not watches but fountain pens!!
Discussion
I'm getting married in August and want to buy my best man a "nice" fountain pen. Coincidentally he mentioned he would really like one so thats a winner.
I looked at Mont Blanc but they seem to have a "dodgy" reputation - he has heard the same. Can anyone advise me on a good make and somewhere to look for one?
Don't mind a "vintage" one either.
any help most graciously received....
Craig
I looked at Mont Blanc but they seem to have a "dodgy" reputation - he has heard the same. Can anyone advise me on a good make and somewhere to look for one?
Don't mind a "vintage" one either.
any help most graciously received....
Craig
Got both Cross and Parker pens and they have lovely feel and weight to them.
Hadn't heard anything dodgy about mont blanc other than the fact there are lots of fakes online, hence their ban on selling them there.
If he's into his cars then maybe a tenuous link to a porsche design pen might be good?
Bit less "classic" in design though, but maybe that's a good thing?
Hadn't heard anything dodgy about mont blanc other than the fact there are lots of fakes online, hence their ban on selling them there.
If he's into his cars then maybe a tenuous link to a porsche design pen might be good?
Bit less "classic" in design though, but maybe that's a good thing?
My wife bought me a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck Platinum Line Le Grand as a wedding present 9 years ago.
I love this pen. I use it all day, every day. It makes my handwriting legible, makes writing feel like an event and is genuinely pleasurable to use. The ownership experience is pretty good too - the nib will adapt to your hand and get better over time, so it definitely rewards being used a lot. They are expensive, but you'll find that once you own it servicing is pretty reasonable at Mont Blanc, and they will replace any part of the pen for you.
Right now I'm using their brown ink and it makes a change from blue/black. I'm a massive fan of it, as you might be able to tell!
I love this pen. I use it all day, every day. It makes my handwriting legible, makes writing feel like an event and is genuinely pleasurable to use. The ownership experience is pretty good too - the nib will adapt to your hand and get better over time, so it definitely rewards being used a lot. They are expensive, but you'll find that once you own it servicing is pretty reasonable at Mont Blanc, and they will replace any part of the pen for you.
Right now I'm using their brown ink and it makes a change from blue/black. I'm a massive fan of it, as you might be able to tell!
Conway Stewart make some beautiful pieces, st. dupont make some nice ones too but can be seen as a little over priced. Dunhill is also worth a try, especially if you are flying out as duty free prices are pretty competitive and whilst not renowned for pen manufacture they are really quite nice.
Have a look at a vintage Parker 51 fountain pen. They date from 1941-70's I got interested in them after reading an article in Octane car magazine, then I bought one from an eBay auction. The P51 is a design 'classic', it was ahead of it's time when first introduced. I was really pleased with mine; they are well made, very reliable, and are superb to write with. They start at about £40-50 for a black/Lustraloy aeromatic ( which is the filling mechanism to go for), and then the prices vary depending on the colour/rarity. Some of the rare colours go for a lot more. I also have bought a Teal blue one, and a Burgundy aeromatic for friends. You can pay over £100 for some of the 'Unused/As New' special editions, but there are plenty of Standard P51s on ebay or from established dealers. I would suggest maybe a mid 1950's Aeromatic with the stainless steel press bar filling system.
May be worth having a look on www.penbox.co.uk, where there is a section on the history of the Parker 51. There are quite a few pen dealers as well if you want more information.
Hope this is all of use/interest...!
May be worth having a look on www.penbox.co.uk, where there is a section on the history of the Parker 51. There are quite a few pen dealers as well if you want more information.
Hope this is all of use/interest...!
Chewit,
Depends if you want to present him with something expensive but often seen, or expensive and rarely seen. A bit like some watches really, so this is a good place to post your enquiry!
I've owned a S.T.Dupont Montparnasse fountain pen for 12 years or so (a present from wify), and it's used daily. I don't ever use a ball point! I think this particular model has been discontinued, unfortunately. It's got a mottled brown tortoise shell case and solid gold fittings and knib. I do have the interior "bladder" for use with an ink bottle but I've never used it, as I prefer cartridges (an S.T. Dupont design specifically for this model pen and no others, even other S. T Dupont cartridges, will work). There's a facility to carry a spare cartridge inside the pen body which I think is very useful.
There was one occasion several years ago when I dropped the pen and it needed a new knib, so I sent it to S.T. Dupont UK for attention. They were great. As well as fixing a new knib I got a total service as well and some gratuitous cartridges. Also, they phoned me to say that the tortoise shell had worn and could be brought back like new, but as I like the used look I did not have this done. All done within a few days. I cannot recall how much the bill was, but I do remember I thought it was good price for the work done.
There is one problem with S.T. Dupont: there are not many dealers in the UK. Fortunately, Harrods is one and a call to their pen department always gets me what I want, usually a box of 60 cartridges that last a long time. I think Websters Pen Shops are another source of cartridges too. Google should help locate an AD etc. or you could go to S.T. Dupont UK direct. I have bought cartridges in France (they are a French company) on occasions and some duty free stores at UK airports are also ADs.
Good luck and let us PHers who are watch and pen fans (double geeks?) know how you get on.
R.
Depends if you want to present him with something expensive but often seen, or expensive and rarely seen. A bit like some watches really, so this is a good place to post your enquiry!
I've owned a S.T.Dupont Montparnasse fountain pen for 12 years or so (a present from wify), and it's used daily. I don't ever use a ball point! I think this particular model has been discontinued, unfortunately. It's got a mottled brown tortoise shell case and solid gold fittings and knib. I do have the interior "bladder" for use with an ink bottle but I've never used it, as I prefer cartridges (an S.T. Dupont design specifically for this model pen and no others, even other S. T Dupont cartridges, will work). There's a facility to carry a spare cartridge inside the pen body which I think is very useful.
There was one occasion several years ago when I dropped the pen and it needed a new knib, so I sent it to S.T. Dupont UK for attention. They were great. As well as fixing a new knib I got a total service as well and some gratuitous cartridges. Also, they phoned me to say that the tortoise shell had worn and could be brought back like new, but as I like the used look I did not have this done. All done within a few days. I cannot recall how much the bill was, but I do remember I thought it was good price for the work done.
There is one problem with S.T. Dupont: there are not many dealers in the UK. Fortunately, Harrods is one and a call to their pen department always gets me what I want, usually a box of 60 cartridges that last a long time. I think Websters Pen Shops are another source of cartridges too. Google should help locate an AD etc. or you could go to S.T. Dupont UK direct. I have bought cartridges in France (they are a French company) on occasions and some duty free stores at UK airports are also ADs.
Good luck and let us PHers who are watch and pen fans (double geeks?) know how you get on.
R.
great postings so far but please keep them coming....
Lordy....cars, pens, watches the more time I pen in PH land the more I realise that my "blokey delights" are more and more common.
Perhaps I should start a shoe forum too?
i like the idea of a pen with a quirkiness to it - ideally a nice "geek-esque" filling method rather than a cartridge.
Lordy....cars, pens, watches the more time I pen in PH land the more I realise that my "blokey delights" are more and more common.
Perhaps I should start a shoe forum too?
i like the idea of a pen with a quirkiness to it - ideally a nice "geek-esque" filling method rather than a cartridge.
Edited by Chewitt on Tuesday 27th January 21:55
Chewitt said:
great postings so far but please keep them coming....
Lordy....cars, pens, watches the more time I pen in PH land the more I realise that my "blokey delights" are more and more common.
Perhaps I should start a shoe forum too?
i like the idea of a pen with a quirkiness to it - ideally a nice "geek-esque" filling method rather than a cartridge.
The MB has a nice filling system. They sell ink in very elegantly designed glass bottles with a reservoir into which the nib must be submerged. To fill the pen you twist its top to operate a pump which first expels whatever is in the reservoir and then fills it again.Lordy....cars, pens, watches the more time I pen in PH land the more I realise that my "blokey delights" are more and more common.
Perhaps I should start a shoe forum too?
i like the idea of a pen with a quirkiness to it - ideally a nice "geek-esque" filling method rather than a cartridge.
Edited by Chewitt on Tuesday 27th January 21:55
The problem with MB is that everybody has them. It can be a little bit like American Psycho (with the business cards) when you sit down at a meeting and everyone has a similar pen.
I have 3 though and really like using them (ballpen, pencil and fountain pen). The fountain pen takes cartridges and had a pretty snazzy screw mechanism.
I am thinking of buying something different from the 'standard' black/platinum MB to use at work though.
I have 3 though and really like using them (ballpen, pencil and fountain pen). The fountain pen takes cartridges and had a pretty snazzy screw mechanism.
I am thinking of buying something different from the 'standard' black/platinum MB to use at work though.
If he's a PH have a look at the Chopard Il Classico. I have the ball point and gets tons of positive comments.
http://www.chopard.com and look under writing instruments. The tyre tread rubber on the grip is impregnated with a vanilla scent - smells lovely
http://www.chopard.com and look under writing instruments. The tyre tread rubber on the grip is impregnated with a vanilla scent - smells lovely
I still write with the Parker Duofold International fountain pen that my father bought me when I graduated. Very nice writer, and easy to look after because it comes with an ink sucker upper but also takes standard Parker cartridges.
Unfortunately, that's on hold because the barrel is in more pieces than designed. I was umming and aahing about whether to repair it or replace the barrel or just get another pen, when I found out that these things appreciate in value. So I'll be stumping up for a new barrel, I think.
Unfortunately, that's on hold because the barrel is in more pieces than designed. I was umming and aahing about whether to repair it or replace the barrel or just get another pen, when I found out that these things appreciate in value. So I'll be stumping up for a new barrel, I think.
Posting as a "double geek" (!) my daily writer and favourite pen for quality, build and ease of use has to be the Pelikan.
Check out the range at TheWritingDesk (no afiliation but they provide a lot of help and great service)
I guess this pic is ok to post in here as it ticks both boxes.
Good luck with your search.
Cheers,
Nigel
Check out the range at TheWritingDesk (no afiliation but they provide a lot of help and great service)
I guess this pic is ok to post in here as it ticks both boxes.
Good luck with your search.
Cheers,
Nigel
Don1 said:
I got my Montblanc Starwalker from an AD - never buy online... Duty free is your best bet.
I adore it - it really makes writing an event. I wouldn't choose any other pen (and I've had Parker, Cross etc)
+1 I adore it - it really makes writing an event. I wouldn't choose any other pen (and I've had Parker, Cross etc)
Edited by Don1 on Tuesday 27th January 21:34
[There seems to be a newer version out ... But I dont like it as much]
) Writing with them feels superb, not sure why you have heard negative things, perhaps 'cos of the moody versions?Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff