The Platinum Procyon has made the rounds at Pen Addict HQ, but I have yet to take the plunge with one, until now. Why? Because I’ve already made my mind up on what this pen is.
After reading many reviews and talking with many friends, there was no doubt in my mind I was going to like the Procyon. It’s a good pen made by a quality manufacturer. That said, it’s priced strangely. Those were my assumptions going into this review, and regular use over the past week hasn’t changed a thing.
The Procyon is an aluminum barrel, twist cap upgrade to the Platinum Plasir, which, itself, is an upgrade to the Platinum Preppy. Connecting those dots, the Procyon is an upgraded Preppy. It uses the same nib, has the same slip and seal mechanism in the cap to prevent drying out, and uses Platinums cartridges and converters. All for the low, low price of 10x the Preppy!
Now, if you think I’m here to bash the Procyon, I’m not. It’s genuinely good. But $64 good? That’s for you to decide.
It fills the Pilot Prera zone in Platinum’s lineup. The Prera is an awesome pen, but at one point, certain models were priced up in the $40-$50 range. You can find them now around $33, which is a much different conversation - especially when Pilot offers the equally as good Metropolitan for around $20.
The same argument holds for the Procyon vs. the Plaisir vs. the Preppy. What does the extra cost gain you? I mean, it looks cool, but that’s all I have. I love the Preppy, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. If you love the $5 Preppy and want an upgrade, the Plaisir, starting at $16.50, is a great choice. $64 for no feature changes other than aesthetics? That’s a big ask.
I enjoy using the Procyon. The writing experience is great - as it is with all Platinum fountain pens - and it looks cool. But as a recommendation, I think it is a perfect match to only a small subset of users.
As strange as this may sound, the Platinum Maki-e Procyon might be money better spent.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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