Jump to content

Montblanc Vs Diplomat


paul_barreto

Recommended Posts

Here's an interesting bit of news.

 

I went into my local John Lewis branch a week ago, and as usual, gravitated to the pens section. I noticed they've started stocking Diplomat pens "made in Germany".

 

According to the salesman, John Lewis is now offering Diplomats as an alternative to Mont Blanc. They'll shortly cease stocking Mont Blancs for the following reason.

 

Mont Blanc has recently been insisting that John Lewis sells its pens through the jewellery department, rather than the stationery department. John Lewis refused. So Mont Blanc has refused to allow John Lewis to sell Mont Blanc pens as an authorised retailer.

 

Bizarre or what?

 

Thoughts?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 25
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • jar

    5

  • Florida Blue

    3

  • paul_barreto

    3

  • BrandonA

    2

Diplomat is an old German company and still run by the grand-daughter of the founder IIRC. The Diplomat pens I've owned have all been superb.

Edited by jar

 

My Website

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to know that about the Diplomats.

 

But what an interesting direction Mont Blanc's marketing guys are taking. They're deliberately positioning the brand as jewellery (in my mind, something purely for show) rather than high quality writing instruments.

 

I wait with interest to see what it does for their sales/image in the coming years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to know that about the Diplomats.

 

But what an interesting direction Mont Blanc's marketing guys are taking. They're deliberately positioning the brand as jewellery (in my mind, something purely for show) rather than high quality writing instruments.

 

I wait with interest to see what it does for their sales/image in the coming years.

 

That's where they make the money; pens, particularly fountain pens, is a small part of Montblanc's revenue stream.

 

My Website

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Diplomat Senator looks a lot like a MB 149.

 

I've had a couple Diplomats. Still have one,and the one I sold, was a very well balanced light metal one, that still pops up with 'stupid' to have sold it, but I had enough nibs of that flex.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to know that about the Diplomats.

 

But what an interesting direction Mont Blanc's marketing guys are taking. They're deliberately positioning the brand as jewellery (in my mind, something purely for show) rather than high quality writing instruments.

 

I wait with interest to see what it does for their sales/image in the coming years.

 

I would never walk around the stationary department in a John Lewis department store as it is full of rubbish which I'd never want. The type of person that walks around the jewellery section of their store is more likely to want to buy a MB pen. Similarly the pens are for sale in proper jewellery stores and not WHSmiths.

 

Ultimately though does it really matter where in a store they are located, as long as you know where to find them.

 

I wonder what percentage of UK sales of MB pens are sold in John Lewis, I doubt it is too high.

My Collection: Montblanc Writers Edition: Hemingway, Christie, Wilde, Voltaire, Dumas, Dostoevsky, Poe, Proust, Schiller, Dickens, Fitzgerald (set), Verne, Kafka, Cervantes, Woolf, Faulkner, Shaw, Mann, Twain, Collodi, Swift, Balzac, Defoe, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Saint-Exupery, Homer & Kipling. Montblanc Einstein (3,000) FP. Montblanc Heritage 1912 Resin FP. Montblanc Starwalker Resin: FP/BP/MP. Montblanc Traveller FP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you remember that wonderful line from Fawlty Towers?

"Pretetious? Moi?"

 

MB cufflinks in jewellery: MB pens in stationery - not difficult guys! If you don't like that, set up a concession stall -oops, in-store boutique...

 

So where should I go for the ink? Delicatessen, and ask for the sommelier? :ltcapd:

 

But well done John Lewis... another reason to shop there :thumbup:

 

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MB has been in a war of attrition with smaller distributors for at least a decade now.

 

If you don't meet their quota, off with your head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I note with some irony that if you go into a Montblanc boutique, they oftentimes refer to the 149 as their "Diplomat" model - I asked why that was and the answer was a simple, "Because it's the pen diplomats use".

Edited by Miketsheehan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I note with some irony that if you go into a Montblanc boutique, they oftentimes refer to the 149 as their "Diplomat" model - I asked why that was and the answer was a simple, "Because it's the pen diplomats use".

 

I doubt they do that anymore, and if they do and Montblanc finds out they may well get fired.

 

My Website

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you remember that wonderful line from Fawlty Towers?

"Pretetious? Moi?"

 

MB cufflinks in jewellery: MB pens in stationery - not difficult guys! If you don't like that, set up a concession stall -oops, in-store boutique...

 

So where should I go for the ink? Delicatessen, and ask for the sommelier? :ltcapd:

 

But well done John Lewis... another reason to shop there :thumbup:

 

Chris

 

I don't buy clothes in John Lewis but I do in Selfridges. Selfridges group brands together, if you want something by Hugo Boss you go to a certain section be it jeans, t-shirts, shirts, hats or jackets. The same is true for the other big brands. It makes it easy for shoppers as they know where to go to get what they want, and when they are there they may be tempted to get an additional item by the company.

 

The same is the case for MB as they sell more than just pens. How many times have people gone to buy a pen or item of jewellery and ended up buying more ink as it is conveniently located in the same section. Who'd want to buy a pen from MB and then have to hunt around the store for a MB leather carrying case. It just doesn't make sense.

 

If a company only sells pens then you have to store them with other companies who do just this. You can't have a section in a department store for every Tom, Dick and Harry.

 

Lots of luxury brands store their cufflinks with their shirts and suits. It is all good marketing and product placement designed to maximise their sales.

My Collection: Montblanc Writers Edition: Hemingway, Christie, Wilde, Voltaire, Dumas, Dostoevsky, Poe, Proust, Schiller, Dickens, Fitzgerald (set), Verne, Kafka, Cervantes, Woolf, Faulkner, Shaw, Mann, Twain, Collodi, Swift, Balzac, Defoe, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Saint-Exupery, Homer & Kipling. Montblanc Einstein (3,000) FP. Montblanc Heritage 1912 Resin FP. Montblanc Starwalker Resin: FP/BP/MP. Montblanc Traveller FP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bling. Very sad, a company with that kind of history. $200 for a belt? Really?

"I was cut off from the world. There was no one to confuse or torment me, and I was forced to become original." - Franz Joseph Haydn 1732 - 1809
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I note with some irony that if you go into a Montblanc boutique, they oftentimes refer to the 149 as their "Diplomat" model - I asked why that was and the answer was a simple, "Because it's the pen diplomats use".

 

I believe long ago MB named one of their pens the Diplomat (could have been the 149), until they lost the trademark infringement suit from Diplomat Pens.

 

I have one Diplomat (the Balance) and another (Excellence A) on order. They are fantastic pens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I have just received my Diplomat Excellence A Marrakesh with the lazer decoration. It is gorgeous and the nib writes like a dream and much more reasonably priced than a Mont Blanc!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just received my Diplomat Excellence A Marrakesh with the lazer decoration. It is gorgeous and the nib writes like a dream and much more reasonably priced than a Mont Blanc!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My local department store advised me that Montblanc also wish to control the exact look and layout of the part of the store that their goods are sold in.

 

Apparently it is also their intention to insist on a specific brand of cabinets and the type and colour of the floor covering.

Edited by Chrissy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had never heard of Diplomat pens until I visited London for the first time about 2 years ago. I saw them at the stationary department in Selfridges. They seem to be quality pens and widely available in the UK. I remember seeing them in a pen shop in Wales too.

 

I'm not aware of any B&M shops in the US that sell Diplomat which is a shame because I think they would sell well over here since Lamy, Pelikan and Montblanc seem so popular.

Edited by Florida Blue

Parker: Sonnet Flighter, Rialto Red Metallic Laque, IM Chiseled Gunmetal, Latitude Stainless, 45 Black, Duovac Blue Pearl Striped, 51 Standard Black, Vac Jr. Black, 51 Aero Black, 51 Vac Blue Cedar, Duofold Jr. Lapis, 51 Aero Demi Black, 51 Aero Demi Teal, 51 Aero Navy Gray, Duofold Pastel Moire Violet, Vac Major Golden Brown, Vac Deb. Emerald, 51 Vac Dove Gray, Vac Major Azure, Vac Jr. Silver Pearl, 51 Vac Black GF Cap, 51 Forest Green GF cap, Vac Jr. Silver Pearl, Duovac Senior Green & Gold, Duovac Deb. Black, Challenger Black, 51 Aero Midnight, Vac. Emerald Jr., Challenger Gray Pearl, 51 Vac Black, Duofold Int. Black, Duofold Jr. Red.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had never heard of Diplomat pens until I visited London for the first time about 2 years ago. I saw them at the stationary department in Selfridges. They seem to be quality pens and widely available in the UK. I remember seeing them in a pen shop in Wales too.

 

I'm not aware of any B&M shops in the US that sell Diplomat which is a shame because I think they would sell well over here since Lamy, Pelikan and Montblanc seem so popular.

 

Last time I was in Art Brown they were stocking Diplomat pens.

 

So does Pen Boutique and Bertram's Inkwell.

 

My Website

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...