Montegrappa Quincy Jones - The Secret Garden Limited Edition Rollerball ISSGNRCO, 2015

Montegrappa’s connection to music is as diverse as their collection of fine writing instruments. Following a rich tradition of celebrating music with pens dedicated to great operas such as The Barber of Seville, La Traviata, and Rigoletto, the great violins of Antonio Stradivari, through to honoring icons of contemporary music such as Elvis and Frank Sinatra, Montegrappa continued that tradition by paying tribute to another music legend, Quincy Jones. 

The legendary American record producer, conductor, arranger, composer, television and film producer, record company executive, magazine founder, trumpeter, author and humanitarian has played a key role in the development of modern music, across more genres and media than any other musical icon. The 27 Grammy Awards winner arrived in Dubai on the 6th of April, to unveil his very own Montegrappa Quincy Jones limited edition pens. 

Quincy Jones visited the Montegrappa boutique in Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Montegrappa’s flagship store in the Middle East. Once at the boutique, he was enticed by the intricacy of the writing instruments on display and felt a particular connection towards the recently launched tribute to Nelson Mandela set along with the Muhammad Ali limited edition fountain pen - both tributes to personal friend who he holds in extremely high regard. Mr. Jones also took time out in the boutique to sign memorabilia, including walls and tables, with his Quincy Jones limited edition marker pen that can write on any surface. 

Following several relaxed and intimate meetings with members of the media, Mr. Jones and 80 other guests were invited to a private dinner at Alta Badia, the Italian restaurant in the Emirates Towers overlooking the Dubai shoreline. Also in attendance at this star studded event was Quincy’s friend, the famous astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to set foot on the Moon, as well as Edgar Davids, the former international Dutch footballer and Giuseppe Aquila, the CEO of Montegrappa. 

Guests were captivated by an operatic display by the Emirates Opera Project who performed several pieces from Verdi, Mozart and Donizetti so encapsulating that Mr. Jones even found himself conducting from the comfort of his seat. 

Montegrappa provided each guest with a picture of Quincy Jones as a memento, many of whom then had them signed personally by Quincy Jones, with his new Montegrappa limited edition pen. 

The Quincy Jones pen features his personal logo on the top of the cap, an engraved, colour-enhanced “Q”. The textured barrel in black carbon is accented in the middle and at both ends with bold, multi-coloured resin rings in a marble pattern. The sleek, modernist, arched pocket clip features Montegrappa’s signature rotating sphere to facilitate easy pocket ingress and egress. In keeping with the wholly musical theme, the end of the barrel is finished with a sculpted loudspeaker cone. For the rollerball and marker versions, Quincy Jones’ signature is engraved at the finger grip, while the fountain pen's solid 18K gold nib boasts a sleek Q logo. Montegrappa will produce a limited edition of 333 fountain pens, 333 rollerball pens and 333 luxury markers.