THE DOMAIN OF THE FINE PENMAKER CAN SEEM miles away from the modern digital world, but there are some products that manage to close the distance quite nicely, among them a new sterling silver rollerball engraved in a precise repeating pattern. The father of computing, London-born Charles Babbage, is the inspiration for an impressive new pen from top-notch English penmaker Conway Stewart.

Babbage was a brilliant mathematician and mechanical engineer who spent most of the early 1800s at Cambridge. He is now best known for exploring the possibilities of mechanical computation and for designing several precision-engineered computing machines-his Difference Engines No. 1 and No. 2 and his Analytical Engine-that are widely regarded as forerunners of modern calculators and computers.

The Conway Stewart Babbage edition roller-ball is both simple and intricate, a reflection of Babbage's pragmatism and obsession with detail. The clipless pen is sized to fit conveniently into the pen loops of briefcases, agendas, portfolios, or handbags. It is decorated with an engine-turned geometric design executed with extreme precision and recalling the digital disks of Babbage's machines.

The suggested retail price for the rollerball is $895, and each one carries a 100-year guarantee. Calculate that value!

For more information, telephone 425.432.0816 or visit conwaystewart.com.