100th Anniversary editions

[NoType]

5 hours ago, Arcadian said:

Ooh dear, that's horrible! I can just imagine that crushing sounds... yish! I am sorry that that happened to you. Hopefully Montblanc will send it back to you quickly, with a beautiful new cap! 

 

 - P. 

@Arcadian Yes, that sound was quite distinctive and disturbing.  Thank you very much for your well wishes.  I will be sure to report back with, one hopes, good news.

[NoType]

2 hours ago, RedPie said:

That is unfortunate, but in the end it will be like a new one and you will enjoy writing with it again. 

@RedPie Thank you for your reassurance.  From your lips to the fountain pen deities’ ears!  

[NoType]

2 hours ago, Scribs said:

Ouch. 🫤

 

Agreed with RedPie, the best thing to look forward to now is the pen coming back like new.

@Scribs Yes, a painful event in many respects.

 

Yes, this is good advise which I need to take to heart as I have the unfortunate habit of dwelling on things.  The new year has just begun, and I must stay positive and hopeful.

[NoType]

2 hours ago, digitorum- Leonardo_W said:

 

Ouch...! Feels unreal.. sorry it happened @NoType 
the most probable good thing you'll be able to get a completely new cap as it just came out.

@digitorum- Leonardo_W I could hardly believe it when it happened.  Thank you for commiserating with me and for your encouragement.  Yes, I believe you are correct about the cap, but I wonder if they will replace the numbered clip ring with a different clip ring bearing “N / 1924” instead of the original limitation number.  (The clip ring and clip, though sustaining significant damage, survived intact and both the clip ring’s limitation number and individual number remained legible.)

 

Worryingly, the phrase “as long as it is not a Limited Edition” appears in the discussion of a cap replacement

 

from https://www.montblanc.com/en-us/customer-service/product-repair-faq

 

So although the boutique has already accepted the pen for service and provided documentation, I am still a little apprehensive about how Montblanc will treat the repair request for a full cap replacement, since the pen is a limited edition.

 

I await an assessment and cost estimate with baited breath.

 

[Centurion]

43 minutes ago, NoType said:

@digitorum- Leonardo_W I could hardly believe it when it happened.  Thank you for commiserating with me and for your encouragement.  Yes, I believe you are correct about the cap, but I wonder if they will replace the numbered clip ring with a different clip ring bearing “N / 1924” instead of the original limitation number.  (The clip ring and clip, though sustaining significant damage, remained intact and both the clip’s limitation number and individual number remained legible.)

 

Worryingly, the phrase “as long as it is not a Limited Edition” appears in the discussion of a cap replacement

 

from https://www.montblanc.com/en-us/customer-service/product-repair-faq

 

So although the boutique has already accepted the pen for service and provided documentation, I am still a little apprehensive about how Montblanc will treat the repair request for a full cap replacement, since the pen is a limited edition.

 

I await an assessment and cost estimate with baited breath.

 

Perhaps you can contact the boutique to contact HQ about the numbered clip ring to encourage them to make its a numbered clip ring! Even if the clip ring was very damaged MB should destroy your old damaged clip and make a new one. But in your case it sounds simple, injection mold a new cap and install your undamaged clip ring. From your post we know the official policy, but simply requesting it I would hope MB will honor it, especially on an important Limited Edition. All limited edition are special, but some are more special than others?

[NoType]

53 minutes ago, Centurion said:

Perhaps you can contact the boutique to contact HQ about the numbered clip ring to encourage them to make its a numbered clip ring! Even if the clip ring was very damaged MB should destroy your old damaged clip and make a new one. But in your case it sounds simple, injection mold a new cap and install your undamaged clip ring. From your post we know the official policy, but simply requesting it I would hope MB will honor it, especially on an important Limited Edition. All limited edition are special, but some are more special than others?

@Centurion Thank you for this suggestion.  It is definitely worth a try.  I will contact the boutique next week and inquire about the situation, impressing upon them my preference for a numbered clip ring.  I am curious as to how flexible Montblanc might be regarding limited editions, and I will report back their response.

[RedPie]

11 hours ago, NoType said:

 I will contact the boutique next week and inquire about the situation, impressing upon them my preference for a numbered clip ring.  I am curious as to how flexible Montblanc might be regarding limited editions, and I will report back their response.

Looking forward to it and hope MB will help you!

[NoType]

On 1/9/2025 at 10:41 AM, Seney724 said:

What is totally unclear, however, is whether or not Montblanc is going to continue to produce them.  Whether the information the Boutique Manager provided you relative to this question is accurate or not remains to be seen.  Please let  us know what you glean from him (or her) after you have made contact.

@Seney724 Unfortunately, none of the three boutique managers with whom I have been speaking over the phone has received word from HQ regarding whether Montblanc will continue to produce The Origin Collection in 2025.  I placed my second call to each of them over the past four days and no one has any new and meaningful information to impart.  

 

Each boutique manager voiced the same theory, however; namely, that the majority — if not the entirety — of Montblanc’s production has shifted to models slated for release in 2025 and beyond.  The implication being that, as you correctly hypothesised, models of The Origin Collection might only be available until current stock is depleted.  

 

I will continue to reach out to the boutique managers to see if any of them has received definite word from Montblanc.  My apologies for the long delay in getting answers.

 

Perhaps another member already has been given concrete information.  If that is the case, one hopes they will contribute to this discussion.

[Seney724]

15 minutes ago, NoType said:

@Seney724 Unfortunately, none of the three boutique managers with whom I have been speaking over the phone has received word from HQ regarding whether Montblanc will continue to produce The Origin Collection in 2025.  I placed my second call to each of them over the past four days and no one has any new and meaningful information to impart.  

 

Each boutique manager voiced the same theory, however; namely, that the majority — if not the entirety — of Montblanc’s production has shifted to models slated for release in 2025 and beyond.  The implication being that, as you correctly hypothesised, models of The Origin Collection might only be available until current stock is depleted.  

 

I will continue to reach out to the boutique managers to see if any of them has received definite word from Montblanc.  My apologies for the long delay in getting answers.

 

Perhaps another member already has been given concrete information.  If that is the case, one hopes they will contribute to this discussion.

Many thanks for both your efforts as well as for this insightful update @NoType.  Both are greatly appreciated.

[Michael R.]

Even for limited edition pens Montblanc has offered repair/replacement in the past from my experience.

I have (and have seen) a few LE pens with replacement parts; e.g. they will keep the limited edition number but will add an "N" or "x" to the number to make clear that a part was replaced.

 

In case the LE is too old they might not be able to recreate the damaged part but I don't see that this will become a problem here.

Costs for repair - in case they opt to charge - may reflect the value/price of the pen. In this case my estimate would be around 400-600 €.

Sorry to hear that this has happened but I'm sure the pen will get a new cap sooner or later from Montblanc!

Cheers, good luck and keep us updated.

Michael

[a student]

58 minutes ago, NoType said:

@Seney724 Unfortunately, none of the three boutique managers with whom I have been speaking over the phone has received word from HQ regarding whether Montblanc will continue to produce The Origin Collection in 2025.  I placed my second call to each of them over the past four days and no one has any new and meaningful information to impart.  

 

Each boutique manager voiced the same theory, however; namely, that the majority — if not the entirety — of Montblanc’s production has shifted to models slated for release in 2025 and beyond.  

@NoType First, I ought to apologise for intruding where I am not necessarily the best informed person; but, I were you (and I should emphasize here that I am not you and therefore this may not be the most appropriate advice), I would have proceeded as follows at this point: 

• Get hold of the number/email of the person responsible at MB HQ for customer relations or repairs.
• Explain politely, but very very firmly, to her/him that you have had this misfortune and will send her/him images, and the only place you can seek help from is MB. You feel you have a right to do so; all the more so as a long standing customer
• Also explain that you are not asking for the impossible, but only that a 149 cap be produced in that particular red shade of "precious resin", from stock or otherwise; the old metal fittings with the number etc would do fine
• As a long time customer you deserve better than to be told that the matter is being examined, and thrice over at that. Its been over a week or whatever, and all that you have been given is a standard letter for MB, and you deserve better
• You fully appreciate the fact that MB could be very much occupied with work on 2025 (and beyond) releases, but you see customer satisfaction as an equally if not a more fundamental function of MB

And keep checking with her/him regularly about what MB is going to do. Within the limits of polite conversation of course, I would not show MB any more deference than its actions justify

 

[NoType]

2 minutes ago, Michael R. said:

Even for limited edition pens Montblanc has offered repair/replacement in the past from my experience.

I have (and have seen) a few LE pens with replacement parts; e.g. they will keep the limited edition number but will add an "N" or "x" to the number to make clear that a part was replaced.

 

In case the LE is too old they might not be able to recreate the damaged part but I don't see that this will become a problem here.

Costs for repair - in case they opt to charge - may reflect the value/price of the pen. In this case my estimate would be around 400-600 €.

Sorry to hear that this has happened but I'm sure the pen will get a new cap sooner or later from Montblanc!

Cheers, good luck and keep us updated.

Michael

@Michael R. Thank you very much for this information.  Especially for clarifying that an “N” will be added to the existing limitation number (“0000N” / 1924) rather than simply “N” / 1924, which of course makes more sense than what I was imagining.  And now that you mention it, I do recall seeing a limited edition with an N appended to its limitation number in an earlier thread somewhere in this subforum.

 

I really appreciate your examples of service costs and your encouragement.  I will be sure to provide updates as information is delivered to me.  I suspect the assessment will occur in HQ, so it might be a few days more before i hear back from the boutique.

 

[NoType]

12 minutes ago, a student said:

you deserve better than to be told that the matter is being examined, and thrice over at that.

@a student I am always more than happy to receive advise from any quarter, as I believe that gathering information is instrumental to good decision making.  

 

All your points are well taken, except that I wanted to clarify that I have only been notified once, and that was at the time the pen was dropped off at the boutique.  I was told then that Montblanc must assess the pen first before providing a repair proposal and estimate.  I presumed that I must wait for that first step to be complete before moving forward with other requests and questions about the repair, but I will definitely consider reaching out to the proper individual at HQ if the boutique does not provide more information in the next few days.  The person with whom I interacted at the boutique is someone I have worked with for several years, and they are unfailingly very helpful and prompt in their service, and thus I usually rely on them to be my representative with HQ.  In fact, in the case of a repair not too long ago where the service estimate was quoted as three quarters of the cost of a new pen, the boutique associate intervened on my behalf and reduced the estimate to a more reasonable Level 2 cost of $190, successfully arguing that the repair was functional and not cosmetic.  But if more time elapses without word from the boutique, I will reach out to the associate again and then perhaps also the relevant individual at HQ directly.

 

Thank you again for your suggestions.  I welcome the fresh perspective.

[a student]

Deeply appreciate your taking my points in good form. As you note and explain, it is best to wait for the response from those you trust before proceeding further

 

I should mention that in my thinking you are not asking for the technically impossible; rather, you are asking no more than a rather standard 149 cap in a shade of colour that MB has already produced. And you have the metal fittings to offer. 

[NoType]

5 minutes ago, a student said:

I should mention that in my thinking you are not asking for the technically impossible; rather, you are asking no more than a rather standard 149 cap in a shade of colour that MB has already produced. And you have the metal fittings to offer.

@a student Yes, you are completely correct and I wholeheartedly agree; I should have specifically acknowledging these excellent points in my earlier post.

[maia]

@NoType... Much has been said. Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Hopefully you will have a brand new cap!

[NoType]

1 hour ago, maia said:

@NoType... Much has been said. Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Hopefully you will have a brand new cap!

@maia Thank you very much for your well wishes!

[NoType]

7 hours ago, Seney724 said:

Many thanks for both your efforts as well as for this insightful update @NoType.  Both are greatly appreciated.

@Seney724 It was my pleasure.  I hope to have more meaningful information shortly.

[JCC123]

@NoType I think most of us felt the same pain in seeing that cap in such a condition. I think you stand a good chance at getting it replaced since it's most likely still being produced, or at least it was just issued, so they will likely have replacements in stock. It's not like it hasn't been in production for many years which would make replacement inventory scarce.

 

One the one hand, it pains us to see your cap in tatters, on the brighter side is that it happened now instead of 10 years from now where you're unlikely to get a replacement cap. So, please try to not take it out of the house again when you do. 🙂

[NoType]

1 hour ago, JCC123 said:

@NoType I think most of us felt the same pain in seeing that cap in such condition. I think you should stand a good chance at getting it replaced since it's most likely still being produced, or at least it was just issued so they will likely have replacements in stock. It's not like it's not been in production for many years which would make replacement inventory scarce.

 

One the one hand it pains us to see you cap in tatters, one the bright side is that it happened now instead of 10 years from now where you're unlikely to get a replacement cap. So, please be sure to not take it out of the house again when you do. 🙂

@JCC123 I am much obliged by your empathy, sound reasoning, and calm and kind reassurance.  And yes, I will be sure not to take it out of the house again, the irony of a desk-bound pen originally intended for travel notwithstanding.