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Well friends of Italian pens and wonderful celluloid creations, we have another very limited release Montegrappa Extra on our hands! Not 1, but 7 new celluloid Extra's being sold exclusively through Chatterley pens (no affiliation) as the Colori Del Mare collection. The pens are themed of course, Colours of the Sea, with a donation being made to a 4 Ocean with each pen. The nib on the pens are a bi colour 18kt seahorse that looks incredible! A bit of the marketing blurb below: In collaboration with Chatterley Luxuries, the Extra family of classic pens will be presented in new colours with a marine ambiance. Each pen is identified by the image of a seahorse engraved on the custom 18k gold nib, with trim in sterling silver. Colori del Mare describes a vibrant collection of special Fountain Pens that utilizes Montegrappa’s treasure trove of natural celluloids in a wide range of hues, tones and colours. Each type of celluloid employed in the range has been hand-selected for its appropriateness in paying homage to the glories of the oceans. Seven colours have been chosen representing the 7 seas, to be offered in limited editions of 15 examples per colour, with the turquoise version – The Sea – represented by 27 pens. Each pen is hand-engraved with the edition number, with symbolic wave patterns engraved on the ring. I've got myself lined up for Sea Turtle, anyone else picking one of these up? What are your thoughts?

With the recent Stipula Etruria thread that was posted in this sub, I thought it was high time we had a dedicated photo thread for the Montegrappa Extra. This can include the earlier Classica and Historia models, along with the more modern variants including the Extra, Extra 1930 and Extra Otto. The key here is to share what you have no matter the size of your collections or your photography skills, so that we may appreciate, discuss and enjoy the variety of trims, nibs and colours these exquisite pens are available in. My hope is that this will breathe a little more passion into this model and to see our own interpretations of how we use them in the 'real world'. This will also provide a valuable resource for those looking to research the model and perhaps make their own decision to one day acquire an Extra or two. Let me kick us off with two of my favourite Extra's in my collection; an Extra Otto in Lapis Blue with a Fine nib, and an Extra is midnight blue celluloid with the older style barrel imprint and a Medium nib. I am soon to add another one when it arrives from Italy, will post a group shot then. I hope that others will follow with their shots

Every excuse is good. Every excuse is good... I do nothing but repeat it ... For Christmas, I gave myself a watch. The fault lies with my dear brother Paolo, who to begin the story had recently bought a used one in excellent conditions. Then he made himself tempted by another, and the first, now without a master who wanted to love it, was already finding a new home in my home (I would take it for Christmas). However, nothing happened... Paolo eventually became fond of it, and I, who already made myself the idea ... I was left without the watch! Well no! I came back to the net looking for him, and with a little luck, since yesterday it is in my hands, brand new, despite being an old watch: a chronograph Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic, ref. H71 416 733, in the 38 mm size. Now, why this exact watch? As I said, it's not my fault. My brother had chosen it. But it's a good timepiece. It is animated by a classic automatic movement Valjoux 7750, a true reliable workhorse, it is simple and clean in design as (almost) the whole Khaki line, it has a transparent back to see the movement - even if not very decorated -, and it is a rare-very rare example of a 38 mm chronograph. I have three more Khaki, one 33 mm, a beloved gift from my wife when we were engaged, and two 38 mm mechanicals. I know the measure, and it is right in my comfort zone. The chronographs I like usually a bit larger, say the classic measure of 42 mm, type Omega Moon watch or the beautiful Aqua Terra chronographs of the first generation. Nevertheless, a 38 mm chronograph seemed to me an interesting thing, especially in its price range. Hu hu, the price range. During the 1990s, the Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic Chronograph H71 416 733 came out, in my opinion, a bit overrated, with a tag over 1000 dollars. Who paid it this price, at the time, now tries to sell it used for prices a bit out of the market. With some patience you may find one used at a price around half of the original tag. I was lucky, and accomplice a colleague who was visiting from the US, I found one at that price, but new. Since I had already bought a new strap (for my brother's watch), I had nothing left to do now but to buy a new watch suitable for the strap... On the wrist, its 15 mm thickness on a 38 mm case is fairly thick, and the watch looks a bit like a hockey puck, but I already knew it before buying (the net is plenty of photographs) and I do not regret it. Today, at home, I made it mine. I did it in my own way, by means of a photograph. Every excuse is good, to get my new 120mm macro to work. And since there is no watch that is worth without a pen that would accompany it, I also put my Montegrappa Extra "Acque del Sile" in the picture, for the occasion filled with Hiroshizuku ink Chiku-rin. The celluloid of this pen is beyond comparison. Hey, I finally say something about pens ... Every excuse is good ... And here is the result: Technique. It is not a difficult photograph, but it needs a little bit of equipment. I used two studio strobes (1200W each one) with rectangular banks, a further diffuser in front of the left flash, a white panel to reflect the light in front of the camera and a white sheet to reduce the reflection of the camera on the polished bezel of the watch. The flashes are synchronized through three PocketWizard Plus, one mounted on the camera (PW Plus IV), one connected to the main flash (PW Plus III) and another that commands them all, like a remote control, and allows me to trigger the camera (even by activating autofocus if I request it) and flashes in synchronized mode. On the lens is mounted a bellows hood (of my kit Hasselblad V), the best to eliminate as much as possible the unwanted light when photographing with many points of light and much white around. Who has not tried it, does not sufficiently evaluate the change in contrast and color saturation you may obtain when using a suitable hood. I attach a badly taken photo of the small set: Thanks for the patient reading of this mostly off topic excursus...