Grayson Tighe is an exceptional pen maker. And Grayson Tighe is an artist. And, as his Rainbow Fire series of limited editions highlights, Grayson Tighe is well ahead of his time.
Though pen makers collaborating with watchmakers is more common today than it was a decade ago, the combination of Blancpain and Grayson Tighe continues to delight with characteristically distinctive writing instruments expressing elements of both creators. The titanium Series 2 is a perfect example of the pen maker’s art mixed with thoughtful watch details.
It’s not just the Đông Sơn drum theme of these two quite different collector’s items by watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin and pen maker Grayson Tighe that caught Elizabeth’s eye: it was the actual pieces themselves, which were inspired by the indigenous people of the Red River Delta of Vietnam.
Blancpain regularly peers outside the box of tradition, seeking challenge, inventiveness and even provocativeness in the design of its watches. So it isn’t surprising that the watch brand decided to team up with another provocateur, pen maker Grayson Tighe, to produce a collection of limited edition pens. This is the origin of the Tighe Blancpain pens, starting with Series 1.
Grayson Tighe’s Blue Dragon is a one-of-a-kind fountain pen created for an American collector, who wanted something with a personally meaningful theme. “The client had the idea for the Blue Dragon, and he was specific about the eye and mane color, placement of the pearl on the barrel, and the symbols and details that were important to him,” says Tighe. And what a beauty this turned out to be!
It’s not just the Đông Sơn drum theme of these two quite different collector’s items by watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin and pen maker Grayson Tighe that caught my eye: it was more than that, it was the actual pieces themselves inspired by the indigenous people of the Red River Delta of Vietnam.
What a beautiful theme to decorate such rare and interesting objects with.
A watch brand adding writing instruments to its repertoire is not breaking news, but it is notable when a company focuses the same amount of attention and care on its pens as it does on its watches. Such was the case when almost ten years ago now, Blancpain engaged Canadian pen designer and maker Grayson Tighe to produce its writing instruments.