Pricey pen is worth $170,000

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A pocket protector would be pointless for this diamond-encrusted, $170,000 fountain pen that will never be used.

“You do not put ink in that pen. It’s like owning a Ferrari that you don’t want to drive,” said owner Al Parish, a Charleston Southern University professor.

The pen, one of only three in the world, went on display Wednesday at the Montblanc store along with others from Parish’s $1.2 million collection. They arrived in an armored car accompanied by security guards.

The pen is the “Montblanc Solitaire Mountain Massif Skeleton” and was created in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Swiss company. Its 1,400 white and blue diamonds are arranged to depict the Mont Blanc mountains and the pen is topped with a 43-facet star-cut diamond.

The buyers of the three handcrafted pens were chosen from among 60 collectors worldwide in a lottery, said Jan-Patrick Schmitz, chief executive and president of Montblanc North America.

He said the company sought pen aficionados such as Parish who collect rather than sell them for a quick profit.

The pen will join Parish’s collection of about 150 other Montblancs, which he plans to pass along to his children.

“You don’t really own it,” he said. “You’re just keeping it for one generation.”