Montblanc Meisterstuck No149.

The pen is mightier than the sword, and this pen is the size of a dagger

I’ve had my 149 for almost thirty years and it’s been a joy to use. When you use one of these beautifully crafted tools, you forget the pretensions that accompany such a statement piece of luxury and power. You don’t really care that JFK was a fan, or that Mikhail Gorbachev used one to sign the friendship treaty between the USSR and Germany; they’re just superb at what they’re designed to do, which is to write.

Even though it’s big at 148mm long (cap on) and 16mm in diameter, it’s actually understated in its sombre black, shiny resin barrel with slim gold bands. The other wonderful thing about this instrument is the attention to detail in the way it’s individually crafted with thirty five intricate steps.

There are also small stories on the pen: the white, six-pointed star that adorns the tip of the cap represents the snowy top and six glacial valleys of Mont Blanc. The height of Mont Blanc (4810m) is engraved on the 14-carat gold nib, the tip of which is made from iridium - one of the hardest precious metals known to man.

In the age of the keyboard, this fountain pen is an essential piece for any obsessive.