The Enduring Appeal of the Dunhill Rollagas Lighter

While the term “everyday carry” is broad enough already, I’d bet my money that a lighter which costs close to $1,300 would not be included in anyone’s list. But, for me, it’s hard to deny that a Dunhill Rollagas is the epitome of style and functionality – and here is where I’m willing to expand the definition of “EDC” just a little bit.

For many of us who consider ourselves collectors – whether it be watches, pens, or knives – I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “My cheap X works just as well!” And while this may be true (and trust me, my house is littered with matchbooks and cheap Bic lighters), I know that I’m not just buying something for functionality. When I buy a luxury good, I’m buying into the brand itself and the history behind it. While the $5 Spongebob watch my nephew wears and my Datejust both tell time, sure, there’s an undeniable difference that exists beyond timekeeping. When a brand does it right, you can almost feel it. 

I’d call it nearly talismanic while my more cynical peers may call it just plain ol’ good marketing. But whatever the case might be, I feel a little different holding a Dunhill lighter in my hands. When I run my thumb across the sparkwheel on a gas station Bic, I’m instantly brought back to when I was sixteen and trying my first cigarette. When I do the same with a Rollagas, I feel like a proper adult. I like who I am when I have one in my pocket.

The History of Dunhill

For a brand to have been on a steady rise for over 130 years, they must be doing something right. Dunhill began as a saddlery company that was inherited by its founder, Alfred Dunhill, from his father. Taking a look around at the growing market of automobiles, Dunhill used his keen business sense to put the horses away, so to speak, and focus on providing leather accessories for the nascent auto industry. By evolving with the times, Dunhill was not only able to stay afloat, but to actually succeed in an emerging industry. This, more than a century later, appears to be a trait ingrained into the DNA of the brand.

By promising “Everything but the Car!” to its customers, Dunhill was able to kit out wealthy Londoners who were interested in automobiles. Considered a gentleman’s hobby at the time, the Dunhill brand’s history in saddle-making came in handy: they were already familiar with high-quality leathers that could adapt to various elements and produce bespoke products as-needed. By the 1920’s, Dunhill was known within the London area, and by the 1950s it had broadened its appeal to the continent and the United States to be a veritable luxury brand. 

Over the years, Dunhill has remained understated within the designer market; but still there remains a following that understands just what you’ll get from owning something from Dunhill. It is very much in the “quiet luxury” (for lack of a better term) camp, a status symbol that doesn’t need to be announced. It’s no wonder, then, that Richemont acquired Dunhill, giving it a place at the proverbial table with brands like Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, and IWC Schaffhausen. 

Anatomy of a Rollagas

It was in the 1950’s when Dunhill began to really experiment with elevating products to further attract more customers. Instead of just using more expensive materials on the same ol’ model that everyone else was doing, Dunhill instead began to build a better performing lighter, as well as a better looking one. Thus, the Rollagas was born.

First developed in 1953, the Rollagas was at the time a limited-edition model (it would become part of the main line – as it is still today – for the brand in 1956 when their patent was granted). What set the Rollagas apart was that it did not rely on a flint or wick lighting mechanism, but butane. Not only was it considered a “cleaner” way to light, it was more reliable, too. Soon, butane lighters began to take over the market.

But not only was it a better performing lighter for the time, it’s also simply a gorgeous objet d’art. From images alone, you can tell that the slender rectangular shape offers an already eye-catching design. Coming in both silver and gold tones, the body has been enhanced with various patterns – lines, diamonds, barley-cut, to name a few – over the years to keep things interesting. Combine that with the well-recognized thumbwheel to ignite the lighter and the concealed hinge at the top and you have – and I’m not trying to be hyperbolic here – one of the most iconic objects of the 20th Century.

Everyday Carry as Luxury

To me, the EDC community isn’t just about functionality, but about owning something you love and having it by your side throughout the day. A lighter – especially one so expensive – may not be for everyone. Unless you light a lot of candles or smoke a pack a day, there’s very little chance you’re going to get your money’s worth. 

But if you want to have an object you’ll undoubtedly cherish, one that will start conversations at parties, and one that you can pass down to your children – well, my friend, do I have a company for you…