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Pen pals

Special price for special pens People don’t mind splurging on them

Pens have come a long way from being mere writing instruments to objects of status and style. “I buy pens for the pleasure of writing. When I am in one of those moods to write something, I use my special pens,” says Sudarshan, a pen enthusiast. Be it the ever popular Mont Blanc with its unmistakable white star logo, Parker or Reynolds, the Chennai market throws up a satisfactory range of luxury pens. You can choose from those good old brands that left you with ink-stained fingers back in school or cough up a few extra thousands for that swanky pen that increases your snob value when it merely peeps out of your shirt pocket.

The most expensive piece right now in a few stores is the Mont Blanc Skeleton A380 Limited Edition. In solid white gold with diamonds and a handcrafted nib, this pen costs a whopping Rs. 10,05,000.

“A lot of people opt for luxury pens. They know what they want, and are passionate about brands. In fact, some clients are so particular that everything on their desk is from Mont Blanc,” she adds.

That explains the market for such cult brands in spite of their soaring prices. Be it the Pasha De Cartier, a platinum finished fountain pen worth Rs. 53,000 or Serenite Blue, a beauty from Waterman that costs Rs. 65,000 or any of the steeply priced pieces from Cross, Lamy, Chopard and other such brands, each has a buyer for itself. Till sometime ago, luxury pens were a domain that attracted only the middle age bracket, but these days a number of youngsters too seem to be splurging on these pens or rather ‘jewels’, the Mont Blanc staff clarify. The marble finish and gold-plated range from Cross and the silver-bodied fountain pen from Reynolds are popular with the young crowd. Ditto the floating logo and checked Starwalker range from Mont Blanc. Priced at Rs. 22,150, it comes in a rhodium-plated body, and is quite the collector’s item.

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