Beyond the sale of regular limited and special editions, several established high-end writing instrument manufacturers also produce fully customised one-off pieces to the customer's specification — known in English as bespoke pieces. On commission, materials, engravings, precious metals and gemstone settings are produced according to personal preference and — in many cases — the family or company symbolism of the commissioning customer.
Pioneers in this discipline are Montblanc with the Artisan Studio in Hamburg and Montegrappa, both well known for their made-to-measure pieces. Caran d'Ache, Visconti, Krone, Stipula as well as specialised manufacturers such as Yard-O-Led, Conway Stewart, Bexley and individual boutique pen makers also offer bespoke services. Frequently used design elements include solid gold barrels with hand-engraved motifs, enamel work, gemstone settings and the use of historical or symbolically charged materials (e.g. meteorite iron, mammoth ivory or precious woods).
Early publicly known examples are the Montblanc Jean Todt 146 mentioned earlier as well as various one-off pieces from the Montblanc Artisan Studio. An overview of spectacular ultra-high-end editions and individual commissions from the international luxury writing-instrument scene is offered, among others, by an article in Robb Report: https://robbreport.com/shelter/art-collectibles/21-ultimate-gifts-writ-large-234857/ — there pieces are shown whose prices quickly reach five- to six-figure amounts and which, in choice of materials, engraving and gemstone setting, leave the boundaries of classic writing instruments far behind.
Related pages on fountainpen.de:
• Montblanc Artisan Editions (Bespoke): fountainpen.de/artisan-en.htm
• Limited Artisan Editions: fountainpen.de/limited-artisan-en.htm
• Patron of Art (edition series): fountainpen.de/patron-en.htm
• Skeleton editions: fountainpen.de/skeleton-en.htm