Graf von Faber-Castell 2023 Pen of the Year Rollerball
Every year we celebrate a special highlight in the Graf von Faber-Castell Collection: the Pen of the Year. Each limited edition tells the tales of eras and people whose deeds shaped the history of humanity. In 2023, the Pen of the Year is inspired by ancient Egypt, its 3,000-year-old history, gods and goddesses, mythology and achievements. The people of ancient Egypt called their home Kemet (meaning “Black Land”): Every year in the summer months, the earth was flooded and fertilized by the dark silt of the Nile River. The Kingdom of Egypt in northern Africa arose from this origin with its pharaohs, pyramids, and deities.

• The first element of the Pen of the Year 2023, the cap, draws inspiration from one of the most famous art treasures of ancient Egypt: Nefertiti's tall crown. The shape of her headpiece was rare and was a symbol of her position of power. 
• The engraved pattern of the lotus on the end piece of the Pen of the Year 2023 represents regeneration and rebirth, because the petals close up every day and sink into the water as the sun goes down, only to rise up once again as the sun comes back up. As one of the most significant symbols in ancient Egypt, the delicate plant graced alabaster vessels, jewelry and columns. 
• Gold was the symbol of power and wealth in Ancient Egypt and can be found in impressive pieces of jewelry, tools, vessels and masks. The famous Eye of Horus is engraved in a 24k gold-plated disc on the end piece of the Pen of the Year 2023. The God Horus' left eye, known as the eye of the moon, is seen as a symbol for healing, protection, perfection and power.
• Considered to be the oldest form of Egyptian writing, hieroglyphs were used for more than 3,500 years for rituals and religious purposes, as well as to pass down knowledge from generation to generation. Using hieroglyphs, the names of 12 ancient deities are engraved on the metal barrel of the Pen of the Year 2023 which has a diamond-like carbon coating. 
• The beetle was sacred in ancient Egypt and was seen as a lucky symbol as well as a symbol of the sun that represented life and rebirth. We have engraved the scarab in a reconstructed lapis lazuli that shimmers bright blue in the end piece of the cap of the Pen of the Year 2023. This deep blue color became associated with water and the divinity of the night sky. It was used for lavish jewelry pieces, the pharaohs’ clothing and relics.
• The grip of the Pen of the Year 2023 is inspired by the stripes of gold and lapis lazuli as seen on the pharaoh's (per-aa) nemes head cloth. 24-carat-gold-plated metal rings and blue rings meticulously hand-painted with several coats call to mind the valuable headdress reserved solely for the pharaohs.