CHARLESTON, S.C. - A pocket protector would be pointless for this diamond-encrusted, $170,000 fountain pen that will never be used.
"You do not put ink in that pen. It's like owning a Ferrari that you don't Germany want to drive," said owner Al Parish, a Charleston Southern University professor.
The pen, one of only three in the world, went on display Wednesday at Charleston's Montblanc store, along with others from Parish's $1.2 million collection. The pens arrived in an armored car accompanied by security guards.
The pen is the "Montblanc Solitaire Mountain Massif Skeleton" and was created in watches-g honor of the 100th anniversary of the company, headquartered in Germany. Its 1,400 white and blue diamonds are arranged to depict the Mont Blanc mountains, and it is topped with a 43-facet star-cut diamond.
The buyers of the three pandora style beads handcrafted pens were chosen from among 60 collectors worldwide in a lottery, said Jan-Patrick Schmitz, chief executive and president of Montblanc North America.
Parish plans to pass his collection of about 150 pens along to his children.
"You don't really own it," he said. "You're just keeping it for one generation."
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