Sir Paul Smith brings his inimitable sense of colour to one of the prime progenitors of colour, Swiss manufacturer Caran d'Ache. This is the fourth collaboration between the British designer and the 100-year-old maker of fine art materials and writing instruments, and this time the focus is on the 849 ballpoint pen.
Paul Smith Caran d’Ache 849 duotone ballpoint pen
The collection consists of six examples of the 849, each finished in a new duotone colour combination, drawn from the seemingly bottomless well of Smith’s palette. The 849 series is an acknowledged design classic, a hexagonal barrelled pen with separate clip, available as pencil, fountain pen, rollerball and ballpoint.
It’s the latter that has been given the Paul Smith treatment, with each of the new duotone designs referencing the designer’s famous stripes, stitching and other strongly contrasting colourways. It moves the collaboration on from the original set of ten 849 pens in a hitherto unseen colour palette.
The new colourways are carried over to the metal cases, which also bear the gold-plated signature of ‘Caran d’Ache+Paul Smith’, while the Swiss-made pens have lacquered bodies and a chromed pusher and clip.
Sir Paul Smith’s passion for colour and contrast informs everything that comes out of his atelier, as well as his diverse collaborations, ranging from a classic Mini to a conceptual Mini, to work for Boffi, Braun and Porter.
The designer is a longstanding fan of Caran d’Ache and has used the company’s products for many years. The latest collection showcases the Swiss company’s admirable ability to express its colour capabilities in a variety of ways.
The fourth edition of Caran d’Ache + Paul Smith is available now from Caran d’Ache and Paul Smith points of sale and stores as well as at carandache.com
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