Montegrappa Miya 450 Fountain Pen Review

I love it when companies reach into the archives for inspiration. Whether it is a logo design, technical features, or, as in the case of the Montegrappa Miya 450, materials.

The celluloid used for this series of pens was pulled from an increasingly diminishing stock of original materials. Could they be replicated by Montegrappa? Theoretically, I guess. But I doubt they would be the same. And these colors are classics in the Montegrappa canon.

Each and every one of the materials used for the Miya 450 collection is beautiful. The bright colors - Red, Yellow, and Orange - light up with their swirls and shine, while the darker colors - Black & White, and Blue - show off the depth of the materials. How can you begin to pick a favorite?

Of course, orange is my jam, so that's what I chose for this review. That said, the yellow looks amazing, and I'd have a hard time saying no to the blue - and not because it is the only one of the five colors to be limited to 50 instead of 100.

From a construction and build perspective, the Miya is everything I want in a pen. It fits my hand perfectly, with slight tapers and subtle transitions. For example, the grip section flows into the barrel threads almost seamlessly, meaning I don't feel them when I write. I actually noticed that they don't get in the way. That's good design.

The weight is perfect as well, falling right in the middle range of what I enjoy using. Not too light, not too heavy. You feel the substance of the celluloid when writing, but not to where it becomes weighty.

I also wanted to try out the 14k flex nib that Montegrappa has manufactured for them by Jowo. This one is a Fine Flex, and it is a glorious writer. That said, I'll be the one to die on the hill that the majority of modern flex nibs should actually called soft nibs, not flex, but hey - MARKETING!!!

I do love writing with the flex nib more than a stock fine nib, that's for sure. It gives my letters character, and due to the softness of the nib, the added bonus of being able to write fast with a bit of flair.

There is definitely some line variation with this nib. Just don't expect a crazy line width range and you will be perfectly happy with how this nib performs.

While my experience with the Miya has been great, there are two downsides: Filling system and price.

These two things go hand in hand, and my initial thinking was that for a pen this expensive ($800) it should have a piston filling system. Now, not all expensive pens have or should have piston filling mechanisms, but Montegrappa offers exactly that in pens half the price of the Miya.

That said, there may be a reason the piston wasn't added in the Miya. One I didn't notice until well after I received the pen in fact: All of the external hardware - cap band, barrel band, clip, and finial - is sterling silver.

Does that preclude this pen from having a piston filling mechanism? No. Does that make me feel better about the price? Absolutely. There is a lot that went into the manufacturing and materials of this pen, and the price seems justified in the end.

Could I personally pull the trigger on one? Not likely. But if I did, I think the Yellow barrel with the Flex nib would fit into my writing rotation very nicely.

(Kenro Industries loaned this product to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Lamy Lx Marron Fountain Pen: A Review

The Lamy LX (="Luxe") is a special edition pen that builds on the foundation of the Lamy AL-Star. The pen is made of double-anodized aluminum with metal finials on the cap and on the bottom of the barrel.

The clip is shiny metal in the usual upturned "U" shape found on many Lamy pens. It's functional, but also just looks cool. The cap snaps on and off.

The barrel is etched subtly with "LAMY" and two ink windows appear on either side. The grip is gray, translucent plastic. Its triangular shape is comfortable and assists in holding the pen correctly.

My Lamy Lx Marron came with a steel fine nib in black. I really like the look of this nib. It reminds me of the nibs on the much more expensive Lamy Imporium (reviewed here). This nib is smooth and trouble free, something I've not always experienced with Lamy nibs. It’s a pleasure to write with because it starts up immediately, doesn't skip, isn't scratchy, and has a wet flow.

A mid-sized pen, the Lamy LX measures 5.5 inches/138.9mm capped, 5.1 inches/130.6mm uncapped, and 6.7 inches/169mm posted. Because the cap is rather heavy with its metal finial and clip, posting throws the balance off considerably. Overall, the pen weighs 21 grams. Uncapped it weighs 10 grams.

The Lamy LX is packaged in a special anodized aluminum cylinder that matches the pen color. It's a nice touch, but I'm not sure what to do with the cylinder other than store it in my closet. I suppose you could use it as a pen stand, of sorts, if you wanted to display your Lamy when it's not in use.

The pen comes with one blue cartridge but no converter. You can purchase a Lamy converter ($5.00) if you want to use your preferred inks in the pen (I recommend this). I inked my Marron with Diamine Ancient Copper.

The Lamy LX comes in a variety of colors: Marron (my favorite), Palladium, Rose Gold, Gold, and Ruthenium. You can purchase the pen from JetPens for $56.00.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Pelikan M205 Star Ruby Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I'm frustrated by my inability to capture the true glamour of the Pelikan M205 Star Ruby. I've tried to describe it, since I can't seem to photograph it, and the closest I can get is, it looks like some kind of atomic fairy dust suspended in the purest raspberry jelly. By which I mean, it's beautiful, delightful, and my pen addict magpie heart is dancing.

Beautiful pens are common enough these days, I suppose. The market is saturated with tempting gems--too many for the health of my unhappy wallet. While the most noticeable aspect of this pen might be its shimmering beauty, the best thing about it is that it's a very well made, useable pen. It's also not outrageously expensive (for a Pelikan). because it's part of the Classic line, and not the Souveran line, it sacrifices a few fancy features for a lower price tag, but it sacrifices absolutely nothing in quality.

Pelikan is a brand that doesn't treat its lower-tier pens like lesser-than versions of the expensive models. This pen feels every bit as refined as its upper-echelon peers. It is all flush joins and precise edges with crisp details. The nib is steel instead of gold, and it writes every bit as smoothly as any gold nib in my collection. Characteristic of Western nibs, this fine point writes closer to an Eastern medium, so fans of very small writing may prefer the extra-fine point.

The flow is excellent, and the piston-fill mechanism is smooth and holds a large amount of ink. I've inked it with the matching Pelikan Star Ruby ink, and it's a match made in pen heaven. Both the ink and the pen are 2019 special editions and won't be around forever (or very long at all, I predict), so don't hesitate if you're at all dazzled.

The pen body, cap, and grip section are made in ethereal, shimmering acrylic. It has chromium plated trim, with the characteristic Pelikan bill clip. The clip is just the right amount of firm and springy. The finial is black plastic with a silver stenciled pelican with one chick. Overall, it looks classy. It's not glittery in a kitschy way--it's fine, and subtle enough that it looks more like a shimmer, from a distance. Up close, in direct light, you can see the sparks of complex colors and depth to its finish. It's more playful than standard Pelikan fare, but stops well short of glitzy. The cap posts securely, and it is very comfortable to hold, posted or not, for my hands.

Between the brand name and fancy look, I had expected to file this release under the "grail" tab of my pen list, where a whole flock of Pelikans nest. I was surprised to find it being sold for under $170 at most retailers. That's still expensive, especially for a pen with a steel nib, but it's within the realm of reasonable, and might even be something Santa could manage, if you've been very good.

This is a happy pen--it makes me as happy to use it as to twirl it in a sunbeam. The downside? Writing time lost to pen twirling.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!