Graf von Faber-Castell

The Pen of the Year has enjoyed an exceptional position among lovers of luxurious writing culture for decades. Each limited edition tells the story of eras that have shaped the history of mankind. The Pen of the Year 2024 is inspired by the "Turquerie" period - the era between the 16th and 18th centuries in which the splendour, aesthetics and exotic culture of the Ottoman Empire reached Europe.

Inspiration in every detail - designer Serdar Gülgün creates the Pen of the Year 2024
The Pen of the Year 2024 was designed by a top-class expert in Ottoman art: Serdar Gülgün. His passion for "Turquerie" was sparked in his home city of Istanbul, whose art, architecture and opulent mix of textures and colours still influence him today. As a designer, he has created the world's most prestigious hotels and brands and also gave the Pen of the Year the artistic sophistication that makes his style unique. He says of himself: "I am a translator, I transform the old into something new."

From the Ottoman Empire to Western Europe - the opulent style of the Turquerie
"I love the Turquerie as an era in which Ottoman style, music, painting, architecture and artefacts fascinated and inspired people in many European countries," says designer and author Serdar Gülgün. Luxury goods such as precious spices, fine fabrics and extravagant interiors from the Far East impressed Europeans from the 16th century onwards and increasingly found their way into their lives. Symbols and aesthetic details such as crescent moons, tassels and turbans were en vogue, tents inspired by the Ottoman style adorned European gardens and Turkish salons were furnished in sumptuous palaces with luxurious carpets, canopies and elaborate ornaments.

The era of Turquerie

Elegant crowning glory
The cap end piece of the Pen of the Year 2024 is reminiscent of the ornate dome of an Ottoman tent.

Powerful symbolism
The crescent moon that adorns the cap of the Pen of the Year was considered a good omen in the Ottoman Empire. The tassels, made by master craftsmen, symbolised power and were used as a status symbol on clothing.

Splendour under the tent roof - a piece of Ottoman culture in Europe's gardens
Ottoman-inspired tents adorned numerous European palace gardens and parks during the "Turquerie" period, and entire rooms in castles and stately homes were furnished in the Turkish style. "Those blue and white striped tents decorated with tassels and arrow patterns were my greatest source of inspiration for the Pen of the Year. They are expressed in the form of guilloché chevron ornaments under blue lacquer inlays between the platinum-plated metal strips," explains designer Serdar Gülgün.

Priceless values: rubies, gold and tulips
The Ottomans used generous quantities of the sparkling gemstones to enhance jewellery, weapons and precious objects - 18 shining rubies, each 2.2 millimetres in diameter, also adorn the barrel and cap of the Pen of the Year. Serdar Gülgün says: "I used cabochon stones for the Pen of the Year to evoke associations with the splendid aesthetics of the Ottomans."

Refined, inside and out
Holy relics, precious jewellery, the finest porcelain and immeasurably valuable robes - the Ottoman treasure in the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul is one of the most important in the world and is kept safely behind the high palace walls. A true treasure is also hidden inside the Pen of the Year 2024: The platinum-plated inner barrel is adorned with elaborate decorations and is revealed as soon as the barrel is unscrewed.

Turtle light in the tulip garden
"The tortoise is my favourite animal, it is the symbol of longevity and wisdom," says Serdar Gülgün. In the curved end piece of the Pen of the Year, the engraved tortoise not only stands for the luck it promises, it also recalls an event from the tulip era: Ottoman sultans had candles attached to the shells of living tortoises and watched the animals, which bathed the flowers in mystical light at night, as they leisurely wandered around their magnificent tulip gardens - a tribute to slowness.

Pen of the Year 2024 - limited and high-calibre
The platinum-plated metal barrel is adorned with 18 precious rubies. Tassels and crescent moons on the cap once symbolised power, and a stylised Ottoman tent roof is worked into the end piece of the cap. The fine chevron pattern adorns the barrel, the cap and the grip and is embellished with decorative blue lacquer inlays. The 18-carat magnum bicolour gold nib promises unique writing pleasure. The domed end cap is engraved with a tortoise - a symbol of good luck for the Ottomans. The inside of the Pen of the Year reveals an elaborately decorated inner sleeve.

The exclusive 2024 edition is limited to 315 fountain pens and 85 rollerball pens.

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