SimplyAbuDhabi XII

O n the shores of the River Brenta in the Northeast foothills of Italy, near a town called Vicenza, a small factory produces world-class pens that are celebrated around the globe by any discerning wordsmith. Or perennial cheque writers here in the Middle East… Montegrappa is one of Italy’s oldest standards in pen manufacturing. It was established in 1912, defining itself as ‘a maker of gold nibs and fountain pens’. Writers Ernest Hemingway and JohnDos Passos both used the pens during their military service during the First WorldWar, where they volunteered as ambulance drivers, and became ardent fans. In the 1930s, the company boomed. The fountain pen because commonplace and popular and the Montegrappa products found acclaim for their sober design, range of colours, perfect performance and forward-thinking use of materials. They were among the first to use celluloid and galalith in their pens. Today, it remains the domain of the suited and booted, rich and famous. Former Formula One Ferrari driver, Jean Alesi, is a partner of owning family, Aquila, and member of the board, adding some glamour to an already highly regarded brand. The latest release maintains the company’s steadfast reputation. Precision-cut, the pen lid has an elaborate latticework in gold or silver set with a tip of lacquer to differentiate between the fountain pen and the roller ball pen. The body is in delicate contrast, plain and highly polished, ergonomically formed to fit neatly in the hand, almost as an extension of the fingers. It’s an ambitious design that encapsulates the complexities of the human brain. Drawing inspiration from the mysterious grey matter, the design team aimed to create a tool that accurately reflects how the act and art of writing are an extension of the brain itself. How writing instruments allow man to extend and express himself, bridging the gap between intellectual and physical entities. That contrast between the pen’s most basic structural elements is a physical reminder of this: the top part of the pen is rich and elaborate, while the body is simple, acting as a parallel to a man's body, where all his true riches are in the brain. The Brain Pen is the result of a collaboration withDr Restak, author of more than 20 academic tomes on the science of the brain. He holds many seats in his eminent field including Clinical Professor of Neurology at George WashingtonUniversity School of Medicine and Health Sciences and residencies at Mount Sinai Hospital, GeorgetownUniversity Hospital and George WashingtonHospital. The top of the cap features a cross-section of the brain designed around an ancient illustration. Flowing down the rest of the cap is an overlay depicting neurons and a pocket clip suggestive of the spinal cord, from which all physical motion originates. It boasts a smooth spring-loaded mechanism designed to perfection. Leading down to the page, the nib is etched with the image of a sea horse. The hippocampus is major component of the brain and a sea horse bears a striking resemblance, the name deriving from the Latin ‘hippo’ meaning horse and ‘kampos’ meaning sea monster. The hippocampus is found in humans and other vertebrae and forms part of the limbic system. That systemhelps the human brain to consolidate information from the short-term memory to the long-term memory and allows us to gauge spatial awareness. As befits a piece of such special consideration and noteworthy collaboration, it is to be available only in a limited edition. 1012 silver fountain pens, a quantity representing the number of neurons in the human brain, which are estimated to be between 10 raised to the 12th power or 10 raised to the 13th power. 900 silver roller ball pens, as the number of neurotransmitter (messenger) molecules released by a single synaptic vesicle is 900. 50 solid 18-karat gold fountain pens, as the diameter of a synaptic vesicle is 50 nanometres. 50 solid 18-karat gold roller ball pens, also representing the diameter of a synaptic vesicle of 50 nanometres. 12 solid 18-karat gold fountain pens with diamonds, representing the 12 cranial nerves. 6 solid 18-karat gold roller balls with diamonds, representing the 6 cortical layers. And if the pen inspires you to learn more about the human brain? Look no further than the accompanying book penned especially for Montegrappa by Dr Restak. 3 7 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I