Pierrot and Pierrette
The legend of Pierrot and Pierrette began in the 17th
century when Jean-Antoine Watteau committed to canvas two
clowns who were later made famous by the Italian Commedia
dell’arte. This timeless Duo was then adapted to French
pantomime where Pierrot is a noble and fun-loving clown. He
is lonely and in love with the beautiful Pierrette, whose
affections run hot and cold. When his affections are returned,
they can be seen sitting together on the crescent of the moon.
When she ignores him, Pierrot sits on the moon by himself,
strumming his mandolin and pining for his beloved Pierriette.
In the spirit of artistic
mastery and the tradition of Old World craftsmanship, this
inspiring Collection combines the centuries-old technique
of Guilloché with the art and expertise of Hard Enamel.
The Pierrot and Pierrette Collection is the first to incorporate
three levels of Guilloché and five colors of translucent
and opalescent (white) or opaque (black) hard enamel on each
Collection piece. In keeping with the neutral backgrounds,
the Duo is finished in Rhodium vermeil.
Guilloché
Hand-crafted from
18-karat gold and .925 Sterling Silver, each precious metal
component passes through multiple stages of precision engraving,
creating an intricate pattern known as guilloché; a
painstaking process which brings life and light to the surface
of precious metals.
The Art Deco design
of this Limited Edition requires three separate stages of
engraving. The entire body of the pen is first cut down to
the level of the background, leaving the outlines of the overlapping
circles in high relief. The canvas pattern is then engraved
onto the surface of the body of the pen (seen only on the
Pierrette). The third stage of engraving applies the sunburst
motif to the surface of each circle, maintaining the focal
point center in high relief.
Hard Enamel
Using a mortar and
pestle, a composition of glass, water and metal oxides is
ground for hours by hand. When settled, the water is removed,
leaving the fine paste that is the basis for hard enamel.
A quill is then used to apply each coat of the mixture to
the surface of the metal, ensuring that the entire guilloché
area is completely covered in enamel. The components are then
fired in a furnace at temperatures exceeding 1,000° F,
fusing the enamel to the metal and forming a layer of glass.
After cooling, the
pieces are manually ground with a diamond file, restoring
their proper shape and surface. This tedious process is repeated
at length until the level of enamel reaches the depth required
to cover the peaks and fill the valleys of each intricate
guilloché pattern. When the final stages of firing
are completed, the pieces are polished and buffed, revealing
the velvet finish of translucent hard enamel.
Production of translucent
hard enamel demands the highest levels of patience, experience
and skill. A five-year apprenticeship is required to ensure
that the highest levels of quality will be met in each individual
Collection piece.
Diamonds
Each Pierrot and Pierrette
piece is set with three VVS-1 Diamonds .016 carats each, one
in the top of the crown, one in the bottom of the barrel and
one in the clip.
Filling System
The Pierrot and Pierrette’s
unique filling system accommodates a cartridge, converter
or eyedropper fill; a series of seals and “O”
rings prevents the ink from leaving the chamber at any point.
A roller ball version of the Duo is also available.
Engineered in Heidelberg,
Germany, the 18-karat gold nib is unsurpassed in quality and
form. Coupled with an ebonite feeder, each nib is plated with
rhodium and tipped with iridium to ensure durability in fine,
medium and broad sizes.
Pierrot and Pierrette is the sixth in the David Oscarson™
series of Limited Edition writing instruments and will be
produced in two color variations; Opaque Black and Opalescent
White, each limited to production of 88 pieces (including
fountain pens and roller balls).
