Edison Pearlette Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

When I purchased my first Edison pen at the 2014 Atlanta Pen Show, I told myself that it wouldn't be my last. In that review, I spoke highly of the Beaumont that I had, and my feelings for that pen haven't changed a bit. So, it was no surprise to me that I was heavily drawn toward another Edison at the 2015 San Francisco Pen Show earlier this year in August.

This year, I walked away with a brand new Edison Pearlette in Deep Indigo Flake with a fine steel nib. I've always been drawn to the shape of the Pearlette in general, and this year I decided to go for it. I have to admit, I was on the hunt for a more custom Pearlette, but I'm also a big fan of this blue flake material. And, like the last Edison review, I don't think this will be my last Edison...again.

Aesthetics

The Pearlette is part of the Edison's Production Line, which means they make the pen in three standard color options, along with the standard nib line-up. You have options of fantastic steel nibs, or gold nibs if that's more your thing. Since these pens are part of the production line, they're a bit more economical than the custom and limited pens from Edison. The regular steel nibbed Pearlette comes in at $149, with a $125 additional charge for a gold nib. Not bad at all for a high-quality, beautiful pen.

The Pearlette features a streamlined design that is equally minimal and mesmerizing. It reminds me of certain Nakaya models, and I think that's on purpose. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with the shape of this pen. It's elegant, clean, and balanced.

The size of the Pearlette is something between small and standard. It's right at 5.25 inches closed, and just under 4.75 when uncapped. This is a very comfortable size for me, but it's important to note that it is a smaller pen. This can be surprising when you only see pictures online of certain pens.

The "furniture" on the Deep Indigo Flake model is silver. The nib is the perfect size in relation to the body of the pen, which can sometimes be off in some pens. Apart from the clip and the nib, this pen is entirely resin. This makes the pen incredibly light and strong.

The cap screws on, and has very tight tolerances. When capping or uncapping the pen, it feels entirely sure and closes nicely without any gaps between the cap and the body. The pen will accept both a standard cartridge or a cartridge-converter, which Anderson pens included with my purchase. I've been using the converter exclusively since I can fill it with a matching Akkerman color.

The clip on the pen is fairly strong, but has a good bit of side to side give. Nothing alarming, but something to consider if you rely heavily on the clip. Personally, I'd love this pen in a clipless version to maintain the sleek aesthetic.

Overall, when you look at this pen, the shape draws you in, but the writing experience hooks you.

Writing

Picking this pen up and holding it in the writing position is what sold me. Before picking it up for a serious look, my thoughts were somewhere in the "I don't need another pen just because it's pretty" range, but that changed immediately after a quick test drive.

The grip is a fantastic shape for me. For reference, I hold pens using a fairly "standard" grip (standard as in how they try to teach it in grade school, but standard is really whatever works best for you). The grip is a tad small, which lends itself to smaller writing. I paired this pen with a fine nib, and I think that was an excellent choice.

The cap posts easily, but I typically use it unposted. Come to think of it, I very rarely post my pens unless they are a compact, short size (like Kawecos or the TWSBI mini).

The nib wrote flawlessly from the beginning, and I've never had anything but good experiences since then. It's smooth, flows well, and starts quickly. This particular nib can get a bit dry after 3-5 days of being idle, but it's easy to get started again if you just lay the pen flat for a couple minutes. Also, the nib is minimally decorated with the Edison logo.

Another point about the nib is the amount of shading I can get out of it. This isn't a flexible nib by any stretch, but I'm impressed by the amount of variation I can get out of it without any modifications. All in all, it's a delightful pen that produces a very pleasant writing experience.

Conclusion

Now that I have two Edison pens in my collection, my hearty recommendation for someone new to the brand is still enthusiastic. I enjoy both of my Edison pens, both for their aesthetic qualities and the fantastic writing experiences they both offer. The only problem I'm noticing at this point is that I have a very narrow color scheme in my current collection, which is something I need to correct in the future.

Anderson Pens have all the Edison Production Line pens for sale, and if you're lucky enough to attend a show, you can pick one of these beauties up in person.

Gimena Ebenus Fountain Pen: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Gimena Pens may not be familiar to most Pen Addict readers. I had never heard of them until a friend mentioned their pens. Gimena is a company in Spain, and they make beautiful, handmade wooden fountain pens.

My Gimena Ebenus is a very rare pen–number two out of only five pens manufactured in 2010. I found it on the FPN classifieds and grabbed it immediately because I had heard such good things about the brand.

The Ebenus boasts a simple, clean design. The ebony wood is untreated (though I think one of the previous owners rubbed some oils into the pen, making the wood a creamy, darker black).

My pen is clipless, but you really should check out Gimena's website and look at their clips. They are leaf shaped and look like the elves of Lothlorien made them. If I buy another Gimena, it will definitely have a clip.

Photo Credit: Gimena Pens

The only other design elements on the Ebenus are the Gimena logo carved into the finial . . .

. . . and the words "Gimena Ebenus 2/5" around the bottom of the barrel.

The cap screws smoothly onto rhodium-plated brass threads. The barrel attaches so seamlessly to the grip, I confess I didn't know how to open the pen to fill the converter at first! The craftsmanship is simply outstanding.

You can barely see where the barrel meets the grip

The nib is 18k gold plated in rhodium and diamond-engraved with the simple Gimena logo and the year of manufacture: 2010.

This is one huge and gorgeous nib and it is fitted with a special ebonite feed.

The medium nib writes a wonderfully smooth line and is almost stub-like. Unfortunately, I have experienced some difficulties with ink flow. Once the ink gets a little low in the converter, the pen exhibits hard starts and skipping. I have to unscrew the barrel, twist the converter to push the ink down, and re-screw the barrel. That isn't difficult, but it is annoying. I'm not sure if the problem is the converter, the feed, or the nib. Pablo Carrasco, of Gimena, is currently working with me to find a solution to the problem.

The pen balances nicely in the hand. It is the perfect size–neither too big or too small (it is 5.6 inches/142mm in length capped and 5.2inches/132mm uncapped). I haven't tried to post it as I don't want to risk marks on the barrel, and I never post my pens. The wood is not heavy (the pen weighs only 27 grams capped), but it feels solid and warms immediately to your hand. Even though my fingertips sometimes touch the threads at the grip while I'm writing, the threads are so smooth I don't notice them. Those rhodium-plated brass threads also add some weight to the pen. Besides, they're beautiful–who would've thought that threads could be part of the aesthetic of a pen?

My Gimena came in an incredible round zebrawood box with an onyx stone on top. I don't know if all Gimena pens come packaged this way or not. The original owner said the pen arrived in a generic box, but he returned it for some work on the feed. When Gimena sent it back, they put it in this zebrawood box.

I adore my Gimena Ebenus. It offers a simple elegance that mass-manufactured pens simply cannot match. Because Gimena pens are handmade in Spain, they cost a pretty penny–or, in this case, a pretty Euro. You're looking at spending a minimum of $500 or so depending on the pen design (there are currently eight models available); whether or not you choose a clip or roll stopper; and whether or not you want a special nib grind or flex nib. To me, these pens are worth the cost because they are so unique and expertly crafted.

My Ebenus model is no longer available (after all, only five were made). But Gimena produces several other versions of the Ebenus along with other models. Next on my list is the Erica with a leaf clip, of course.

Photo Credit: Gimena Pens

Pros

• Gimena pens are handmade out of various types of wood. The craftsmanship is top notch.
• The 18K rhodium-plated Jowo nib is big and beautiful with a lovely engraving that suits the simplicity of the pen. The nib writes smooth as silk.
• I've never owned a pen that warmed to my hand like my Ebenus. It is not weightless, but it's certainly not heavy. It just feels right.
• Every bit of this pen is made of fine materials--ebony wood, rhodium-plated brass threads, an ebonite feed, and, of course, the 18K nib.

Cons

• Handmade fountain pens are expensive, especially if you order them from another country.
• I've had problems with ink flow–skipping and hard starts.

Platinum 3776 Century Chartres Blue Fountain Pen Review

The Platinum 3776 Century Chartres Blue is not the first 3776 I have owned or reviewed, but it is the first 3776 that I have felt like was designed for me.

I’m particular, we all are. Especially when it comes to spending non-trivial amounts of money on fountain pens. I could have bought a standard 3776 years ago if I wanted to settle for one with gold trim. I didn’t want to settle, so I waited. And waited. Rhodium trim limited edition models came and went, and I jumped on the Sai when it became available, but I was holding fast for Platinum to decide that their stock, gold nib, entry level fountain pen was deserving of the rhodium trim treatment.

It finally happened in early 2015. Platinum added rhodium trim throughout the 3776 lineup. And it was beautiful. It didn’t happen with every model, but Chartres Blue was the pen that benefitted the most, and they even added the Black Diamond barrel, which, like Chartres Blue and Bourgogne, has a very sublte demonstrator look.

While the barrels look and feel great, the 14 karat gold nibs are what make Platinum pens the favorite of many. They are different in a way that only Platinum has been able to pull off. Unfortunately, the feel of the nib is very difficult to explain in words.

The best way I have found to describe it is that there is a pencil-like feedback when writing. Imagine if you held a pencil in your hand and dragged it across a piece of paper without gripping the pencil. As lightly as possible, no pressure in your fingertips. You hear the sound of the graphite on the page. You hear Platinum nibs when you write with them.

This sounds like a negative, right? It’s hard to explain how it isn’t, but you need to try it. It’s a wonderful feel. If you did a blind test of basic 14k Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum nibs you might mix up the Pilot and Sailor offerings, but I promise you will know which one is the Platinum.

The line these wonderful nibs leave is right up my alley. Crisp, clean, and even across every letter. Consistency is their hallmark, making them perfect every day writers.

Now that rhodium has happened, I need Platinum to start expanding the 3776 lineup even further. Bourgogne in rhodium trim would be a great start, but making the UEF nib more widely available is something I personally want, although admittedly it would not be a top seller. What about stub nibs? Does Platinum even make one in any pen outside of the Nakaya brand?

You are on your way Platinum. Make it happen!

(Goulet Pens provided this pen at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)