Italian Estates: Ser Jacopo Gem Series Fiammata (Granato) Bent Paneled Dublin with 18K Gold (Maxima) Tobacco Pipe

Founded in 1982, Ser Jacopo is now one of the most influential and iconic pipe brands throughout Italy. Founded by Giancarlo Guidi, this workshop is responsible for creating Pesaro shaping and working with high-quality briar to create whimsical and flamboyant pieces that lean heavily into the classic Italian style. The Gem Series comprises some of the best pipes at Ser Jacopo, displaying fantastic shaping, beautiful grain, and an abundance of classic Pesaro charm. The series also has an internal grading system to denote quality that ascends in order from Smeraldo ("Emerald"), Granato ("Garnet"), Zaffiro ("Sapphire"), and Rubino ("Ruby"), to Brillante ("Diamond").

This Dublin is graded "Granato" and is well deserving of its Gem Series designation, as it combines stunning attention to detail and craftsmanship. Stamped "Maxima" once, this piece is a sizable rendition of the classic form, hefty in weight with a bowl nearly two and a half inches tall. The eyes are immediately drawn to the midsection where a stunning gold band wraps the junction, adding a pop of shine to the design. Up front, the paneled walls of the bowl rise and flare toward an octagonal rim. A deeply bent acrylic saddle stem brings up the rear, giving this pipe a satisfying jaw-hanging posture. Dressed in a honey-hued, smooth finish, this pipe displays stunning flicks of flame grain around the bowl and dense birdseye on the rim, earning it the coveted Fiammata designation.