The 100 Icon Pen, by Conway Stewart

The special qualities of the 100 Icon were recognised when it was voted 'Best Pen' in 2006 by Pen World International. This title, fiercely contested by the world's luxury pen brands, is the most prestigious in the business, because the readers of the magazine are the world's most knowleadgeable pen experts.

The 100 Icon is, however, much more than just a beautiful object. It is pen to be used, designed with versatility in mind. Mounted with a large iridium-tipped 18 carat solid gold nib in a choice of eight different grades, it uses the popular and practical converter cartridge filling mechanism. It is large enough to possess a commanding presence, yet not so outsized as to be unwieldy in either the hand or the pocket. It offers the best of both worlds.

The Model 100 Icon edition is released as a special worldwide edition of 100 pieces, each of which is numbered and carries the sterling silver hallmark from the British Assay Office.

About Conway Stewart

Conway Stewart & Co. was founded in 1905 by Frank Jarvis and Thomas Garner, and opened for business at 13 Paternoster Row, London EC1, next to St Paul's Cathedral. Although there is some debate about the origins of the company's name, it is thought to derive from a popular vaudeville act of the day. 'Conway and Stewart' were supposedly a comedy double act who appeared at Collins Music Hall in Islington.

The company quickly established itself as one of the era's leading manufacturers of fountain pens, upgrading its facilities numerous times to keep up with demand. When it moved to Shoe Lane in 1923, it occupied six floors and employed over 500 people. In 1935 its shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange.

During the huge growth in letter writing during the First World War, Conway Stewart pens played a significant part in the cherished letters that passed between soldiers at the front and loved ones at home. Its pens were also used throughout World War II by Winston Churchill.

In the 1960s the company continued to manufacture, but the advent of the ballpoint pen altered the market for quality fountain pens dramatically, and in 1975 it stopped production. Fortunately, its trademarks, designs and archives were maintained, and in the 1990s, when the business was re-born with a focus on luxury fountain pens, it was able to draw on this rich heritage..

Conway Stewart is now based in Plymouth, where each pen is made by hand using a blend of old and new techniques. True to the aims of its founders, Jarvis and Garner, the company continues to produce elegant, timelessly beautiful, yet functional writing instruments for discerning pen-lovers the world over.