The MB&F GorillaSharpener: Specs, Prices And Our Take

Forget everything you know about desk accessories. When avant-garde horological laboratory MB&F teams up with legendary Swiss stationery maker Caran d'Ache, a simple classroom tool undergoes a radical, imaginative evolution. Following their 2024 dinosaur-inspired DinoSharpener, the two brands have returned for a heavier-hitting sequel: the GorillaSharpener. Released to mark World Gorilla Day, this limited-edition release of 300 pieces in Alpine Frost blue offers a fascinating lens through which to explore the intersection of high-end mechanical art and wildlife preservation. To know more about the MB&F SP One Pave, click here. 

A Unique Angle: From Schoolroom Nostalgia to Primate Protector

While most design write-ups focus solely on the zinc alloy construction or the mechanical engineering feats of designer Maximilian Maertens, the true narrative hook of the GorillaSharpener lies in its dual identity as both a symbol of childhood wonder and a guardian of the wild. Designer Maximilian Maertens conceived the piece not just as an abstract animal sculpture, but as a deliberate pop-culture counterpart. If their previous DinoSharpener nodded to Godzilla, the logical mechanical evolution had to be King Kong. Since 1933, the traditional Caran d'Ache Sharpening Machine has been a mundane, fixed fixture of Swiss classrooms. By propping the heavy-duty device up on powerful stainless-steel and cast-iron knuckle-walking limbs, Maertens transforms a flat, static office tool into a dynamic creature that appears to actively prowl across the desktop. 

A Bridge Between Luxury And Mechanics

The partnership goes deeper than clever aesthetics, as MB&F has tied the release directly to conservation by partnering with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund through the symbolic adoption of Rwanda's historic Pablo mountain gorilla group. Amplifying this conservation angle, the Pablo group is prominently featured in the 2026 Netflix documentary A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough, bridging the gap between luxury mechanical art and global environmental awareness. 

It bridges the gap between luxury mechanical art and global environmental awareness

By anchoring a luxury mechanical sculpture to the plight of mountain gorillas, whose global population lingers just over 1,000, MB&F and Caran d'Ache prove that high-end design can successfully champion a wilder, more meaningful narrative. To know about the latest Geneva Watch Days launch, click here.