Montegrappa Celebrates the Essence of Ernest Hemingway, and sets sail on the waters of the Gulf

Italy’s most storied pen maker honours literary legacy with exquisite craftsmanship, and awards local sporting events 

Dubai, UAE, February 2024: Ernest Hemingway, a literary icon of the 20^th century whose powerful prose shaped literature’s landscape, famously penned his works with Montegrappa writing instruments, creating a unique synergy between his talent and the artistry of Italy’s finest craftsmanship. Now, paying homage to Hemingway’s legacy, Montegrappa proudly releases the latest installment in the Hemingway Collection – ‘The Old Man and the Sea’, a limited edition dedicated to one of Hemingway’s greatest masterpieces, and the book that won him the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes for Literature and cemented him as one of the greatest authors in literary history.

This launch complements the previously launched series of four exclusive editions, each representing a quintessential chapter in the author’s career, the Soldier, the Fisherman, the Writer and the Traveller.

The Old Man and The Sea:

Inspired by the novel that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953, followed by the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954, The Old Man and The Sea is nothing short of Ernest Hemingway’s tale of heroism and epic perseverance. Beautifully designed with lost wax casting, “The Fight” portrays Santiago, the novel’s protagonist, and his struggle with the giant marlin, realised in full-length, sculpted silver.

And there could be no more appropriate prize for this year’s Dubai to Muscat sailing race, the region’s longest offshore sailing race of 360 nautical miles, and region’s longest standing sailing event, now in its 31^st year.

Starting from the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC) on Jumeirah Beach on the 24th February, teams will sail across the Arabian Gulf to the deep waters of the Indian Ocean, passing along the coast of the Musandam Peninsula and through the famous Straits of Hormuz. The final leg will take the participants on a South Eastern route leading to Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman, before finishing at Marina Bandar Al Rowdha.

As a prize sponsor of this prestigious race, Montegrappa will award one piece from the ‘Old Man and the Sea’ limited edition collection as the Line Honours Prize to the captain of the first boat to cross the Straits of Hormuz in this thrilling race. The prize piece, a fountain pen, hand crafted in gold-plated sterling silver, is one of an exclusive production of only 100 pieces, and has a retail value of over AED 25,000.

Over 20 teams are expected to participate with a mix of keelboats and multihulls from 27 to 100 ft in length. This year’s race will see DOSC’s oldest skipper, Fawzi Sultan, competing in his J122 ‘El Seraya’ with the ambition of claiming the top spot. Speaking about his involvement in this year’s D2M race, 80-year-old Fawzi remarked, “For me, nothing matches the feeling of racing alongside strong teams and using our skills and tactics day and night to sail fast. The scenery sailing through the Musandam is incredible. After coming second last year by only 6 minutes after 3 days of racing my goal is to win D2M this year and we have a wonderful crew to make this happen.”

Such genuine passion within the regional sailing community exemplifies the tenacity and perseverance that is the essential philosophy of Hemingway’s famous novel, making this prize so appropriate for this year’s race.

In addition to the Line Honours Prize, Montegrappa will also be giving away runner-up prizes from its collections. Among these prizes is the coveted Hemingway “The Fisherman” rollerball pen, valued at AED 8,820, as well as new limited-edition fragrance “From Sand to Sky”, Montegrappa’s latest fragrance collaboration proudly made in the UAE.

The Fisherman:

Presenting The Fisherman, inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s love for fishing and the great outdoors. This Montegrappa pen captures Hemingway’s cherished adventures, spending his days between Cuba and the Florida Keys, with his kit of rods, hooks, and baits. Made from Mediterranean blue celluloid and characterised by the iconic Marlin fish logo, The Fisherman is a symbol of Hemingway’s profound connection to the sea.

Each pen is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, limited to just 100 exclusive items per model. Embellished with precious metals and the most detailed engravings, these pens stand as a testament to Hemingway’s lasting impact on literature and the art of writing.

From Sand to Sky:

In a magnificent international partnership, Montegrappa has joined hands with Emirati luxury sensation tripleA Perfumes to create a fragrance that will transcend borders. As the Emirati desert sands met the Mediterranean shores, a unique synergy was born. While Montegrappa has been producing fragrances in Italy since 2011, this special collaboration introduces Montegrappa’s first fragrance produced outside of Italy, a Limited Edition, proudly produced in the UAE, celebrating the company’s profound love and connection to the country.

The creation, “From Sand to Sky,” is more than a fragrance it is a testament to the art of perfumery and a celebration of the beauty that arises when different worlds come together.

For more information on the collection, please visit https://www.montegrappa.com or on Instagram @montegrappame and Facebook @montegrappamiddleeast.

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About Montegrappa:

The company, founded in 1912 in Bassano Del Grappa in North East Italy, sits at the foot of the Monte Grappa mountain and found itself on the front line in WWI’s ‘Southern front’ during the war. The decisive Battle of the Monte Grappa in 1917 to 1918, claimed the life of 25,000 Italian soldiers, but secured the northern border of Italy, and established Monte Grappa as a house hold name in Italy representing the defense of the nation, and the name was adopted by the company to represent the peak of excellence and national pride in pen making.