Curtis Australia

Curtis Australia was established in 2002 by Glenn Curtis, a craftsman that manufactured writing instruments, as part of an overall change in company direction that will later lead to product collections being formed. In 2004, Curtis exhibits at the National Stationery Show of New York. By those times, Curtis began to export his products to the United States.

Three years later, Curtis introduced resin and sterling silver models to its pen ranges in the form of Classic, Elegance and Luxury models. In 2007, the company opened a showroom and office in Melbourne. The first luxury watches came in 2017, offering ladies and gentlemen models, in solid gold cases. Curtis, Australia took part in G'Day USA – an Australian Government initiative to promote Australian goods and services in the U. S.Australia Week Sponsor Gains 12 Month Leap Into Market. [http://www.newyork.usa.embassy.gov.au/nycg/Biz1SU07.html] 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2013

In 2010, Curtis relocated to a new, purpose built studio with increased space and capabilities to create pens and jewellery products. That same year, new pen models were introduced including the Streamline, Dream Writer and Brighton models. Streamline and Dreamwriter were acrylic resin bodied pens with sterling silver trim, while Brighton was a larger version solid silver pen that featured relief decoration on both barrel and cap areas.

In 2011, Glenn Curtis participated as a judge in the Rio tinto Diamonds Global Design held in NY.{{Cite web |url=http://www.riotintodiamonds.com/newsletter/issue_04/GemTalk%2012.pdf |title=page 3 Gem Talk |access-date=2018-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802041025/http://www.riotintodiamonds.com/newsletter/issue_04/GemTalk%2012.pdf |archive-date=2018-08-02 |url-status=dead }} In late 2014, Curtis were chosen to contribute to the Robb Report Magazine's Ultimate Gift Guide, a collection of extreme luxury products and concepts aimed at the very wealthy. The Curtis pen designs included concepts called 'Artistry' - a gem set and gold pen drawing inspiration from decorative art history, and 'Racing the Wind' a design featuring a diamond set eagle and stallion. Both concepts are intended to prompt design commissions from the magazine's subscribers.{{Cite web |url=http://www.curtisaustralia.com/robb-report-story.html/?s=Curtis+Australia |title=Bespoke Pens from Curtis - realise your dream - Curtis Australia Luxury Pens & Fine Jewellery |access-date=2015-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211950/http://www.curtisaustralia.com/robb-report-story.html/?s=Curtis+Australia |archive-date=2015-09-23 |url-status=dead }}

Curtis started to create solid gold watches released its first collection in 2017, using designs created and made in house, fitted with Swiss made movements.{{Cite web |last=Bredan |first=David |date=2014-12-22 |title='Swiss Made' To Mean A Whole Lot More For Watches In 2017 |url=https://www.ablogtowatch.com/swiss-made-mean-whole-lot-more-watches-2017/ |access-date=2024-08-08 |website=aBlogtoWatch |language=en-US}}

File:Colours of Australia Fountain Pen.jpg

Curtis pens feature an internally developed spring clip. This has allowed sterling silver, a material normally not strong enough for pen clips, to be deployed across their pen ranges.

Most high-end resin and silver pens are engineered using repetition tooling or machinery, leading to similar styles and design. Curtis pens are often sculptured with modelled surfaces in relief (source) and hand finished. This approach as led to recognition in industry publications.

Some Curtis pen models are decorated with imagery related to certain historical events. Examples of these include the 'Wildlife Warrior' pen, the 'Great Race' pen, the 'Race to the Pole' pen and the 'America 400' pen. The 'Wildlife Warrior' Pen was created as a philanthropic project to raise funds for the charity of the same name.[https://wildlifewarriors.org.au/ Wildlife Warriors] The 'Race to the Pole' Pen commemorates the centenary of the race to the North Pole.

Curtis' 'Great Race Pen' marks the anniversary of 'the world's first auto race' 1908 New York to Paris Race while the 'America 400' has illustrative elements relating to the European settlement of North America. Pens in this series are heavily sculptured in solid sterling silver.

Curtis watches utilise different manufacturing techniques. Most conventional watch cases are subtractively produced, i.e. engineered from solid blocks of materials, leading to designs that often reflect manufacturing technique. Curtis watch case designs have been influenced by their background as precious metal jewellers and pen makers.

• 'Prestige' Collection (2006). Solid sterling silver pen series comprising eight initial models.
• Wildlife Warrior Pen (2009). A gem set solid gold pen featuring endangered wildlife from Australia and around the world in a series of bas relief carvingsOlson, Nancy. [http://robbreport.com/Robb-Recommends/Style-Pens-Curtis-Australia-Wildlife-Warriors-Gold-Warrior] 13 May 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2013
• 'Superyachts' an online publication concerned with luxury goods compares Curtis Australia with Cartier as pen makers{{Cite web | url=https://www.superyachts.com/lifestyle/story/cartier-and-curtis:-the-worlds-finest-pens-32 | title=Cartier and Curtis: The world's finest pens? }}
• Morning Mist Necklet & Fountain Pen (2010), associated jewellery pieces. A two colour gold necklet and fountain pen set with Rio Tinto Diamonds{{cite web |url=http://www.silvermistdiamonds.com/gray_diamonds_press.asp |title=Gray Diamonds-Silver Grey Colored Diamond Jewelry - Silvermist Diamonds Press Clippings |accessdate=2014-08-13 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014211930/http://www.silvermistdiamonds.com/gray_diamonds_press.asp |archivedate=2013-10-14 }} [https://web.archive.org/web/20131014211930/http://www.silvermistdiamonds.com/gray_diamonds_press.asp 'Silvermist' Diamonds]
• Jack Nicklaus Series (2011){{cite web|url=http://www.nicklaus.com/products-and-partners/nicklaus-partners/|title=Nicklaus Partners - Nicklaus.com|publisher=}} This series covered significant achievements in the career of professional golfer Jack Nicklaus and includes pens that feature the Masters Tournament, the US Open and the Ryder Cup, with the British Open and the US PGA pen designs still in development.
• 'Signature' Pen launched (2013). Solid gold pen with a detailed carved eagle to the top, designed as a desk pen.Signature' Pen featured page 68, March 2014 issue Robb Report Magazine (author: John Lyon)
• 'The Ultimate Pen' (2014), a $1.2m pen design by Curtis features in the Robb Report December 2014 Issue, page 214 (author: John Lyon) as part of the luxury magazines 'Ultimate Gift Guide' {{cite web|url=http://robbreport.com/paid-issue/ultimate-gift-guide-2014-penning-a-story|title=Ultimate Gift Guide 2014: Penning a Story|first=John|last=Lyon|date=1 December 2014|publisher=|access-date=12 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113010345/http://robbreport.com/paid-issue/ultimate-gift-guide-2014-penning-a-story|archive-date=13 January 2015|url-status=dead}}

In addition to producing pens, Curtis also produces several jewellery collections, examples include the 'Flight of Fantasy' necklet and the 'Morning Mist' necklet. Recent additions include a range of two tone gold rings made by fusing different colours of solid gold into the one item and a range of pieces that include reclaimed Australian hardwoods.

• Morning Mist Collection Pen and Necklet (2010)http://curtisgifts.com/casestudies/riotinto/gemtalk.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113234120/http://curtisgifts.com/casestudies/riotinto/gemtalk.pdf |date=2015-01-13 }} Gem Talk. May 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
• Two Tone Gold Band Rings (2014)
• Curtis Australia appear in a series of articles in 'Gippsland Lifestyle' magazine that cover aspects of the company's activities (2017-2020{{Cite web | url=https://issuu.com/james448/docs/gippsland_lifestyle_summer_45 | title=45 gippsland lifestyle summer by gippsland the lifestyle - Issuu | date=5 December 2020 }}

These were introduced in 2017 with a range of solid gold and gem set watches into its collections. Watches are bespoke and can be tailored to individual clients, and are themed to complement jewellery ranges.{{Cite web |url=http://www.curtisaustralia.com/uploads/3/0/0/8/30083531/robb_report_au_p024-025.pdf |title=2017 Article about Curtis watches features in the Australia edition of the Robb Report |access-date=2017-09-19 |archive-date=2017-09-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920044249/http://www.curtisaustralia.com/uploads/3/0/0/8/30083531/robb_report_au_p024-025.pdf |url-status=dead }}

In 2020, Curtis introduced the 'Motima' watch, an 8 sided men's watch,{{Cite web |url=https://www.curtisaustralia.com/mens-watch-motima.html |title=Motima Perpetual | Curtis Australia - Curtis Australia |access-date=2020-12-10 |archive-date=2021-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127222109/https://www.curtisaustralia.com/mens-watch-motima.html |url-status=dead }} and 'Sophia'{{Cite web |url=https://www.curtisaustralia.com/ladies-watch-sophia.html |title=Sophia - Curtis Australia |access-date=2020-12-10 |archive-date=2021-01-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117054049/https://www.curtisaustralia.com/ladies-watch-sophia.html |url-status=dead }} and 'Grace',{{Cite web |url=https://www.curtisaustralia.com/ladies-watch-grace.html |title=Grace - Curtis Australia |access-date=2020-12-10 |archive-date=2021-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127233935/https://www.curtisaustralia.com/ladies-watch-grace.html |url-status=dead }} two ladies watches.

• 2009 Robb Report Best of the BestOlson, Nancy {{cite web |url=http://robbreport-us.easytech.com.ar/Robb-Recommends/Style-Pens-Curtis-Australia-Wildlife-Warriors-Gold-Warrior |title=Curtis Australia Wildlife Warriors Gold Warrior | Art & Collectibles | Robb Report - the Global Luxury Source |accessdate=2013-11-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20131121044524/http://robbreport-us.easytech.com.ar/Robb-Recommends/Style-Pens-Curtis-Australia-Wildlife-Warriors-Gold-Warrior |archivedate=2013-11-21 }} 13 May 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2013
• 2010 Pen World magazine Readers Choice Award for Best Metal Mastery{{cite web|url=http://www.penworld.com/|title=PEN WORLD|first=Pen|last=World|website=www.penworld.com}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.curtisaustralia.com Official website]

{{Fountain pen manufacturers}}

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Category:Jewellery companies of Australia

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Melbourne

Category:Fountain pen and ink manufacturers

Category:Writing implement manufacturers

Category:Jewellery retailers of Australia

Category:Luxury brands

Category:Clock manufacturing companies of Australia

Category:Watch manufacturing companies of Australia

Category:Australian brands

Category:Watch brands