The Leonardo Momento Zero has been a long-time favorite in the fountain pen world, and on this blog. We have reviewed several Leonardo models since their launch in 2017, and they consistently rate as some of the best on the market. So why, if the Momento Zero has been reviewed many times already, is it worth spilling a few words on again?
The market changed, and the Leonardo Momento Zero is an even better option now than it was a few years ago.
One of the topics I want to focus on in the coming months is to revisit and update some classic pen reviews. The LAMY Safari is on that list, for example, and the LMZ fits the bill as well. Quality pens that remain quality options over years, and sometimes decades, are worth repeated discussions, because as we have all learned, the market can change rapidly.
To be clear, a $200 fountain pen is very expensive, but the Momento Zero more than lives up to the price tag. You can feel it in this pen from the first moment you pick it up. The fit and finish of the hardware and material is perfect, the design is classic and comfortable, and the writing experience is unparalleled. Do you even need another fountain pen? I’d argue that this one could be your one and only. Yes, it’s that good.
Big fan of this material, and the fancy converter.
And the Momento Zero is considered Leonardo’s entry-level fountain pen! The craftsmanship continues on up the product line with larger barrels, gold nibs, and piston-filling mechanisms, but I’d argue you don’t need more. This one is nearly perfect, at least for me.
That said, do we really need a blind cap for any converter-filling pen?
If there is one consideration when trying out the Momento Zero, it is that the grip section design is slightly different than similar pens. It has a taper toward the nib that only begins after a slight transition in the middle of the section. I wondered about this myself back when I bought my first one years ago, but it works well with my lower grip style. I can lock into it, and there is no issue when writing for any length of time. If you have a higher grip, it may not be as comfortable.
From a writing perspective, the Jowo #6 Steel Extra Fine nib is perfect. Leonardo must tune these before shipping because they feel fantastic right out of the box. The Momento Zero uses a cartridge/converter filling system, and I inked this one with Taccia Rikancha, one of their new releases. It’s so good, and matches this Pausilya material so perfectly, that it could have been a Parings Party.
What’s left to say about this great pen? It might be a better value today than it was when I bought my first in 2019. I paid $180 then, and this model ranges from $200-$225 now. That’s not an insignificant increase, but given that this price point was vacated by most gold nib fountain pens last year, it represents the best of the bunch by a good margin.
I think it is obvious how much I love the Leonardo Momento Zero, and I shouldn’t have shelved it for as long as I did. It’s a complete joy, and I’ll be keeping it within reach for the foreseeable future.
(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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