Making Pictures

Amerigo Vespucci. The original sample with enamel and the production version without.

The original unpolished sample for Montegrappa's Amerigo Vespucci pen body.
 
This design was produced by David Pledge from a rough brief that included an image of the original ship from an old painting, with the intention of using enamel to enhance the effect of low relief engine turning in a new kind of Basse Taille enamelling. Unfortunately, the accountants decided that the pen was too expensive and the enamel was omitted from the production version, which was given different treatment as shown below. The image of the ship took several weeks to draw in 3D, a form of electronic sculpture in the way we practise it.

Amerigo Vespucci as put into production

This is how the tubes left our workshop prior to polishing
 
Engine Turning cost for approximately 1000 pieces was just over £35 UKP per tube in 2001. The input cost of the very complex CAD drawing included in the price was about £7,000 UKP.