introducing the: sailor fasciner fountain pen in pearlescent white and a rose gold trim

Rose gold has grown in popularity over the last half decade or so and if you didn't already know, I am a big fan. Earlier on in the year, I bought the Kaweco Al-Star in rose gold and now, I have the Sailor Fasciner which boasts a rose gold trim.

First Impressions

As always, this pen came in a blue Sailor presentation box. I like Sailor boxes as they are no nonsense boxes which serve their purpose. They aren't overtly jazzy so you feel like most of the money you've spent it actually on the pen rather than some box.

Upon opening the box, you can see the pen: the rose gold trim really stands out against the white body of the pen.

Design

In contrast to the Professional Gear line where the ends of the pen are flat, the Fasciner has a rounded end. The rose gold trim looks supreme against the bright white body and I love how classy it looks. Unfortunately, the one negative is that the nib is a yellow gold colour and does not match the rose gold trim. 

Usability 

Extremely light to hold, it means that long writing sessions are not painful. The nib is a delightful fine steel nib and writes a true, Japanese fine line. The cap can be posted or unposted - both look and feel good and does not upset the balance, whichever way you choose to use the pen.

Nib and Writing

As said before, the nib is a steel one in a yellow gold colour. The nib is smooth with little to no feedback and glides along the paper. It has not been scratchy, even with low quality paper and seems to hold up well with long writing sessions.

Price

At £81, it is on the higher end for a steel nib. For this price, you can order a Pilot Grance (if you are in the US/Far East) which has a 14K nib or just for a few quid more, a Platinum 3776 which also has a 14K nib. What you are paying for, however, is a solidly built Sailor fountain pen with a nib that writes a true fine line. It is a pleasure to use and feels luxurious with its white body and rose gold trim. It is a pen that will delight you from a design and a user point of view.

Conclusion

The Sailor Fasciner won't be to everyone's taste; but that's ok. That's the beauty of fountain pens: there is one for everyone in terms of design or usability.

For me personally, I really do like this pen. It writes well and is lightweight enough to use for longer writing sessions. It doesn't dry out too quickly when uncapped (something which can irritate me a fair bit!) and does not cause any hand cramp or discomfort even when in hand for an hour or so.

The price will put some people off but for those who have had the pleasure of holding a Sailor pen in hand, they may see this as a worthy addition to the collection. Sailor are fast rising up to the top of my favourite pen brands and they are definitely up there with the likes of Pilot and Platinum in my opinion.

sailor jentle fountain pen ink in yama-dori

new ink: caran d'ache idyllic blue

introducing a new addition: kaweco al sport in rose gold, extra fine nib

The Kaweco AL Sport in Rose Gold was originally a Hong Kong and Taiwan exclusive. It was sold in their Eslite stores; a store that specialises in books and stationery and one I always visit whenever I am in Hong Kong. When they announced that this pen would be released worldwide, I knew it was one that had to be added to my collection. It isn't my first Kaweco; my first one being a Skyline in mint.

First Impressions

This pen is a lovely rose gold in colour and my first impression was one of awe. The aluminium finish definitely plays more to my taste than the plastic Skyline Sport. And as a magpie to anything rose gold, the initial flutter in my stomach when I saw it was a good sign.

Design

As said before, the colour is definitely to my taste. The aluminium finish is one I have got used to with my Lamy Al-Star. The extra weight, compared to the plastic Skyline, actually makes it easier to hold and feels more balanced in hand. The facets on the lid break up the simplistic design and the pocket nature of the pen means it can be taken anywhere and everywhere.

There is no pen clip that comes with the pen so I had to order my own for it. However, even without a pen clip, this is not a pen that will roll off the table because of the faceted design.

Usability 

As said before, though made of aluminium, it still feels balanced in hand. Because of this, hand cramp does not occur often as a firm grip is not needed when writing. The pocket pen is made a bit longer when capped so for this reason, I would highly encourage you use it with the cap posted.

The pen either takes a cartridge or a converter made especially for this pen. Neither hold very much ink so for those in jobs with a lot of writing or those who like longer writing sessions, you might want to choose another workhorse pen for that.

Other than that, a pen that will likely please all and disappoint very few in how nice it feels in hand.

Nib and Writing

I chose the extra fine nib (predictably) and it wrote well straight out of the tin. No hard starts, no baby's bottom and no scratchiness. I was impressed as I initially had issues with my Skyline Sport's nib when I first got it. It writes well with no skipping, even with rapid note taking.

Price

At £58 from Pure Pens (not an advertised or an affiliate link; just a very happy customer time and time again), it falls more into the mid-range category than any other. It is for the seasoned user rather than the beginner but I think it is priced as such.

Conclusion

The Kaweco AL Sport will make a good workhorse pen for those with smaller hands (I think it would be too small for someone with larger hands). It definitely feels more premium than the Skyline but you would expect that with the price you're paying.

Having used this pen for a few months now (I purchased it back at the end of July when it became available on Pure Pens), I can definitely say that it is a delightful pen to use. The design cheers me up and the ease of use means that I am often reaching for this pen at home when studying.

The relatively small amount of ink it holds is problematic and is one reason why it doesn't often come to work with me. Nothing more frustrating than running out of ink mid-shift!

That said, this pen is still worthy of staying a part of my collection (...for now. I'll be the first to admit I'm quite fickle at times!) and is a pen I would recommend to anyone wanting a step up from a basic fountain pen but wanted something a bit more durable. It is the perfect pen for any handbag or pocket and is one that will appeal to the majority.

my first vintage pen: the parker 51 vacumatic

Earlier on this year, a very kind soul gifted this Parker 51 Vacumatic to me. This is my first properly vintage pen as I understand it is from the 1940s. It is in excellent nick and has served me well at work. I have since stopped carrying it at work for fear of losing it. It already holds some sentimental value despite only having been in my possession for such a short period of time.

The pen clip is the standard Parker arrow we are all used to seeing but it has an added design of the Parker name at the top, with a blue diamond. I love these extra little features and I wish this attention to detail were still present in today's modern pens. The pearl jewel on top is another lovely little detail too. 

The vacumatic action is intact and works very well. It took some getting used to at first but I am definitely appreciating how much ink this pen can hold compared to normal cartridge/converter pens.

The nib is a fine one and writes a line fine enough to my liking.

As this is my first vintage fountain pen, I have had nothing to compare it to. Back in January, I featured this pen as one on my current wishlist and I can definitely see why it is so highly revered within the fountain pen community. It is a workhorse of a pen and if treated with care, it is definitely one that will serve its owner well and for generations to come.