Once upon a time, Manny Iriarte might have been considered just another jock. He was a record-setting swimmer for the Cuban national team, after all. For most people, that’s the peak of life. If you do nothing else, you’ve accomplished a great deal. You can rest on your laurels after that.

But Manny’s limitless energy and passion are not the kind of thing you can put in a drawer and forget about.

Instead, his hobby of photography carried him into a new chapter of life. His shots of old Cuba put his fantastic eye on display and showed that he had the sense of taste that could fuel great design. While Cuba offered him the limited opportunity, America beckoned like a buffet ready to be devoured. And devour he did, moving to the U.S. and working in creative design until he ultimately did a print ad for the Arturo Fuente cigar company.

The gravity of the cigar world had a hold on him. Little did he know, it would pull him in all the way.

Iriarte was asked to help with the design of a timepiece to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Arturo Fuente cigars. This led to a second similar project and grew into projects designing other pieces like humidors, ashtrays, lighters, and more. He calls this collection of luxury accessories the “OpusX Society,” and it’s as fine a collection of cigar accessories as you might find anywhere in the world.

The Many Iriarte Collection Elie Bleu Lighter is another gorgeous piece to add to his offerings.

With a slim profile, this lighter is the go-anywhere fire starter you could pull out in the fanciest establishments on planet earth and feel totally at home. The passionate black and red color scheme cuts a powerful image, while the flash of chrome on top adds flair. Pull it back to produce a single pure jet of flame whenever you need it. A refill port on the bottom means this is the last lighter you will ever need (provided you don’t lose it).

And at this price, you’d better not.

Manny’s collaborators in Elie Bleu are a perfect pairing for this piece. They too have long produced high-end cigar accessories, including for Arturo Fuente. Companion lighters for the Gran Reserva, Don Carlos, and Hemingway blends are similarly well made and beautiful, if a bit more ornate. This minimalist version celebrates the designer at the heart of so many Fuente visual experiences.

With the fire of the Many Iriarte Collection Elie Bleu Lighter in your hand, who knows what you could pull off?

Specifications:
Length: 1.45 in (37mm)
Height: 2.71 in (29mm)
Width: .51 in (13mm)
Weight: .3 lb