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.)

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Platinum Curidas Fountain Pen Review

If there was an award for the most anticipated stationery product of 2020, the Platinum Curidas would be the runaway winner.

In development for years prior to release, the Curidas hype train officially pulled out of the station at the beginning of the year. I mean, who wouldn’t be excited for a reasonably priced, good quality, retractable fountain pen? I know I was.

That hype continued through its early release. Yes, there was pricing confusion brought on by Platinum themselves, pulling back from their standard retail pricing of 20% off MSRP to full MSRP, but I don’t think that snafu lowered anticipation in the least. It just gave us as a community something to talk about.

What we really wanted to discuss was the pen itself, and the initial reviews were positive. The only hang up early on was with the bump located on the back side of the barrel that affected the grip area for some users. A bump that many of us, myself included, never noticed in Platinum’s early marketing photos. Good job by them for hiding it well, I guess?

As these early looks at the pen trickled in, a new issue cropped up with the wide release of the Curidas, as delivery was pushed back from February to April - at least in the US market. There was some early availability, like in the UK at special release events, but most of us were still waiting. Again, not really a big deal, but another “thing” to discuss surrounding this pen.

By the time I received mine in early April, I was nearing Curidas-hype burnout. But as with most new products, once it actually got in my hands I was excited to test it out.

My initial thoughts about it were tempered. I felt it was an ok pen, with a just-too-wide barrel and a bump that gets in they way of my low grip. But I liked the idea of it, and kept using it to see if my thoughts would change with continued use.

Then crack-gate hit.

What started as the discovery of a few cracked feeds where the nib clamps onto it, turned into a widespread, high rate of failure, issue. Once news started to spread I gave mine the once-over. I didn't see anything glaring at first, but upon closer inspection, it stood out like a sore thumb: A crack running nearly the full-length of the right side of the feed.

Platinum responded to the issue quickly, and offered replacements through the original point of purchase. I haven’t gone that route with mine yet because it doesn’t affect the performance of my Curidas. It will eventually, and I’ll have it replaced.

At this point, I began to wonder if the Curidas was cursed. What started as a hype train lead into a derailment. Yet, I couldn’t put it down.

Pilot Vanishing Point, bottom.

The more I used it, the more I enjoyed it. My main holdup, as I mentioned above, is the barrel diameter. This is a wide pen. I have a place for wide pens in my arsenal, but I prefer if they have some sort of taper, or concave area, in the grip section. The retractable Pilot Vanishing Point tapers toward the grip. The retractable Lamy Dialog 3 doesn’t. Having a straight-sided, wide-barrel causes more tension in my grip, leading to shorter writing sessions due to my hand getting tired.

What I have found with the Curidas is that it thrives in shorter writing sessions. This is a note-taking pen for me, not a journaling for page after page pen. And the retractable nature of it is perfect for that - at my desk.

I want the Curidas to be a more portable EDC-type pen, but it is too large for that. The Vanishing Point is better for that use case, and is a better pen overall.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for the Curidas in the market. Platinum invested in this idea for a reason: There is no other retractable fountain pen close to this price point. My gut tells me that this is just the beginning of the Curidas. If they can make a few tweaks here and there, and tighten up the QC, it will no longer be just a curiosity. It will be a solid choice for users wanting a good retractable fountain pen experience.

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

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Platinum Prefounte Fine Nib Fountain Pen Review

The Platinum Prefounte is a heck of a good pen. But, …

Sarah reviewed the Medium nib/Vermillion Orange model for the site recently, so in this review I'll be tackling the Fine nib/Night Sea model to finish testing out the nib sizes offered in the Prefounte.

As I mentioned up top, I really like this pen, but I have questions I have yet to answer about its place in the larger stationery marketplace. Yes, I tend to overthink these things.

What Platinum gets right with the Prefounte is nearly everything. The shape of the pen is classic, but with the modern twist of a transparent barrel in fun colors. The nib is spectacular, which Platinum does as well as anyone at this price point. It feels good, looks great, and writes well.

The only performance oddity I found - which Sarah did as well in her review - is that it would hard start when uncapping the pen to use for the first time of the day. A little scribble would get it going, but I wouldn’t expect this to be happening with the Slip and Seal insert they use inside the cap. That said, once I got it going it never stopped, but I also don’t recall this ever happening with the Platinum Preppy - even after sitting unused for weeks.

The Preppy is part of the reason for the “But, …” at the top. The other part is the other choices consumers have in the under $20 price range - mainly the Pilot Kakuno and Pilot Metropolitan.

All four of these pens represent some of the best choices for fountain pen users, beginner or experienced, and I’m trying to sort out where the Prefounte lands within this group.

I think the Preppy is the best of the bunch, and also the least expensive. At either $4 or $5 (depending on the nib size), it provides the exact same writing experience and a similar feel as the $10 Prefounte. Barrel style is the only reason to pay twice as much for the Prefounte.

One of my other favorite pens in this category is the Pilot Kakuno. It is Pilot’s entry-level fun pen, and the quality is exceptional. It’s the Platinum Preppy of Pilot’s lineup when compared to the more classically styled Pilot Metropolitan.

If I’m forced to break these entry-level pens down into a ranking, it would look like this:

1. Platinum Preppy
2. Pilot Kakuno
3. Platinum Prefounte
4. Pilot Metropolitan

The good thing is that there’s no wrong choice. It’s like if I had to choose my favorite bread style. I might choose sourdough over ciabatta, but I’d gorge myself on both equally if the opportunity presented itself.

I’ve learned a few things reviewing the Prefounte. One, Platinum really knows what they are doing at this price point. Two, I probably need an Under $15 fountain pen list on the Top 5 Pens page, because there are several great choices. The Platinum Prefounte definitely makes the cut - right behind the Preppy and Kakuno.

(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!