Certain novels go down in literary history and, at the same time, come to symbolise an entire epoch. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ is one such gem of modern American literature. Published in 1925, the novel paints a fascinating picture of the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties – a time of unprecedented affluence and self-indulgence. Pulsating New York City, the opulent mansions of Long Island and the dazzling high society parties are the backdrop to the story of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire, who will stop at nothing to regain the affections of the lost love of his youth, Daisy Buchanan.

The chosen style of the era’s elite became a fashion classic for successful businessmen – and the inspiration behind this writing instrument. The pinstriped design of the cap made of precious black and white lacquer harmonises with the barrel finished in precious black lacquer. The apparent power of money is symbolised in the edition by the platinum-coated clip, which takes the form of a money clip. Its rounded opening is resplendent with the initials of Jay Gatsby as a rhomboidal gold-coloured Art Deco monogram. The myth of the American dream and the design of the often stylish hip flasks of the Art Deco period are referenced by the cone, which imitates the engraved screw cap of a flask and the fine rings in the colours of the American flag encircling it. The crowning Montblanc emblem is made of mother-of-pearl, a material whose iridescent colours and shimmering glow inspired some of the most elegant creations by jewellery designers of the Art Deco period. The essence of the American dream fulfilled is disclosed when removing the cap and glimpsing the handcrafted, two-tone solid Au 750 rhodium-coated gold nib. This is decorated with an image of Jay Gatsby’s sumptuous car, enthusiastically described by F. Scott Fitzgerald as being of ‘a rich cream colour, bright with nickel... and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns.’