Hands Across the Water

by Nancy Olson

Last fall, the Florentine pen maker Visconti and Coles of London, based in Florida, joined forces: On September 1, Coles officially became the distributor of Visconti products in the United States. The two recently launched such exciting new products as the Rembrandt collection, the Divina Royale and the Divina G8 Summit, as well as the limited edition Templari, to keep fans on point. Following is a brief interview with Visconti president Dante Del Vecchio (at right) and Mark Cole, principal of Coles, during Del Vecchio’s recent trip stateside.

Nancy Olson: What business philosophies do you share that will make your new association a fruitful one?
Dante Del Vecchio: Passion! Visconti and Coles have the same passion for writing instruments, creativity and a quality lifestyle. [Our] business is the consequence of the above factors professionally applied to the market.
Mark Cole: I agree with Dante. We are both passionate about fine writing instruments, working hard and happy customers! Passion can be contagious to those around you—people certainly feed off Dante’s creativity.

NO: How would you describe Visconti’s attributes?
DD: Creativity is surely number one, together with quality and service. Last, but not least, is our incredibly broad range of products, from $100 to $100,000 [limited edition of one], each completely made in Florence at the Visconti villa.
MC: There are many factors that separate Visconti from all other fine writing brands. These include the incredibly diverse range of pens, excellent customer service, and unique and innovative designs and mechanisms. But for me, the biggest factor is the owner and founder of Visconti, Dante Del Vecchio. He has knowledge, passion and expertise regarding writing instruments, surpassing anyone else I have met in the industry.