Ser Jacopo: Gem Series Fiammata Smooth Calabash (Granato) (A) 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 Calabash is graded "Granato" and is well deserving of its Gem Series designation, as it combines stunning attention to detail and craftsmanship. Smaller and more traditional than many of Ser Jacopo's offerings, this Calabash is a compact option that still houses a respectable tobacco chamber. Rising from a curvaceous heel, the walls of the bowl flare slightly as they reach the capped rim, creating the classic Calabash silhouette. Out back, a brawny shank rises from the transition as it meets the shoulders of an equally sturdy acrylic saddle stem that bends to the bit. Dressing the honey-blonde stummel is a smooth finish which highlights incredible flame grain across the bowl's flanks and lovely patches of birdseye around the rim.