooded and covered in
thick layers of sediment, a unique metamorphosis
took place in the wood that was thus encased. In the course of a crystallization process
that can take up to 360 million years, lime, phosphates, and other mineral
salts penetrate the wood from the surrounding strata. They gradually replace
the wood, but – fascinatingly – some of the natural structures remain.
In a silica-rich environment, the petrified
wood can develop into a preliminary stage of the semi-precious stones
chalcedony and agate. The Pen of the Year 2007 shows up the aesthetic qualities
of this gemstone in a unique way.
BRILLIANT AS A GEMSTONE
Petrified wood as the material for a fountain
pen is an unusual twist to the use of valuable woods in the Graf von
Faber-Castell Collection.
And it requires pieces of unusual quality.
The only ones that fulfil the requirements are deciduous wood from Brazil.
Select stocks of this petrified wood are hard enough to give a top-quality
gemstone finish. The individual hues vary from shades of light brown via
elegant anthracite grey to deep black where the grain is almost invisible.
Each Pen of the Year becomes a unique work of
art: its intense but discrete sparkle never ceases to impress.
CRAFTED BY THE MASTERS
The greatest challenge in producing this Pen
of the Year was shaping the stones precisely to the ideal form for the purpose.
This can be achieved only by precision cuts
that take the jeweller’s art to the utmost. It requires the sensitive touch of
an experienced cutter to ensure that the unique nuances of the stone come to
the fore, all the way from the rough cut to the final polish.
The Herbert Stephan gemstone manufactury is
predestined for this demanding task. It carries on the great tradition of the
Idar Oberstein gemstone workshops, founded in the 15th century and of world
renown.
A UNITY OF CONTRASTS
The Pen of the Year 2007 is a writing
implement and a piece of jewellery in one.
The platinized frame encases each individual
stone and shows off its unmistakable brilliance to best effect. Thanks to the
virtuoso precision cut, not the slightest
unevenness can be detected at the transitions between the metal and the stones.
It is fascinating to see and feel how two so
different materials complement each other so harmoniously. The pattern and
colouring give each pen its individual character.
WRITING WITH FLAIR
One just has to pick up the Pen of the Year
2007, and already one senses the excitement of writing with such a gem of a
pen.
It combines brilliant looks, an extremely
effective and inimitable feel, and excellent writing characteristics.
The little plate at the end cap of the barrel
is the crowning glory of this masterpiece, with an artistic gemstone cut.
Facetted with great precision, polished to a gleaming finish, and with the logo
of the Herbert Stephan gemstone manufactury on the inside: this represents the
craftsman’s art in its highest form.
HIGH QUALITY PRESENTATION
Pen of the Year 2007
Each pen is individually numbered and comes
in a unique wooden case with a beautiful brochure and a certificate. This bears
the personal signature of Andreas Crummenauer, the master craftsman of the
Herbert Stephan gemstone manufactury, attesting both the quality of the genuine
petrified wood and that the pen is one of a limited edition.
