One man’s passion..One man’s inventiveness

“A pen should exemplify the pleasure of writing” – Armando Simoni. A manuscript reflects the mind of the writer, but original Omas fountain pen express the man who created them. Armando Simoni was fascinated by ancient Greece and channelled his passion for the classics into designing objects of supreme equilibrium. Armando Simoni, distinguished by both aesthetics and inventiveness, had always been fascinated by mechanical questions. In 1925, by the age of 34, he had acquired enough experience in writing instruments, founded OMAS – Officina Meccanica Armando Simoni. With designs such as Arte Italiana, the “Doctors Pen”, and with superior innovations such as rotating nibs or transparent designs, Armond Simoni was a true innovative genius, and was made a knight of the Italian crown and informally dubbed “il Cavaliere”. Soon the small workshop in Bologna became a company of international renown.

Armando Simoni passed away in 1958 and his daughter Raffaella and husband Angelo Malaguti, took over, carrying on the spirit and philosophy, always ahead of their time. In 1983, Gianluca Malaguti, joined his mother and has pursued the quest for the same harmony and perfection that first set the proud standards of the House of Omas. Since May 2000, the company is part of the LVMH Group.

The accurate and delicate touch of the Human hand…
Of course sophisticated technology is needed to create modern pens, but in the making of OMAS writing instruments, the touch of the human hand is involved in every stage. Over 100 stages are covered, from the initial cutting of 18K gold leaf, the rolling, the splitting, continuing right upto the final stage of embossing. Every stage of manufacturing has specific methods chosen by OMAS, which explains why 100 days or more are needed to complete a pen. The utmost attention to the finest details, making each OMAS pen a product of highly specialized crafting, the work of a jeweller – a true gem for writing.

The quest for materials both noble and light…
The appeal of OMAS pens – aesthetic refinement and extraordinary lightness. Writing becomes a pleasure using an instrument that seems to float between the fingers. Cotton resin is the basic material used for the barrel of the pen. Celluloid, is also used, with is thermally neutral i.e. neither emitting nor absorbing heat. OMAS pens undergo a process which guarantees that colours of OMAS Celluloid will never alter with age.

Titanium – A jewel of modern technology…
With the introduction of titanium models, OMAS has orchestrated the meeting of high – tech and pure tradition. Titanium is tough and light weight, and appealed to Gianluca Malaguti Simoni who decided to take on the metal originally intended for industrial purposes, creating pens of outstanding quality.

Precious Metals – True classics…
Exceptional materials are always present in OMAS Collections. Beyond aesthetic reasons, gold is present in our fountain pens, in decorated finishes and in the clips. But the peak of beauty and preciousness is reached with yellow gold, in its splendour, white gold, with its luminosity, or silver, occasionally enriched with diamonds, covering the entire body of the pen. The agile hands of our craftsmen complete the experience of our technicians for ornaments, engravings and the precise setting of our precious stones, all in genuine symbiosis, giving birth to real works of art.