I was destined to fall for this ink, for three reasons. First, I'm a fan of Vinta, the young ink brand from the Philippines. Since I first discovered them 18 months ago, its bottles have quietly become a presence in my core ink box, with inks like the bright Android Teal and the murky Kelp … Continue reading Vinta Ulap: an exclusive worth having
Uncategorized
Onoto leather pen roll: a matching case for your Magna
I call this product the “pen croissant”. I’m hoping the name sticks. I hope the product sticks too, because I really like it. What we have here is a simple, rustic-feeling case for a single pen, made from thick, soft leather with a single popper closure. It’s available in three colours. I picked the blue, … Continue reading Onoto leather pen roll: a matching case for your Magna
Montblanc notebooks: a real luxury experience
I'm a fan of Montblanc's pens and inks, but I've never before tried its paper products. Why? Partly it's because I'm a Tomoe River addict. But it's also because I had bad experiences with awful demo paper used in the boutiques. I assumed the notebooks would be the same. I wish I hadn't made that … Continue reading Montblanc notebooks: a real luxury experience
State of the collection: October 2021
Gosh, it was May when I last did a SotC post, and here we are nearly hitting November. Naturally, there's been a fair bit of change. Two long-standing, much-loved pens from my main tray back in May have gone: London Fog and Sequoyah. I still feel very positively about these pens, but I wasn’t using … Continue reading State of the collection: October 2021
The (nearly) heavenly Visconti Divina Bordeaux
TL;DR: watch the video https://youtu.be/Blugujo5E8A Prefer to read? Here's the written review If there's been any doubt in your mind that Visconti can make beautiful pens, the Divina Bordeaux should lay it firmly to rest. The Divina is gorgeous in photos, but in person it is utterly stunning. The wine-red resin is interesting and swirly, … Continue reading The (nearly) heavenly Visconti Divina Bordeaux
Forget the ‘grail’ pen… what’s your ‘exit’ pen?
The idea of the grail pen should be very familiar to anyone in the pen community by now, although of course there's still room for disagreement about what exactly the term means. To me, it's the pen you're (currently) obsessed with, that's tantalisingly close but just out of reach, whether due to reasons of price … Continue reading Forget the ‘grail’ pen… what’s your ‘exit’ pen?
Another pen show? Yes, another pen show.
It barely seems two minutes since the last London Pen Show in July, and here we are just days away from another one. Yes, it's the autumn London Pen Show this Sunday, and I'll be there. I hope you will be too. When I first bought my ticket a few weeks ago, I was feeling … Continue reading Another pen show? Yes, another pen show.
Why I bought an Otto Hutt designC
Long-term readers may remember my review last year of the Otto Hutt designC, the German brand's centenary celebration pen made of silver in an edition of 500 pieces, for a price well into four figures. At the time I described the experience as a rollercoaster. I found the designC alien, uncompromising, almost deliberately difficult to … Continue reading Why I bought an Otto Hutt designC
What’s the fountain pen equivalent of the quartz watch?
If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have seen that I’m spending as much time thinking about watches as about pens at the moment. My newest acquisition is a Grand Seiko, quartz. This is a bit of a radical move for me. I always felt the same way about quartz watches as many fountain pen … Continue reading What’s the fountain pen equivalent of the quartz watch?
Gioia Alleria Amaranto and Nuvola — Italian flair on a budget
I reviewed the Gioia Alleria back in January, and since then I've watched this brand start to pick up steam. Gioia now has an excellent UK distributor and retailer, Grandvision Pens, and stockists across the US and Europe. No longer do you have to buy direct. As well as expanding its reach, Gioia has also … Continue reading Gioia Alleria Amaranto and Nuvola — Italian flair on a budget
