Montblanc 'Twinfly' Dial: A Rare Find?
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Montblanc 'Twinfly' Dial: A Rare Find?

By patrick_y · Mar 18, 2013 · 7 replies
patrick_y
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Patrick_y's intriguing post delves into the world of Montblanc's collectible 'error' items, drawing parallels between misprinted pens and a potentially unique watch dial. His exploration of the Alexander Dumas Writer Series and the Rouge Et Noir/Boheme pen recalls sets the stage for discovering a Montblanc watch with an unusual 'Twinfly' dial, prompting community discussion on brand consistency and collector value.

I know not all of us are pen fanatics, but let me tell you a little story. 

 

Montblanc has a line of pens called the “Writer Series Limited Edition” where they pay homage to a famous author every year.  In 1996, that honor was bestowed upon Alexander Dumas, the famous author of many classics including The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers.  All of the writer series pens bear the author’s signature on the cap, unbeknown to Montblanc at the time, they employed the wrong signature on the cap of their Alexander Dumas pen.  Montblanc used the signature of the son who bared the same name (who was a less famous author and not the writer of the book The Three Musketeers nor The Count of Monte Cristo).  The mistake was quickly spotted by Montblanc collectors soon after the release, and the pens that were shipped were immediately recalled.  Today, a small unknown number of the Dumas-fil (son) pens still exist, but the vast majority of the delivered are of the Dumas-per (father), making the Dumas-fil pen highly collectible. 

 Photo credit: Pens limited

Photo credit: Pens Limited


Photo credit: Montblanc

Photo credit: Montblanc

Montblanc would encounter a similar mistake just a couple years later, with the debut of the Rouge Et Noir retractable fountain pen.  The pen was almost immediately recalled upon launch and renamed as the “Boheme” pen supposedly due to a copyright infringement by using the name Rouge Et Noir.  Today, the Rouge Et Noir and Noir Et Noir fountain pens are the rare birds that preceded the Boheme line of pens.  And there are collectors who covet these original pens that preceeded the Boheme pens.

 



Boheme pen on top has three rings in middle of pen; Rouge Et Noir pen (below) doesnt

Boheme pen on top has three rings in center of pen; Rouge Et Noir pen (below) doesn't


Engraving Rouge et Noir

Engraving Rouge et Noir


Like rare misprinted postage stamps, collectors around the world seem to go after these errors. 

 

So imagine my amazement when I saw this…  Did I just find a one-of-a-kind dial?  


Picture in Montblanc advertising

Picture in Montblanc advertising


The actual watch, see the difference?

The actual watch, see the difference?



What does the watch in your local boutique look like?  

Key Points from the Discussion

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The Discussion
FO
foversta
Mar 18, 2013

I will have to check at my AD! ;) The last I saw had "flyback" on the dial: Fx

PA
patrick_y
Mar 18, 2013

Thanks for posting your photo of the GreyTech! Okay, so it seems like "Flyback" dial is more popular for now. Who has a coveted Twinfly dial?

AN
AnthonyTsai
Mar 18, 2013

There are press pics on google images with Twinfly. So guess MB changed later on? - AT

PA
patrick_y
Mar 18, 2013

Seems like this is the logical explanation. But that makes me wonder if the first few batches of Twinfly watches actually had "Twinfly" on the dial.

OC
ocwatching
Apr 16, 2013

I hate to say it..MB need better research... or they are really good at this collectibility game.. frankly..I like twinfly better...

PA
patrick_y
Apr 16, 2013

More unique than "Flyback."

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