Montblanc - Real Or Fake?

[FredRydr]

Many of you have given your opinion on whether or not ballpoints, wallets, cases, pouches, watches and other items (i.e., not fountain pens) are genuine Montblanc. As a result, visitors from the internet with little interest in a fountain pen are nonetheless drawn to this forum to be humiliated. Are we truly experts on wallets and cufflinks?

 

Let's step it up a few notches:

 

 

So...is it, or isn't it?

 

Fred

[isaacrn]

I am going to say it is a genuine bracelet. Now did Montblanc make it is the question.

Edited March 26, 2016 by isaacrn

[CS388]

Looks tacky enough to be the real thing.

[Pravda]

I suppose members are more assertive with objects they handle on daily basis- I suppose I can give an opinion on pen X for example, it I have one right in front of me that I hold in my hand daily.

 

 

Other items may be tricky. But I'll say this.. I've generally been good at spotting replica watches and other objects, but it's really a 'be there' situation to carefully inspect craftsmanship.

 

That being said, something not right about this. I dunno.. I say fake.

[Joe in Seattle]

I vote fake. Looks too cheaply made for the price it would command.

[Keyless Works]

I have never noticed bracelets in a Montblanc store before but I guess they do make them...must be impulse buys for rich people?

 

The picture is too small to see how nice the fit and finish is and it looks used. I don't know much of anything about jewelry but to me nothing on the bracelet looks difficult to produce (does that make it more or less likely to be Montblanc?). I think it's real but it doesn't look nice...the material appears to be silver and the wear is consistent with a soft metal.

[FredRydr]

I have never noticed bracelets in a Montblanc store before but I guess they do make them...must be impulse buys for rich people?

 

Not quite. Montblanc profits come primarily from jewelry and similar luxury goods in most markets of the world, not writing instruments.

 

Fred

[wimg]

 

Not quite. Montblanc profits come primarily from jewelry and similar luxury goods in most markets of the world, not writing instruments.

 

Fred

 

 

Are you sure?

 

That is not the impression I got, actually, although they certainly are more and more involved with luxury goods, the latest obviously being watches. Jewelry they have cut down on a lot last year, and if you walk into a Montblanc boutique over here, most space by far is taken up by pens.

And of course there is the Studio, and I would think that what they do there might just be the most profitable .

 

Oh, I do think it is a fake, it doesn't look like Montblanc's style to me. A single logo, yes, but a logo in every bangle, just as a multipel engraving, may be too much . In addition, I would expect the logo to be in 3D, like the current star signet armband. Of course, I may be totally wrong here - all I know about Montblanc I have learnt the past week, apart from a little knowledge about pens, anything else is unknown territory .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[jar]

 

And of course there is the Studio, and I would think that what they do there might just be the most profitable

 

Warm regards, Wim

What is the Studio and why would it be profitable?

[wimg]

What is the Studio and why would it be profitable?

 

The Artisan Studio. They make custom pens, (one-offs), starting at 200,000 euros. I think they have 50 people working in that department, if I am not entirely mistaken, which is as much as the entire nib production section.

 

I held some pens which I was afraid to touch, let alone hold ....

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Mastiff]

I am going to say it is a genuine bracelet. Now did Montblanc make it is the question.

 

I would like to get to know you! I think I'll never be bored around you!

[zaddick]

I'll stick with what I know.... this is not a genuine MB fountain pen.

[alexwong001]

 

Nice one.

 

Err... i vote this for a genuine article!

[Keyless Works]

 

Not quite. Montblanc profits come primarily from jewelry and similar luxury goods in most markets of the world, not writing instruments.

 

Fred

So you are saying there are people that want jewelry and think "oh, how about Montblanc"? If so, that's really weird to me. Do they even make the jewelry themselves? I am sure they farm it out like everything else they make that isn't pens.

[Chrissy]

An authentic Montblanc Star collection bracelet.

[Pen Nut]

An authentic Montblanc Star collection bracelet.

 

+1 for that. 925 sterling silver with a touch of rhodium plating and a couple of pearls as well.

 

I have a collection of point of sales books, and they are books, which are in three volumes, the thickest of the three (by far) is the leather collection followed by the jewellery book then the writing instruments one.

[wimg]

So you are saying there are people that want jewelry and think "oh, how about Montblanc"? If so, that's really weird to me. Do they even make the jewelry themselves? I am sure they farm it out like everything else they make that isn't pens.

 

They don't farm it out, actually.

They position themselves as being in luxury goods, with luxury fountain pens as a starting point.

 

All of the products they sell are manufactured by studios and factories owned by Montblanc. From that POV, nothing is farmed out, other than the raw materials .

Not all of these studios and plants are located in Hamburg, however. They have factories/plants/studios in France, Switzerland and Italy, and maybe some other places I am forgetting right now.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[ScienceChick]

I'm going with authentic MB. Tacky, but authentic.

[meiers]

I am not sure.

Edited March 27, 2016 by meiers

[FredRydr]

Correct answer: It is genuine Montblanc. How can Fred be so sure? Several years ago I bought it for my wife while she was with me when I was looking to buy a pen at the King of Prussia (Philadelphia PA USA) Montblanc boutique. It's actually nice when dangling on a wrist, where the MB logo disappears and becomes far more subtle. Most of their jewelry (like their special cut diamond) isn't my taste.

 

Your answers: I like Zaddick's best: I'll stick with what I know.... this is not a genuine MB fountain pen. That's the best reply when people post such stuff for our opinions.

 

Now where's that Montblanc cigar-cutter I bought cheap from a boutique private sale....? Nah, let's stick to fountain pens!

 

​Fred

 

P.S. As to how Richemont has positioned Montblanc since the Dunhill days, in Europe Montblanc was making 75% of their net or gross (cannot recall which) in non-pen merchandise the year I attended Montblanc's Signature for Good event in New York City. Writing instruments versus luxury goods were more like 50-50 in North America, and the effort then was to equal the Montblanc success in Europe. I haven't kept track of their sales since then, but it should still be on the Richemont corporate website.