The first thing I noticed about the S. T. Dupont Line 2 lighter was its size and weight. About 2 inches long and an inch and half wide, it fit perfectly in my palm, and felt so satisfying; heavy enough to give a feeling of substance, but not so heavy to be bulky or awkward. Just holding the lighter, feeling its heft, was enough to sell me on it. It reminded me of the kind of lighter used in speakeasies during the Prohibition, or the kind of lighter used to light a fine cigar while enjoying an after dinner brandy.
S. T. Dupont lighters are pure luxury. The lighter I was holding was $525, and worth it. The cover of the lighter was made out of sliver plate and etched with tiny vertical lines, similar to a pin stripe suit. And this was a mid-range model. Some of the fancier, more expensive lighters are around $1000, made from of Chinese lacquer or gold dust lacquer. Clearly, S. T. Dupont takes making lighters very seriously.
But once I opened it, it became quickly obvious that the lighters have more going for them than just pretty looks. The noise it makes when is opens, that "ping" struck something deep inside me. It was the acoustic equivalent of the sheer joy you feel when you wear an old jacket and find 20 bucks. Opening the top again and again, hearing that sound, I was as giddy as a 6 year old playing with bubble wrap. Like leaning for a kiss, the "ping" is the best kind of surprise there is. You know what's coming, you know what to expect, but it's still such a thrill.
Incidentally, the "ping" was never supposed to exist; in the 50's, when S. T. Dupont first started making lighters, a mistake was made, and two cogs accidentally ended up generating excess friction. This resulted in an unwanted noise whenever the lighter was opened. The company, striving for perfection, understandably wanted this mistake fixed. However, it didn't take long for the "ping" to work its magic on customers, and needless to say, the company left the mistake in place.
Article comments
1 - LegendaryMonkey
I can't in good conscience spend that much on a lighter when I really want to quit smoking... but oh, man, do you ever come close to selling me with this!
2 - jtc2006az
Enjoyable reading, light and informative. More interesting was your ability to transport me to to another place, outside an estabishment in the evening with a cigarette and my St. Dupont lighter...and I don't even smoke! Thank you, a pleasant aside...
3 - Jorge Marco
Hi and thank you for this interesting reading. We would like to link you from our store so our customers will be able to better know the ST Dupont world.
Best regards
Jorge Marco