Following the arrival of the third season of Netflix’s The Witcher, Montegrappa re-enters the realm of fantasy with The Witcher: Mutation – an immersive luxury writing instrument created for writing aficionados and fans of the hit Netflix series. Issued in editions of only 200 fountain pens and rollerballs, the design’s combination of materials and artisanal processes represents one of the most ambitious, free thinking undertakings attempted in the Italian manufacturer’s 111-year history;

Form, function and materials of The Witcher: Mutation are heavily inspired by The Witcher’s chief protagonist, Geralt of Rivia – the mutant monster hunter portrayed by Henry Cavill since 2019. The design’s muscular, battle-scarred appearance uses antiqued sterling silver and a meticulously rendered, fauxleather laminate to simulate the Geralt’s battledress, complete with metallic studding and wounds from encounters with human and supernatural foes;

True to the legend of The Witcher, medieval weaponry provides the design with its leitmotif. Geralt of Rivia’s monster-slaying, silver sword is replicated in the form of a pocket clip: the most visible element of any pen. Meanwhile, a second sword can be sheathed on the cap’s reverse face, and removed for use as a letter opener, or as a totem to aid creative thinking and decision-making;

Despite its antique, battle-hardened appearance, The Witcher: Mutation, boasts performance associated with Montegrappa’s elite, non plus ultra class of writing tools. Fountain pens are equipped with a nib crafted from 18K white gold and decorated with Geralt of Rivia’s white wolf insignia. An ebonite feed ensures optimal ink flow, while the manufacture’s patented, 32-tooth piston-fill system provides mechanical precision while filling and flushing its ink chamber. Rare Mazzuchelli celluloid is used to provide supple, responsive grip on both fountain pen and roller ball variants.

The edition’s commitment to authenticity is continued through accompanying accessories, which include a leather tool roll used to stow the pen and other travel accessories. A pair of replica coins are also included to enhance the edition’s play factor, and reference the stipends that Geralt receives for his monster-slaying exploits;

Adapting external design codes to the shape and functional demands of highperformance writing instruments requires special expertise and extensive prototyping. In total, the process of design and development spanned more than three years, and required the development of soft laminates, printing and texturing never previously used on a writing instrument;

The Witcher: Mutation is the result of a continued partnership between Montegrappa and Netflix that was established through similarly imaginative, precious-metal designs for Game of Thrones in 2017 and 2019. Montegrappa’s engagement with fantasy and fandom has played an important role in shaping its modern notoriety and in sustaining interest in analogue writing instruments in a digital era;