In Memoriam: Platinum Curidas, 2020-2026

It was less than a month ago that I shared with Pen Addict Members my grade for the Platinum Curidas. Late last week, news broke that Platinum has decided to retire the Curidas, among other changes to their lineup. While it was not perfect - BY A LONG SHOT - the Curidas held a special place in my heart, and in the stationery world.

To celebrate the times we shared, here is a repost of my recent thoughts on the Platinum Curidas.

Pen Addict Rating: Platinum Curidas Fountain Pen

Three times.

I’ve bought the Platinum Curidas three times. The original launch version, the second version with the rubberized barrel instead of the standard plastic, and the third one back to plastic but OOOOH SHINY!

Oldest to newest, top to bottom.

The first pen had its issues, namely a design flaw that cracked feeds, making the ink flow inconsistent. Platinum did offer to make it right on the affected pens, and while mine was one of those, I opted not to bother because it wrote well. Maybe at some point the feed will split completely and I’ll regret not swapping it out, but I have two more amazing Curidas to use, right?

We say no.

With the second release - around two years after the first - I was hoping to see some design updates based on feedback received from the first. For starters, the “Shark Fin” around the grip section, and the overall size of the pen. Nope. No iteration whatsoever. Just new colors via rubberization of the barrel.

Shark fin? More like Shark-baited two more times.

If colors are your thing, the third release of the Curidas is right up your alley - as long as you are ok with literally no changes once again to the barrel design and functionality. But shiny Green and Purple iridescent barrels? Sign me up …

… to be disappointed again.

LAMY Safari for scale.

Look, this is a self-inflicted wound. I’m well aware that I’ve met the base definition of insanity, thinking that this pen is going to change and improve and be better than when it first launched. At no point did Platinum ever say any of that, mind you. I just wanted it.

Hello. It me.

I wanted it because I like how it writes. That is my own personal failing with the Curidas. The Fine Steel nib, even in this baton of a barrel, works well. My lines are neat and clean, and honestly it feels good to hold, for a short period of time. Fine lines and wide barrels do end up being a long-term usage mismatch, and even though it’s fun for a while, I eventually put it away and forget about it.

Writing size comparison.

The experience I’ve had is essentially wish casting. I liked it enough to believe either 1. it would change with design iterations over time, or 2. I would change and want to use it more because part of it really suits me. In the end, they are all the same pen, and I only need one of them.

At their current price of $80-$100 (depending on style,) they are not remotely worth it. The Fine Steel nib I love - can I interest you in a $7 Platinum Preppy instead? It’s close enough at a fraction of the price.

In the end, how does the Platinum Curidas grade out on my scale? It is one of the best examples of playing the “This pen, or that pen?” game. As I sit here and type this, I’d choose almost anything over the Curidas.

And I still want to ink it up right now.

Pen Addict Rating: 30

PAR scoring scale:

20 - Avoid this product.

30 - Use sparingly, or specifically.

40 - Good, but there are better options.

50 - Very good, a league average product.

60 - Above average, with only a nitpick or two.

70 - Exceptional across the board.

80 - Best of the best. An elite option.

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Visconti Mirage Mythos Persephone Fountain Pen Review

The Visconti Mirage Mythos series of fountain pens is not new to the market - Sarah first reviewed it on the blog two years ago - but they have remained interesting to me because of their wide range of styles, and the comfort of the pen every time I had the opportunity to try one out.

While I’d argue that comfort is the more important aspect of any writing instrument, I want to talk about the style of the Mythos, because that’s what made me pick up the pen in the first place.

One look at their product page and you’ll see why I gravitated to them. Sarah’s Athena model was tough to pry from my hands, and picking out my own was a challenge as well. The Orange Demeter model was a contender, and the Blue Black Poseidon was nearly the selection, but the Purple Persephone combined the brightness of the Demeter and the darker trim of the Poseidon into a fun pen I want to use all the time.

A few other points on the style of this pen that I enjoy. One, the finish is matte, which feels great. I wouldn’t care if it were glossy - there is a mixture of both in the series - but this finish works well with the hardware on the pen. Speaking of which, the Ruthenium trim is a perfect compliment to the Purple, Pink, Blue, and Black of the acrylic. I could hear Persephone herself calling to me to pick this one up because it looks so cool.

The fluting on the barrel runs cleanly through the pen from end to end, giving it a good tactile feel to go along with the matte finish. And finally, the famous (or infamous, depending on your preference,) Visconti clip looks to be at a lower profile than what I’ve seen on other models, but it could be a visual trick.

What’s not a trick of the Mirage Mythos is the nib. Only available in three sizes - Fine, Medium, and Broad - and in Steel, mine was perfect out of the box. I went with Fine, and it has been a clean, smooth writer, with a line width meeting my expectation of a European-sized Fine tip. Would I prefer Extra Fine? Sure, but I’m not going to tell the Queen of the Dead that to her face.

Van Dieman’s Nightfall on Canopus paper. I think this is the most proper representation of the ink color.

I inked this pen with Van Dieman’s Nightfall from their Natura Dualis dual-shading ink series, and it’s a perfect match. Well, mostly a perfect match, because on some papers - like Mitsubishi Bank - it turns bright Blue. That would be great for Athena, but I prefer the Purple for Persephone. Such is the life of a dual-shading ink!

This is the same ink!!! The left is Kokuyo Good Tools, and the right is Mitsubishi Bank Paper.

The Mirage Mythos does have one questionable design element I can think of, but mostly it’s a pen of “considerations.” That means it’s great all the way around for me, but may not fit what you are looking for in a pen.

The design element I’m most curious about is the added band on the bottom quarter(-ish) of the grip section. It looks cool, and matches the aesthetic of the cap band specifically, and the hardware overall, but why? I think grip section designs need to be all or nothing. I like textured grips - like knurled or grooved - but a smooth area into a raised, rough area is an odd tactile choice.

I say all of this knowing that the grip doesn’t bother me, especially as a rough/knurled grip fan. I’m also a low-gripper and I’m all over the raised edge of this section and it doesn’t affect my comfort, but I’m not sure others will enjoy it.

Another consideration is the magnet cap. The attachment is strong enough to be protective, but light enough to be able to remove the cap without much force. It is also designed to magnetically post with the addition of a metal finial on the end of the barrel. It is a satisfying click, but if you are a fidgeter like myself, don’t keep clicking the cap on and off the front of the pen to prevent pressurized ink burping. I did get a few dots of ink on the nib from playing around too much, but nothing too dramatic.

At $215, the Visconti Mirage Mythos is priced fairly for the design and functionality of the pen. Is it expensive? Yes, but in the category where it resides it is a solid choice, and is far and away my favorite Visconti Steel nib pen. Hopefully they will continue to expand on this lineup in the future.

(This product was purchased from Dromgoole’s at a discounted price.)

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

Pairings Party: Fountain Telling Willow Fountain Pen, Sailor Manyo Uri

Getting to talk to makers and vendors is the one of the best parts of any pen show, and I made that a priority at the 2026 Atlanta Pen Show. That’s where I got to spend time talking to Kristen Brooks of Fountain Telling, and she got to share with me the story of her latest pen design, Willow.

I’ll be the first to admit that when I first laid eyes on this pen I wasn’t sure what to think, but once I heard the story behind it, I couldn’t stop smiling. I firmly believe that the best products have great stories, and Kristen recently shared the impetus for Willow with Caroline Foty in last month’s Meet Your Maker:

“The “Willow” pen is designed to represent Brooks’ dog, Willow, an Australian shepherd. “She’s my entire world wrapped into a dog. She’s my service dog, she’s a competition dog – she does dock diving, barn hunting, and agility – she’s with me wherever I go. I like to say she picked my husband for me.” The pen represents the silhouette of Willow’s body: “She has a narrow nose, a wider face, a narrow neck but broad shoulders, a fluffy butt, and a little nub tail. The nub on the cap is her tail. I looked at her and thought, This is an interesting shape, how would it be as a pen?” It turned out to be not only a striking pen, but also a comfortable one. “It’s beginner friendly. My husband is new to pens and we find that it helps to seat the grip.” Reactions to the pen have been a source of amusement. “It’s designed after a dog, I can’t help where your mind goes!””

Love it!!! 🐶

As a dog person myself, I am way in on this. But as a pen person also, how does it work? Surprisingly well.

I’m historically not a “curves” pen shape person, but the more I try different models in different shapes, the more I am becoming a convert. Many pens such as this are purposefully designed to fit into your hands seamlessly, and that’s what I get from the Willow.

When writing, the Neck of the dog (there’s a description I’ve never used in a pen review!) sits perfectly in the cusp of my hand. Hand sizes are obviously different between each person so your mileage may vary, but this Willow feels like it was made for me. Aside from the Neck, the Tail gives me endless joy just thinking about it. It’s so stubby, and makes me think about its namesake every time I see it.

Kristen gave me this pen, and allowed me to pick out which barrel color I wanted, which is no easy feat. I went with her Three Olive Martini material, which I learned after the fact is another pen makers favorite blank. So yes, I have good taste!

To prove that, I had my choice of inks to match to this pen. Terasnishi Emotional Olive is the perfect choice, right? Wrong! It’s Sailor Manyo Uri. Why the odd choice over the easy choice? With Uri, you never know what color is going to show up on the page.

Whatever color it is going to be, I did know that it would match this pen perfectly. There is a range of Brown and Greens all throughout this pen, and I knew Uri was going to give it the overall feel I was looking for.

The one thing I didn’t know is how the paper in the Nonble A5 Notebook was going to handle this setup. I bought it at Choosing Keeping when I was in London for the Relay 10th Anniversary event, and finally cracked it open this week.

The paper inside is called Galbus COC, and not only have I never heard of it before, I can find absolutely zero information on it online. That said, it’s great for fountain pens in limited testing. Writing with an Extra Fine Jowo #6 Nib and an ink I’m familiar with, it worked perfectly. I’ll spend more time with it in the coming months and put out a full review, but for now, it seems like a good option.

Is the Fountain Telling Willow a good option for you? If you are looking for creativity, whimsy, and storytelling wrapped up in one beautiful package, then I think so. Mix in some fun ink and a fresh page, and you are ready for a Pairings Party of your own!

(Fountain Telling provided this pen at no charge to The Pen Addict.)

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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!