A limited edition release from Montegrappa, part of the new Avanguardia series honoring fearless intellects and the contributions of revolutionary thinkers, marks the life of Nicolaus Copernicus.
Crafted from sterling silver, Nicolaus Copernicus is encircled by eight orbiting planets realised in bas-relief and shimmering enamel – each with a character of its own. The Renaissance scientist’s radical heliocentric theory placed the sun at the centre of everything. On our newest Limited edition, the sun is tactile and radiant in vermeil: a reminder to remain curious about the world around us.
Science regards Copernicus as the father of modern astronomy and, in his homeland, he is considered a hero. The Copernicus Monument at Warsaw’s Polish Academy of Sciences shows the astronomer holding a celestial globe. For our carefully calculated tribute, its reproduction uses biaxial movement to stimulate thinking with elegant play factor.
Closer examination of the clip reveals the astronomer’s compasses and a variation on our famous ruzzolino clamp: a tiny planet in the grip of greater forces. Further detailing reveals Copernicus’ signature and Slavic cross-stitch relief that alludes to his roots. 550 numbered fountain pens and rollerballs mark his 1473 birth in the northern Polish city of Toruń.
The Nicolaus Copernicus Reserve Edition pairs the first 55 fountain pens with a 42mm watch boasting a planisphaerium dial and matching, figured steel/titanium case. Copernicus’ obsession with motion is echoed by an OISA 1937 automatic winding movement with 60-hour power reserve – visible through a crystal case back.
Copernicus’ heliocentric theory was decades in the making and took more than three centuries to achieve popular acceptance. Editions in the Avanguardia series show that breakthroughs are more evolutionary than spontaneous. Eureka moments do occur, but only to those with the focus and tenacity to seek them.
