Pelikan Edelstein Amethyst Ink Review

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

Pelikan Edelstein inks are usually highly regarded for their excellent qualities and colors, so I was pretty psyched to get a chance at their new 2015 ink — Amethyst.

To be honest, I had to look up the color because it didn't immediately pop out in my mind. I'd call it a medium purple, which is pretty close to the gem that probably inspired it.

After inking it up in a German EF nib, I was off to the races. The first impressions of the ink were great, and they didn't let up either.

Behavior

The ink is extremely smooth and lubricated, even in a slightly scratchy EF nib. I was actually surprised by the smoothness because the pen isn't usually that smooth with other inks. I'm still impressed by the smoothness of the ink, and that gets even better with a wider nib. I used the ink in a M nib as well, and it wrote like oil on glass, but didn't cause any bleed or pooling issues despite the generous flow.

The ink also doesn't have any issues starting after not being used for several days. Non-ordinary colors (like purple, red, green, etc.) normally have mixed results when it comes to reliability after a few days of storage, but Amethyst has no trouble at all. Again, pretty impressive.

Now, one of my favorite qualities of this ink is the shading. If you look at an amethyst gem, you don't see a single shade of the color. You see several different shades since there are different angles, thicknesses, and gem qualities. The Amethyst ink captures these qualities beautifully. The shading properties aren't incredibly dramatic, but they're beautiful and striking without being flamboyant. This is an ink that does extremely well in a broad or flat nibbed pen (like a stub or italic).

This is an elegant ink with some great surprises in store. People definitely notice the character.

Color

The color of the ink is very similar to the gem. Pelikan did a fantastic job matching the color. In use, it's a medium purple. If you're using it in a smaller nib, it looks entirely professional for most things. In a wider nib, it exhibits a nice range of light to medium dark purples. In any nib, it looks great and shows its character well.

Overall

In all, this is a solid ink and represents the Edelstein brand very well. It's the newest ink to the lineup, and it compliments the rest nicely. If you're interested in purple inks, Pelikan Edelstein Amethyst should be on the top of your list.

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

Cleaning House Giveaway: Pelikan Souveran M1000

This is not a typo. I am giving away a Pelikan M1000.

I reviewed this pen a couple of months ago for Massdrop, which you can read about here. This is the green stripe model with gold trim and a medium 18k gold nib. I love having this pen as part of my collection but the fact remains that it just doesn't see a lot of action. I reach for a few of my other Pelikans before this one, so I may as well send it off to someone else who will use and enjoy it.

Here is how to enter:

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Wednesday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You are limited to one entry. This contest is open to US and International readers.

2. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post. The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on. The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

3. The contest winner will be posted on Thursday, April 30th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

Thanks and good luck!

Pelikan Souveran M1000 Fountain Pen Review

YES!

That was the answer I gave Massdrop when they asked if I would be interested in reviewing the Pelikan Souveran M1000 fountain pen for their latest pen drop. The M1000 represents the top of the food chain among Pelikan's main line of pens and I am excited to have this opportunity to give you my thoughts on it.

As a company, Pelikan is one of the most respected in the fountain pen industry. Their history traces back over 170 years, and their quality and care in manufacturing shows in every single product they make. I was a fan of Pelikan well prior to receiving the M1000, with models from the 200, 400, and 800 series already in my collection, and a 600 in route as I type this. So yes, I like Pelikans.

Top to bottom: M405, M800, M1000.

While it has the same general design and lineage as other Pelikans in the flock, the M1000 is a completely different bird from any I have used previously. It is largest pen in the series, checking in at 5.74 inches long when capped and 1.16 ounces strong. Posting this pen is a no-go unless you are Andre the Giant, but I don't post so it works for me. I thought it would be too big honestly, but my recent experiences with the M800 Tortoise had me prepared for what was in store.

The barrel is large - let's get that out of the way right now. Too large? I don't think so because it is light enough to not get in the way. It's not feather-light by any stretch, but the overall feel is something Pelikan clearly considered with this pen in giving it great balance and making for a great writing experience.

The nib is the real star of this pen. I have never seen, much less used, a nib this large. It is a thing beauty. And it is different. So different I had to research what exactly it was I was experiencing as I was writing with the M1000 for the first time.

Gold, as most of you well know, is a soft material. With the size, thinness, and length of the tines in a nib this large, there is going to be some give when writing. It is not marketed as a flex nib pen, but you can't help but notice and feel the springiness when writing.

With my writing style (block print) the Medium nib took some getting used to. I had to use very light pressure and let the pen do all of the work. I got used to it quickly, but I can't help but think this nib is better suited for writers with a more flowing cursive style. My preferred nib is hard and firm, and this is the exact opposite.

This large 18k gold nib is a feature of the design. Many sites that sell it mention the difference in feel when comparing the M1000 to the M800 and below. It is a completely new writing experience that's for sure.

Will it fit your needs? If you have ever had the Pelikan M1000 on your wish list you will be hard pressed to find a better price. Massdrop only has 110 of the pens available, and nearly half are gone as I write this. Two barrel choices are avialable - Solid Black and Green Stripe, both with gold trim - and nibs ranging from EF to B.

Head over to Massdrop to check out all of the details. If you have never used Massdrop before, just sign up with your email address and you will be able to check this drop out, as well as the many other items they have for sale.

My thanks to Massdrop for providing this pen to me at no charge for review purposes.