How many times have you looked at a watch – or any other product for that matter- and said to yourself ‘I would’ve done it differently’? For me the ability to have that type of insight is what being a true aficionado is all about. Not just knowing a brand or its products but actually trying to really understand and appreciate the aesthetic and technical elements of its product’s design. Why did they do it this way? Why do I think it would look/work better that way?
Styljoux Pens
These are exactly the types of questions Iunal Giumali – our resident pen aficionado – would ask himself, only unlike so many of us armchair analysts, he decided to actually do something with his ideas.
‘I’m just a regular guy with a passion. I have worked in the world of luxury pens and watches for over a decade and my biggest dream has always been to create my own brand.’ Explains Iunal in an animated fashion (he always gets animated when talking pens.) ‘I wanted to bring a bit of the excitement of the watch world into the pens. A bit crazy, a bit fun, but at the same time retaining the intrinsic emotion of a classic pen.’
It was this aforementioned passion that led Iunal to establish his own brand – Styljoux – and start designing his own daring set of pens. His first, highly original idea, is the Le Calibre pen series which uses some clever mechanics borrowed from watchmaking to allow you to adjust the centre of mass of the pen. When you rotate the ring located at the top of the pen, a small weight inside the barrel of the pen slides up or down accordingly, allowing you to quickly adjust the balance to your liking. A small, watch-like dial on the top indicates the relative position of the balancing weight for any quick adjustments.
Another key feature is the cool way in which the cap is removed and attached to the pen. Two pushers inspired by the chronograph pushers of a watch, are positioned on either side of the barrel. By depressing them, two hooks disengage the cap whilst simultaneously allowing a ring to slide over the hooks and mask them. In this position the pushers remain flush with the barrel so as not to hinder you during writing. As a final touch a button on the top of cap enables you to move the clip up and down to let you slide the writing instrument smoothly into your pocket first time, every time.
‘This is designed to be a modular system’ says Iunal of the Le Calibre. ‘Each complication is independent. Some models will have only one or two complications whilst other will have a whole raft.’
Of course if you prefer something a little more refined in your pen than the Flamingo collection may actually be the better choice for you. This smooth little number is in a way the antithesis of the Le Calibre series and represents the pen distilled to its essentials. Some versions are formed of only four parts. A cap made from one single block of metal, a tip and barrel (plus the refill). The concept is taken to extreme and the cap is held in place by nothing else but vacuum. Having a completely sealed cap and a barrel cut to an extreme precision allows the barrel to slide precisely into the cap without the need of a screw or other system.
Don’t let the simple but stylish good looks fool you though, there is more going on here than first meets the eye. For a start, each Flamingo will be fitted with a proximity alarm which is connected to your phone and allows you to find your precious pen if you’ve misplaced it. Not sure if that qualifies it as a ‘smart pen’ but either way still a pretty useful feature as anyone who’s ever lost their favorite pen will tell you.
Ultimately Styljoux pens will be produced and released in a number of materials, including transparent hard resin, titanium, carbon fibre, ceramic, steel, magnesium alloy and even sapphire.
“The Styljoux brand is the culmination of my passion for pens and micro-mechanics. Our pens are the perfect companion for the discerning men who wants a writing instrument that is stylish yet forward-looking. Pens do not have to be old fashioned. What I want to create is a perfect match for your luxury mechanical watch to help you navigate modern life in style.’ says Iunal.
The pens are currently in the development stages at the moment and will range in price when they hit the market, with the most advanced models, made in sapphire, setting you back a cool £50,000.
In the meantime please visit the Styljoux website if you would like to learn more about this cool new brand.
