Caran d’Ache continues its tribute to Chinese culture with a new limited edition that combines the ancient technique of Chinese lacquer with the spirituality of a nation full of symbols.

Geneva, January 2014 – China celebrates its New Year on 31 January under the sign of the horse. Caran d’Ache marks the occasion by unveiling its newest creation, Year of the Horse, bringing together the art of Chinese lacquer and the art of Fine Writing.

Impetuous, independent, majestic… there are many ways to describe the noble character of the horse. While it clearly loves the wide open spaces nobody can deny that it also has a temperament of fire. People born under its sign are admired for their energy and strong convictions.

After the dragon and the snake, it is the turn of the horse to inspire the designers and craftsmen of Caran d’Ache, and the limited edition fountain pen and roller pen they have devoted to it capture its magnificence with elegance and expertise.

Produced in the pure manufacturing tradition of Fine Writing, the instruments are superbly artistic objects. The noble animal emerges in an engraving that is highlighted with ivory Chinese lacquer, creating a fascinating contrast with the body of the pen in black Chinese lacquer.

This decorative technique that dates back to around 1400 BC calls for a level of expertise that very few craftsmen have mastered, even today. Successive infinitely delicate coats are applied, followed by a specific drying time and final polishing. Everything is done by hand, giving the writing instrument an echo of the timeless wisdom and serenity of the Orient.

As an ultimate dedication to Chinese culture, the Year of the Horse edition is limited to 888 pieces.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

 The “Year of the Horse” Limited Edition is one of the exceptional items in the Caran d’Ache Artist collection. Its masterly use of noble materials is the very embodiment of the expertise of the Maison de Haute Ecriture.

• Available in 888 fountain pens and 888 roller pens, all with gold-plated trim.
• Body decorated with successive coats of ivory and black Chinese lacquer.
• Polishing brings out the incomparable brilliance of the black lacquer.
• The body is engraved to depict the horse in ivory Chinese lacquer.
• Swiss Made and the Caran d’Ache logo are engraved on the ring of the writing instruments.
• The fountain pen can be used with an ink pump or Caran d’Ache cartridges, as preferred.
• The rhodium-coated 18-carat gold nib of the fountain pen is available on request in several widths (M, F, B).
• The roller pen is used with the Caran d’Ache roller point cartridge.
• Numbering is located on the tip of the cap.
• Presented in a superb lacquered wooden box and accompanied by a Limited Edition certificate and a certificate of the authenticity of the Chinese lacquer.
• Manufactured according to the strict criteria of Swiss Made quality, a guarantee of long service life. Each pen is also covered by an international lifetime guarantee.

The “Year of the Horse” Limited Edition is available from the start of 2014 in all retailers specialising in Fine Writing and will be presented in BaselWorld 2014.