Graf von Faber-Castell Pen of the Year 2020 - Sparta Fountain

Graf von Faber-Castell's Pen of the year 2020 magnificently celebrates the Greek heroes of Sparta and their king Leonidas, encapsulating the essense of the Spartans through physical representations of the tradition, bravery, precision and willpower that made the small province of Sparta the strongest military power in ancient Greece.

Also known as the lacedaemonians, the Spar-tites discipline and bravery is legendary, forged from a young age through a strict education in a society moulded by the military, their fate determined by the godess Athena, the “guardian of the city”, who stood for wisdom, strategy and combat.

Through their training in perseverance, fearlessness and abstinence they became elite warriors and full citizens of the Spartan state.

Spartan warriors bought their own bespoke armour, with shield, breastplate, helmet and greaves, marching into battle on foot. The Spartan helmet was made from a single piece of bronze in the Corinthian style. It featured a narrow eye slit and flowing horsehair to intimidate opponents. The incredible Spartan armour displayed the prowess of the metalworking which precisely shaped armour to fit the anatomy of the warrior.

At the famous battle of Thermopylae Leonidas faced the superiority of the Persian king Xerxes and temporarily managed to stop him at a geographical bottleneck with just 300 Spartans. Leonidas paid for his courage with his life but the Greeks withdrew in time and defended the country.

The Pen of the Year 2020 ruthenium edition encapsulates the essense of the Spartans through its many captivating physical representations, featuring a robust, sandblasted ruthenium-coated matt barrel and a grip section with milled pattern reminiscent of strip-style armour in the abdomen region. The spring-loaded clip and cap is based on the Greek ridge helmet and the highly-polished end cap features a lacquered inlay representing the large round Spartan shield, bearing the lambda symbol of Sparta. 

Seven uncut hand-set diamonds of 0.35 carat adorn the barrel, reflecting rivets from Spartan armour and embodying the greek values of pride, perseverance and dignity.

Ruthenium-coated 18-carat gold nib. Limited to 310 fountain pens complete with certificate of authenticity signed by Count Charles of Faber-Castell. Presented in a highly polished black wooden case.