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Montblanc And Samsung Introduce 'Smart' Pens And Accessories For Galaxy Note 4

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Montblanc has been undergoing some changes of late, which have now become visible in the product lines. Most of these changes can be chalked up to the arrival of new CEO Jérôme Lambert just about a year ago. I am well acquainted with Lambert as he previously led Jaeger-LeCoultre for 11 years, beginning his tenure of that leading luxury watchmaker at the age of just 33.

Eleven years later, Lambert was tapped by Richemont , the group that owns both Jaeger-LeCoultre and Montblanc, to run the company making what is certainly the most well-known luxury writing instruments in the world.

Since Lambert’s arrival, things have transformed ever so slightly across Montblanc's many categories, which include timepieces, leather products, jewelry, and accessories in addition to the writing instruments it is world-famous for.

You can find a nice sum-up of this year’s men’s wristwatch collection, presented at the 2014 edition of SIHH, by reading Montblanc: A Winner In 2014. This revamped line includes ultra-high-end collector’s timepieces, interestingly designed mid-range watches, and now the new Meisterstück Heritage line, which is incredibly well-priced and offers a lot of quality for the money, especially when we're talking about haute horlogerie (high watchmaking).

“[This new line] is about paying respect to our clients and opening the world of fine watchmaking even more, which is the mission of Montblanc,” Lambert told me. The Meisterstück Heritage line in pens and watches honors this year's 90th anniversary of the Meisterstück, Montblanc’s most well-known product.

Additionally, Montblanc has just launched a new collection called Bohème for ladies that likewise includes well-priced and well-designed mechanical wristwatches – and even a perpetual calendar! – as well as pens and jewelry. You can read more about that here.

But perhaps the most “shocking” new element coming from Montblanc this fall was announced just a few days ago during Samsung’s Unpacked 2014 Episode 2: the Montblanc e-Starwalker writing instrument and the Pix Pen, which are writing instruments to accompany the technology of the freshly announced Samsung Galaxy Note 4.

This collaborative collection is progressive, though some traditionalists will undoubtedly be shocked by it, as it brings the fine writing instrument forward into the digital age. While this has thus far been less possible with fine wristwatches, for example, Lambert has done his level best to attract a younger new clientele with the previously mentioned collections called Bohème and Heritage Meisterstück. I would call this Galaxy collaboration the pen world’s equivalent.

“The launch of Galaxy Note 4 represents our continued commitment to providing people with the essential tools for self-expression,” said Younghee Lee, executive vice president of global marketing, IT and the mobile division at Samsung. “Montblanc’s century-old expertise and leadership in the art of writing made it an ideal luxury partner for Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4.”

So what can the e-Starwalker and Pix Pen writing instruments do? They basically unite Samsung’s advanced S Pen technology, a stylus-like instrument that allows much finer and quicker implementation than the finger on the touch screen, with Montblanc’s luxury, in-house-made ink-writing instrument, which is truly a status symbol and fashion statement in one. They also boast a brand-new e-refill concept that allows the instruments to be used “in both worlds,” as Jens Henning Koch, executive vice president of marketing at Montblanc International, put it when I visited the Hamburg, Germany, headquarters just a few days ago.

“The integration of the Samsung S Pen with Montblanc’s sophisticated, timeless style and expertise in the art of writing provides users with an elegant key to unlock new opportunities for self-expression,” said Koch.

The partnership also sees the introduction of a soft-grain leather flip cover and an Extreme flip cover (a strong weave including carbon fiber content) for the Galaxy Note 4 in the Meisterstück line, which were especially designed by Montblanc’s leather artisans in Florence, Italy. The flip covers contain a digital identification chip that provides users with access to exclusive digital content from Montblanc when attached to the Galaxy Note 4. These include a Montblanc version of the S Note with a choice of six unique virtual fountain pen nibs, cover, template and a three-dimensional-effect ink home screen wallpaper and unlock screen.

These items will be available at Montblanc boutiques starting in October.

Watch the live introduction of these products live at the IFA 2014 in Berlin below. The presentation of the Montblanc collaboration with Koch speaking about the new collaboration products begins at about 5:00.