A Closer Look at the $57,000 Visconti Ripple H.R.H. Fountain Pen

The inspiration behind the extravagant yet minimalist design of the Visconti ripple is as beautiful as the pen itself. The designer intended the gentle undulations of the diamonds and white gold to mimic the motion of water and thought. The elegance of the creative design is hard to match. Visconti has a fantastic sense of extraordinary yet gauche-free aesthetic elements. When you need a pen that says you put more profound thought into the words you commit to paper, Visconti's Ripple H.R.H. Fountain Pen is a subtle yet brilliant way to show the value of your words.

"Like a stone thrown into the water, thought produces ripples and waves which spread out over the great ocean of thought. There is this difference, however: the waves on the water move only on a level plane in all directions, whereas thought waves move in all directions from a common center, just as do the rays from the sun," says Visconti.

Hand Crafted Excellence

Visconti doesn't just mass produce their stunning pens in an impersonal factory setting. Instead, each piece is handcrafted with precision and care. There's nothing wrong with making a million identical pens; after all, everyone needs to write things down sometimes. However, the difference between luxury and merely average is more than the materials or process alone. It is a combination of excellence and experience that culminates in a work of art.

First, a designer finds an inspiration, like the similarity of motion between thought and water. Then they have to figure out how to translate that concept from a notion into a physical item. Often designers have to draw and discard a dozen or more ideas as they seek a way to bring a spectacular inspiration from their imagination into a functional form. Other times the complete picture springs to mind as though placed there by a Greek muse.

Once they have an approved design, artisans take over, creating each part of the pen by hand. The level of detail and work that goes into crafting something as seemingly simple as a pen is astounding. Hand setting six hundred and fifty individually cut diamonds is a near herculean task.

Every curve and wave in these pens were hand turned, stamped, polished, set, and assembled by skilled craftsmen in Italy. Even the box this pen comes inside is a thing of beauty. Visconti holds every tiny facet of their pens up to the very highest standards of excellence.

In The Details

Only thirty-nine of these exquisite pens were ever made. Should you be so fortunate as to find one for sale, you'll want to snatch that up as fast as possible before any other pen aficionado sees it. Love, at first sight, is rare between humans. Conversely, when observing the heights of glamorous hand-crafted accessories, it's easy to fall for a pen like this.

All of the Diamonds in this pen are white diamonds of the very highest quality and clarity (VS/VVS, color GH). They are set in the rippling rows of white gold that make up most of the barrel of the pen itself. For elegant contrast, they've chosen a black resin that is polished to an ebony shine. Visconti doesn't 'do' inexpensive or second rate materials in its exceptional creations. When you make some of the best accessories in the world, only the best will do.

This pen is graced with a double reservoir power filler so that you need never worry about running out of ink at an inopportune moment. The edition may be limited, but hopefully, your opportunities to use such a pen won't be.

The Dream Touch Nib

In addition to its handsome appeal and intricately wrought details, a 23 kt. palladium Dreamtouch Nib is unique for other reasons. Visconti is exceptionally selective about creating and using only the finest nibs for their pens, and the name isn't just another decoration on this already outstanding writing implement. The Dreamtouch nibs truly write like a dream.

Flexibility is key. Too much stiffness, as is so often the case with a steel nib, and you'll wear it down faster. An inflexible nib makes writing more difficult. The thickness of the material also affects the way your pen writes. Meanwhile, gold is far softer and less likely to abraid on the page in the way untipped steel tends to do.

Three other factors come into play to create the perfect nib. First, the length of the tines determines how they spread. Obviously, there's a skill to writing with an ink pen that no ball-point pen user can understand. Too much tine pressure and you can snap a nib. Secondly, the size and location of the breather hole along with its shape can alter not only the firmness of your nib but also the writing experience. Lastly, the curve effects how stiff the feel in the tip of your pen. Visconti has mastered all these elements to bring you their Dreamtouch for the absolute pinnacle of penmanship.

Thoughts on Pen Storage

Always remember to store your fine pens securely. These are not meant to live in a cup on your desk, and the quality will suffer if improperly cared for. Visconti doesn't make boxes and pen stands for the fun of it, they are a vital part of high-end pen maintenance. Resting a good pen on its uncovered nib is disregarding the value of the pen completely. Not only does it make a leak more likely, but it damages the nib over time.

Final Thoughts

The only issue you'll have with a pen this perfect is that there aren't enough chances in a day to use it. Holding a work of art like a Visconti HRH Ripple is a singular pleasure all on its own. Whether you need to sign a business transaction or a love letter, there's no better way to accomplish your inscriptions than with a pen designed to tell the world that your statements matter.