In the spirit of the brand's new "Make Your Mark" campaign the new CROSS Peerless Fonderie 47 Limited Edition Writing Instrument is usable luxury with a social purpose
LINCOLN, Rhode Island, Dec. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In the last 20 years ongoing wars on the African continent have resulted in the loss of millions of lives. The conflict has been enabled by the widespread availability of assault rifles. CROSS has partnered with Fonderie 47 to create the Peerless Fonderie 47 Limited-Edition Fountain Pen--to help make a difference by reducing access to assault weapons in these war-struck areas. Each Peerless Fonderie 47 Limited-Edition Fountain Pen purchased will fund the destruction of ten assault rifles in a war zone in Africa.
"In the spirit of the CROSS brand--an historic, American icon symbolizing human potential--we are dedicated to aligning with those who pursue their greatness through creative ingenuity. This partnership with Fonderie 47 and its founder Peter Thum, is exemplary of this aspect of the CROSS brand DNA. The Peerless Fonderie 47 Limited-Edition Fountain Pen is at once, an exquisite fine writing instrument for human expression as well as a vehicle for positive social impact and change," said Magnus Jonsson, Global CMO, A.T. CROSS.
CROSS has created only forty-seven of these limited edition fine writing instruments. The series' signature is a disk of blackened steel from a melted-down AK47, which is precision set in the cap and marked with the Fonderie 47 logo. Additionally, the center band that encircles its 18 KT, gold-filled barrel is inscribed with the unique serial number of the gun taken out of circulation in Africa to create it. For purposes of authenticity, each fountain pen is also engraved with a CROSS limited-edition number, representing each pen's unique number in the limited series of forty-seven pens.
"We chose to partner with CROSS to create the next collection of Fonderie 47 limited-edition, luxury items because Cross has a proud history of excellence. These fine writing instruments embody the idea of our mission, enabling expressions with a style and intimacy that is absent in most communication today," says Peter Thum, Founder and CEO, Fonderie 47.
Launched in 2009 by CROSS "Mark Maker" and brand ambassador Peter Thum, Fonderie 47 already has removed more than 50,000 AK47s and other small arms from circulation in Africa. The foundation of this partnership and creation of these noble collector's items came as a result of diligent efforts of Peter Thum and his team, who spent a year and a half traveling to conflict zones in Africa negotiating to safely and legally obtain confiscated assault weapons. Once secured, they had these guns melted down by a local blacksmith and then transported them back to the US.
The next phase of the project took root in Brooklyn, NY, where they built a forge and engaged an American blacksmith to remake the gun steel into new ingots from which the signature Fonderie 47 pieces for the pens could be created.
The fine writing instrument craftsmen at CROSS used the blackened AK47 gunmetal to create the fine detail work in the cap inset of this new edition to the Peerless collection, the finest writing instrument ever created by CROSS.
You can purchase the Peerless Fonderie 47 Limited-Edition Fountain Pen at www.CROSS.com and www.fonderie47.com.
About CROSS
The story of the CROSS brand begins in 1846 when artisan Richard Cross, in partnership with his son Alonzo Townsend Cross, revolutionized fine writing instruments. Their early mark of entrepreneurial excellence included tools refined through more than 100 patents and accented by the spoils of the California gold rush. Still positioned to set the bar for what it means to symbolize achievement, human potential and usable luxury, CROSS seeks to provide those possessing extraordinary vision and a strong entrepreneurial spirit with the tools needed to make their mark.
About Fonderie 47
Fonderie 47 was founded in 2009 with the goal of stopping gun violence in Africa's most war-torn places by reducing the number of destabilizing assault rifles in Africa. 'Fonderie' is French for foundry (for melting and casting metal),'47' represents the year that the AK47 was introduced. Founder Peter Thum realized the enormous problem these weapons created, having met boys armed with assault rifles, and the victims of these weapons, while developing clean water projects in east Africa. Thum decided to transform these implements of devastation into something beautiful and opposite in nature that would inspire change and fund the destruction of weapons.
Inspired by this mission, Fonderie 47 has created high-end jewelry, mechanical watches, and accessories -- made from AK47 steel, precious metals and jewels -- with some of the world's best designers and jewelers. Each Fonderie 47 piece incorporates metal from a destroyed AK47 and bears the serial number of a destroyed gun, and the purchase of every piece funds the destruction of a specific number of guns in Africa.
Working with the Nobel Prize winning NGO Mines Advisory Group, to date Fonderie 47 already has funded the destruction of over 50,000 assault rifles in war zones in Africa.
Media Contact:
Genevieve Malandra
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gigi@j2online.com
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