The story and development of OMAS begin at the end of the First World War (1915-1918) when, motivated by commercial considerations, the company's founder, Cavaliere Armando Simoni, moved closer to a world for him not yet fully explored American soldiers had been among the first to make use of fountain pens and these had been brought into Italy by soldiers returning from the front, helping to spread their use.

Cavaliere Simoni's considerable and unquestionable skills in the field of precision mechanics led him to set up a service to repair and recondition fountain pens, up to the complete reconstruction of difficult to find components. At a time when the current concept of service networks for international products was unthinkable, Armando Simoni was a true pioneer.

In 1925, he registered his trade name, OMAS (Officina Meccanica Armando Simoni), easy to pronounce in nearly all languages.

From the original small workshop, OMAS soon evolved into an avant-garde company where the creativity, technical knowledge and genius of its founder were also expressed in the production of original equipment and tools for knurling and faceting the pens and cutting, shaping and grinding the nibs.

The results ware unique products, today highly valued by collectors, such as the "Dottore" pen with its unusual shape, designed to house a miniature clinical thermometer, or the pen with two tanks for different colour inks and the possibility of selecting one of two nibs. It was, however, around 1930 that OMAS reached the peak of success, when the twelve-faceted ilne, later to become the company's emblem, was first presented.

In the meantime, the business activities of Armando Simoni were recognized with the awarding of the title "Cavaliere della Coronia d'Italia" (Knight of the Crown of Italy), a title he was always proud of and the only one to which he attached importance, to the point where he was universally known simply as "II Cavaliere".

When the Second World War broke out, OMAS's activities were scaled down, but never stopped, despite the scarcity of the gold required to make the nibs. The use of "Permanium", an alloy with comparable technical characteristics, turned out to be a happy substitute for the precious metal. With the end of the war and the industrial recovery, OMAS once again amazed with the legendary 361, a fountain pen with a tapering aerodynamic shape, protected by international patent, fitted with a nib designed to offer simultaneously flexible or rigid writing and even the possibility of drawing.

When Amando Simoni died (1958), the OMAS tradition continued under the guidance of his daughte Raffaella and son-in-law Angelo Malaguti. The company philosophy remained unchanged, while the collections were innovative, responding to the tastes of changing times. In 1983, his eighteen-year-old grandson Gianlunca joined the company. He immediately demonstrated his natural talent by personally designing the majority of the publicity material, then going on to confirm his abilities by designing a collection dedicated to his father who died prematurely.

In 1988, with the IX Centenary dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the University of Bologna, OMAS began a long series of official collections commemorating the most important historical-culturla events of our time from the Treaty of Maastricht to the 3000 years of Jerusalem, the Return of Hong Kong to China, the 50th Anniversary of the FAO, the 50th Anniversary of UNICEF and Roma 2000 dedicated to the year 2000 and the Theird Millennium to name just a few.

Almirante, Merveille du Monde and Apollo 11 were, on the other hand, authentic masterpieces of interpretation and the goldsmith's art. Innovation and technology find their maximum expression on the OMAS 360, a triangular model, both futuristic and classical at the same time, representing an ergonomic development of the concept of the triangle, the figure formed by the fingers when they grip an object to write. Thanks to this shape, the fingers naturally take up the correct position and the writing is effortless, flowing and clear. The company has received numerous quality and design awards. Present in leading shops throughout the world OMAS is today well established on the international market and its name is a synonym for quality, style, and typicall Italian design.