I love it when companies reach into the archives for inspiration. Whether it is a logo design, technical features, or, as in the case of the Montegrappa Miya 450, materials.
The celluloid used for this series of pens was pulled from an increasingly diminishing stock of original materials. Could they be replicated by Montegrappa? Theoretically, I guess. But I doubt they would be the same. And these colors are classics in the Montegrappa canon.
Each and every one of the materials used for the Miya 450 collection is beautiful. The bright colors - Red, Yellow, and Orange - light up with their swirls and shine, while the darker colors - Black & White, and Blue - show off the depth of the materials. How can you begin to pick a favorite?
Of course, orange is my jam, so that's what I chose for this review. That said, the yellow looks amazing, and I'd have a hard time saying no to the blue - and not because it is the only one of the five colors to be limited to 50 instead of 100.
From a construction and build perspective, the Miya is everything I want in a pen. It fits my hand perfectly, with slight tapers and subtle transitions. For example, the grip section flows into the barrel threads almost seamlessly, meaning I don't feel them when I write. I actually noticed that they don't get in the way. That's good design.
The weight is perfect as well, falling right in the middle range of what I enjoy using. Not too light, not too heavy. You feel the substance of the celluloid when writing, but not to where it becomes weighty.
I also wanted to try out the 14k flex nib that Montegrappa has manufactured for them by Jowo. This one is a Fine Flex, and it is a glorious writer. That said, I'll be the one to die on the hill that the majority of modern flex nibs should actually called soft nibs, not flex, but hey - MARKETING!!!
I do love writing with the flex nib more than a stock fine nib, that's for sure. It gives my letters character, and due to the softness of the nib, the added bonus of being able to write fast with a bit of flair.
There is definitely some line variation with this nib. Just don't expect a crazy line width range and you will be perfectly happy with how this nib performs.
While my experience with the Miya has been great, there are two downsides: Filling system and price.
These two things go hand in hand, and my initial thinking was that for a pen this expensive ($800) it should have a piston filling system. Now, not all expensive pens have or should have piston filling mechanisms, but Montegrappa offers exactly that in pens half the price of the Miya.
That said, there may be a reason the piston wasn't added in the Miya. One I didn't notice until well after I received the pen in fact: All of the external hardware - cap band, barrel band, clip, and finial - is sterling silver.
Does that preclude this pen from having a piston filling mechanism? No. Does that make me feel better about the price? Absolutely. There is a lot that went into the manufacturing and materials of this pen, and the price seems justified in the end.
Could I personally pull the trigger on one? Not likely. But if I did, I think the Yellow barrel with the Flex nib would fit into my writing rotation very nicely.
(Kenro Industries loaned this product to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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