Platinum Procyon Deep Sea 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.)

Even though there are so many different kinds of unique pens available, there are some that just make such an impression that you need more than one. For many, the Lamy Safari and AL Star pens create a collecting mentality — and that's fun just due to the dozens of colors and limited editions that come out. For others, it's tough to pass up a gorgeous limited edition Sailor Pro Gear. And while other pens may not be part of the "collect them all" group, you buy more than one anyway because you like it so much.

For me, the Platinum Procyon is the perfect example. I didn't think much of it when I got my first one back in 2019, but it grew on me substantially after using it for a few weeks. The Platinum Preppy has never done much for me, but the Procyon fit that perfect spot between affordable, classy, and durable that I just couldn't resist. At $60, it's a far cry more expensive than the Preppy, but what it lacks in affordability it more than makes up for in quality and durability.

Back in 2019, I felt that the Procyon was a decent pen with some cool features, but I had some reservations about the plain nib and the price. After using that pen fairly regularly since then, I've really come to appreciate it much more. So much more that I picked up a different color/nib combination — the Deep Sea with a medium nib. This latest pen is the perfect combo for the Procyon in my book.

One of my favorite features of this pen is what Platinum calls the "Slip and Seal" system. When you cap the pen, there's an inner cap that makes an airtight seal with the section of the pen, meaning it doesn't dry up when not in use. Platinum claims you can leave this pen inked and unused, come back after a year, uncap it and start writing immediately. I haven't tried the year-long test, but I have let this pen sit for a couple of weeks without being used and can attest to how it starts writing immediately. No skipping, no thin or dry lines — it just works beautifully.

The build materials and quality is my other favorite feature with this particular pen. It's a great medium size and feels great in the hand. The shell of the body is aluminum, and it feels like the cap and body are made of something heavier (like brass) to add to the feel of quality and durability. The chrome-plated trim bits are also made of brass. On top of all this, the Deep Sea finish on this particular pen is beautiful. It's a dark green-blue with a slight amount of reflective materials that make it so pretty but also understated. It's not flashy at all, but when you give it a second look, you see the depth of the paint color and the shimmer from the shiny particles. I really enjoy seeing this pen on my desk.

Writing with the Procyon is equally enjoyable. The medium nib was smooth and free-flowing straight out of the box, and I couldn't be happier with it feels when writing. The medium is a good size for showing off ink properties while also staying small enough to use in any general situations. I love the fine nib on my other Procyon, but it can get a little scratchy depending on the paper and ink combination. If you like fine nibs when using a German nib, for example, this Platinum medium is a fantastic alternative.

Along with the pen, you get a single blue-black cartridge from Platinum. Platinum pens use a proprietary cartridge/converter attachment, so you can only use converters and cartridges that are meant for Platinum pens. Unfortunately, Platinum does not include a converter with this pen. This is one of my biggest gripes with pen manufacturers today. If you make pens and choose to use your own proprietary cartridge mating system, include a converter with the pen. Period. This is especially true for any pens above the $40 mark. The Procyon is $60, but you should purchase a converter along with it so you can enjoy your own inks. This effectively makes the price of the pen $68. Again, not a huge deal, but I'm sure I'm not alone in being so annoyed by this practice.

Gripes about retail practices aside, I heartily recommend the Procyon to anyone looking for something in the $40 to $60 range. The nib is fantastic, the materials are top-notch and durable, and the color options are fun and varied enough to fit many preferences. If you're interested in trying out more premium Platinums, but not quite ready for the plunge into 3776 territory, this is a great place to start.

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

---

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!

Franklin-Christoph 02 Intrinsic in Maya Blue with a Masuyama Medium Cursive Italic: 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.)

I own several Franklin-Christoph fountain pens and have reviewed many of them on Pen Addict. I purchased a special edition Intrinsic back in May and realized I had not yet written a review of this model.

The pen is packaged in a simple white cardboard box and Franklin-Christoph's signature zippered pen case. Although these cases used to be made of leather, now they are made of "suit grey" fabric.

The 02 Intrinsic model is unique in its shape, with a barrel that tapers sharply from the center. This is so that the cap can post deeply onto the pen and maintain good balance--something that often fails on other pens when you post caps. This is the first fountain pen I use posted because of the ingenious design.

I was lucky enough to get a special edition Intrinsic in Maya Blue. I love the colors of this model. There are darker translucent blue sections at the finial, top of the grip, and at the barrel bottom. The remainder of the pen is lighter blue and frosted.

The pen is medium sized, measuring 146.1mm/5.75 inches capped, 149mm/5.85 inches posted, and 131mm/5.15 inches unposted. Without ink the pen weighs 20.71 grams. It's incredibly well balanced wither you use it unposted or posted, but I like the balance better with it posted (it gives the pen more heft).

The cap has a relatively small clip engraved with diamonds. The Franklin-Christoph name is also engraved lightly near the bottom of the cap.

The pen comes with two blue ink cartridges and is supplied with a Franklin-Christoph-branded converter. You can also eyedropper the pen if you wish.

The grip is comfortable even though there are threads near the top where the nib is inserted. The threads are raised and serve as a lip to keep your fingers in position. Once again, thoughtful design is evident in the details of the pen.

I opted for a steel medium cursive italic ground by Mike Masuyama. This is one of the best nibs I've received without additional tuning. It is absolutely stellar--smooth with crisp lines that offer good variation.

You can see that the down strokes are wide and the side strokes are thin as you would expect with a cursive italic.

I love how my handwriting looks with this nib.

The nib offers excellent flow and there's no skipping or hard starts. Writing with it is pure joy.

I created a pattern with the pen, primarily using the thin side strokes it produces. Not only is it great for writing, but it's also wonderful for drawing.

Although you can't get the Intrinsic in Maya Blue anymore (unless FC decides to do another run), you can currently get the model in Black and Cinnamaroon, Ghost, and Smoke & Ice. It starts at $175 with stock steel nibs. You can opt for other variations, such as FC's "SIG nib" for an additional cost. Masuyama no longer does special grinds for Franklin-Christoph, but you can now get nibs ground by Nagahara for an up-charge of $25.00.

The 02 Intrinsic might just be my favorite Franklin-Christoph model so far. I love its unique shape and that I can post the cap without disrupting the balance of the pen. Maya Blue is a fantastic color with lovely contrasts between translucent dark blue and frosted light blue. If you are interested in getting Franklin-Christoph pens in special color combinations, you should sign up for their newsletter so you get advance notice of special releases.

(I purchased the FC 02 Intrinsic in Maya Blue with my own funds.)

Esterbrook JR Pocket 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.)

If you've ever been to a pen show, you've certainly seen a few Esterbrooks on the tables of various vendors. Back in the 40s, these pens were as ubiquitous as the Bic ballpoint or Pilot G2 gel pen today. They were affordable, dependable, and offered enough variety to match your personal sense of style. Even today, decades later, they still work and offer a fantastic writing experience as long as they've been cared for and/or restored properly.

Esterbrook has made a comeback in the past couple of years. Under the ownership and direction of Kenro Industries, this classic brand has been reborn into the 21st century. This idea of rebirth runs deep in the company's new vision, and is baked into the name of their JR Pocket Pen. Modeled after the classic Esterbrook J, this petite pen bears a striking resemblance to the J while also offering the amenities that modern manufacturing and materials provide.

If you've ever handled an Esterbrook J, you'll know just how petite and slim those pens are. The JR doesn't fall far from the tree in this case. The body of the pen is just as slim as the classic J, and it's similarly lightweight and comfortable to hold while writing. One small deviation from the original that I'm still not sure about is the cap. It's quite a bit larger in diameter than the body of the pen. While this doesn't change anything functionally, it does make it look a bit different than the original J. That being said, there's no reason that the JR has to be a complete replica of the original J. This pen is quite attractive as an individual piece of art, and I completely adore how it looks on my desk. Any decision to deviate from the classic form — either aesthetic or functionally — is completely acceptable because this pen is just what Esterbrook says in their marketing materials: a rebirth of the J.

Writing with the JR is quite a pleasant experience. The lightweight acrylic is comfortable to hold and quickly warms up to your touch. The grooved section has a convenient place to rest your fingers while writing and is small enough to stay out of your way if you use a different grip. I've used this pen for some fairly long writing sessions, and it's been extremely comfortable.

The nib is what really stands out to me on this pen. It's a medium point, but it's just so smooth and crisp. Writing with it is such a pleasure because of how smoothly it glides across the surface of the paper. Straight out of the box, it was a fantastic writer and I'm always really appreciative to this level of quality control and attention to detail.

Along with everything else that makes this pen so great, the colors and materials are so pretty. I have the Capri Blue version with gold trim, and the depth and variety of blues in this material is gorgeous. I still think it would look amazing with paladium trim and wish that was an option, but the blue and gold combo is also quite nice. I've found myself staring at this pen and discovering new pockets of color under the surface of the body that just fascinates me.

Along with Capri Blue, you can also choose from Carmine Red and Tuxedo Black. Each color has a similar depth of color and shading that adds a lot of visual interest to the pen.

The MSRP for this beauty is $175, but you can normally find it for about 30 bucks cheaper. I think this is a fair price considering the buttery smoothness of the nib, the quality of the body/cap materials, and the amount of finish and attention to detail that went into this product. Oh, they also include a nice box and a full size cartridge converter as well so that you're ready to ink it up and go as soon as you get it out of the box.

The Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen is an adorable and highly useful reincarnation of the classic Esterbrook J. It doesn't matter if you're new to Esterbrook or just trying out the reborn offerings, this is a fantastic representation of what I think the traditional brand offered. It's a well-made pen that look sharp and writes beautifully.

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

---

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!