About Waldmann
Waldmann began in 1918 in Pforzheim, the traditional German jewellery metropolis in the Black Forest. At that time the pencil was the standard writing instrument for the majority of the population. Adolf Waldmann, Waldmann's founder, upgraded these modest pencils with decorative metal shells made from gold and silver.
The skilled engravers, embossers, polishers, toolmakers, jewellery fitters and chasers were easy to find in Pforzheim and the surrounding areas, and Waldmann's production range quickly expanded to include everyday accessories such as pocket mirrors, toothpicks, cigarette holders. The range expanded to fountain pens in 1921.
Waldmann has been granted worldwide patents for special rotary mechanisms in 2 and 4 colour writing instruments. The first such award took place in 1937 at the Paris World Exhibition, when Waldmann was awarded a silver medal for a 4-colour mechanical pencil.
During an allied air raid on Pforzheim in February 1945 the Waldmann factory building was completely destroyed. Not only was the entire production facility destroyed, but also all of the technical drawings and archived samples. Undaunted, Adolf Waldmann, along with what remained of his colleagues, built the company back up quickly after the war, with production recommencing in March 1946.
A new era began in the early 1950s for the Waldmann company with the invention of the ballpoint pen refill. Incorporating ballpoint pens into their production range eventually led to the creation of the legendary "Two-in-One". This inventive pen with a fountain pen on one end and a retractable ballpoint pen on the other earned Waldmann another worldwide patent in 1972.
Waldmann still manufactures 100% of its products at in Germany. Everything that leaves the company's production site has been manufactured by skilled craftsmen with many years of experience using traditional handcrafting techniques. Despite introduction of modern technology, traditional production methods have been kept and, on average, 73% of the manufacturing is done by pure craftsmanship.
Waldmann has also made a name for itself as a specialist for unusual finishes. The old craft of engraving deserves a special mention, as only a very few master engravers still master the "Viennese pattern". Only Waldmann is able to produce writing instruments with this unique and elegant engraving method which involves craftsmen painstakingly engraving each pen individually.
Waldmann's current writing instrument collection comprises 17 models, all produced using solid sterling silver 925—a precious metal alloy consisting of 92.5% silver and 7.5% of other materials. Being harder and more stable than other alloys, sterling silver 925 is ideal for the production of high quality writing instruments.
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