English Estates: Dunhill Bruyere (5103) (2014) Tobacco Pipe

This "03" straight Billiard from Dunhill is a robust rendition of the timeless shape, featuring a gentle forward cant, and sweeping heel that informs a very gentle taper to the rim from the front wall. In Group 5 size, the tall, statuesque bowl is balanced in profile by the rounded shank that is outpaced by a tapered stem of jet-black vulcanite, both anchoring most of the visual weight up front with sleek, low-slung lines. It's all dressed in the exquisite Bruyere finish, capturing the whorls of birdseye across the flanks in a dark, smoky haze that reveals the grain when hit with just the right light.

The Bruyere was Alfred Dunhill's original finish upon launching his brand of premium pipes and smoking accessories and was the only Dunhill finish from 1910 until 1917. Even after the addition of other finishes, the Bruyere maintained a high level of popularity, becoming synonymous with what is thought of, even today, as the quintessential pipe. To achieve the iconic, ruby hue and saturation, a skilled craftsman painstakingly layers particular stains in a precise manner, then meticulously polishes the pipe to a high luster. The final result is, simply put, timeless.