The epic story of Jay Gatsby, the magnetic main protagonist in F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, is immortalised in Montblanc’s latest Great Characters collection of artisanal writing instruments
It doesn’t matter where you first encountered billionaire Jay Gatsby—whether through F. Scott Fitzgerald’s lyrical prose in his 1925 novel The Great Gatsby or portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann’s visually lavish 2013 movie of the same name—the effect would be one of intrigue, followed by realisation.
“If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life.” These words, appearing early in the first chapter of the novel, introduce us to Gatsby with an aura of mystery and allure. As the story unfolds, we are drawn into a narrative that contemplates wealth, class and the pursuit of the American Dream—set against the opulent backdrop of the 1920s and embodied by its wealthy protagonist.
The Great Gatsby has since become a literary cornerstone, celebrated for its timeless exploration of human ambition and the hollowness of excess, and its main character has evolved into a powerful cultural icon.
Gatsby’s glamorous lifestyle—filled with lavish parties at his grand mansion—draws an uncanny parallel to modern celebrity culture. His character has been immortalised in fashion, film adaptations and countless 1920s-themed parties, embodying the allure and pitfalls of curated lifestyles.
Breaking Character
Acknowledging the enduring cultural icon that Gatsby has become, Montblanc has chosen to break with tradition by paying homage via a commemorative series of Great Characters limited-edition writing instruments—marking the first time this collection celebrates a fictional character.
Introduced in 2009, the Montblanc Great Characters series, which commemorates “individuals whose accomplishments have left an indelible mark on humankind”, has shone the spotlight on the likes of Mahatma Gandhi (2009), Leonardo Da Vinci (2014), Elvis Presley (2020) and Muhammad Ali (2023). With each tribute, the collection delves into the distinctive traits and achievements of each personality, expressing their life stories and milestones through careful research, thoughtful design and meticulous craftsmanship.
Whether it’s the non-limited Special Edition or the four collections capped at 1,925, 100, 30 and eight pieces, the Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby writing instruments all feature recurring motifs. These include caps emblazoned with the initials ‘JG’; clips shaped like money clips; cones designed in the likeness of hip flasks; and art deco-style nibs decorated with important elements of the novel, such as Gatsby’s famous yellow car and the green light that symbolises his love for Daisy Fay Buchanan.
Unique Personalities
Each edition in the series grows progressively more extravagant and exclusive, with each collection showcasing its own distinct appeal. The Montblanc Great Characters Homage to The Great Gatsby Special Edition, for instance, includes a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen, featuring a barrel adorned in a uniquely deep blue—a result of an innovative technique blending precious resin with lacquer, making each piece one-of-a-kind.
The Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 1925, on the other hand, is the writing instrument equivalent of a bespoke pinstriped suit. The pattern, symbolic of refined dressing during the era, appears on the cap, while the rest of the writing instrument is decorated with yellow goldcoated fittings and a mother-of-pearl Montblanc emblem to reiterate the spirit of wealth and prosperity. The collection’s limited-edition number is also significant—it represents the year the novel was published.
Collectors seeking something lavish may consider the Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 100, Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 30 and this issue’s cover star, Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 8.
The 100- and 30-piece models are aesthetically close cousins. They are both sheathed in an art deco-style, lattice-like skeleton overlay—gold for the former and platinum for the latter—that give the impression of miniature 1920s skyscrapers.
The Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 100, which marks the 100th anniversary of the novel’s publication and alludes to the highest-denomination dollar note in circulation at the time, is set with precious stones such as a green tsavorite, green malachite cabochon and brilliant-cut diamonds.
Meanwhile, the Homage To The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 30, which features a translucent green lacquer underlay, is festooned with princess-cut diamonds, the Montblanc logo made of a pave-set green tsavorite, and a design of an original US Peace Dollar minted between 1921 and 1935 on the cone.
Lavished in shiny yellow gold, as well as rich black and red lacquer, and mother-of-pearl inlays, the Homage to The Great Gatsby Limited Edition 8 is designed to evoke the “energy and extravagance” of a decadent high-society party in the 1920s. Motifs of fireworks, champagne and a dancing couple (Gatsby and Daisy) are etched on the barrel. Elsewhere, the Montblanc emblem set within the black jade cap top is cut from a single diamond, and the ‘JG’ initials are formed by pave-set brilliant-cut diamonds. It is a creation that encapsulates Fitzgerald’s expression of luxury in the story, resonating with his description of something “full of money…the jingle of it.”
Throughout each of the five editions, the Montblanc Great Characters Homage To The Great Gatsby series lives up to the collection’s knack for delivering highly collectible writing instruments that are more akin to objets d’art. Adorned with art deco motifs and imbued with 1920s-inspired resplendence, the writing instruments not only visually evoke the novel’s main themes, but also look like works of art that Gatsby himself would have collected and flaunted.
