Great review!

great job on the pics! We should send you some products for photography. Thanks for mentioning our store!

@Speedmaster – Thanks! And thanks for stopping by!

@Tom – Not a problem, and thanks for the compliment on the photography. I could take all the pics you want, but I couldn’t promise that Id send everything back.

Looks like a really nice pen. I might have to pick one of those up. I like the orange, and the big barrel looks pretty comfortable to hold

I love orange, as long as it isn’t fluorescent. Though even I’ll admit that orange is often better in small doses. A black pen with some orange highlights can look really great.

I’ve had or tried all versions of this pen (bp, rb and fp). It is nice looking and comfortable, but I wasn’t overly crazy about the nib. I’ve also found Aurora’s quality control to not always be the best, though I never had any problems with the Ipsilon line.

I’ll also recommend Goldspot. I’ve ordered from them a number of times and their service has been quite good. I have to think their business is suffering. I hope they and the various other fine pen retailers can survive til better times, if they ever come.

Thanks for the recommendation, Der Bingle. True, times are tough but I wouldn’t say we’re suffering. Thanks to our great customers, we’re looking to be optimistic for 2010.

Beautiful pen and interesting review. I own a Aurora Talentum Black Rollerball and it’s the only pen I carry no matter where I go. They’re a good choice. As for this one, it looks elegant in its simple design. I like the nib a lot.

Lloyd
officedeskreviews

@Tom – I hope 2010 is a great year for Goldspot! Obviously, you know your business better then I. I based my comments on my own buying habits and those of some other penaholics I know. I used to buy a lot of fine pens, but now only buy a small fraction of what I once did.

Another thing I’ve noticed and think to be the case is that ebay pen sales have been hit even harder. I’ve done some selling there and know others who have as well. I’ve listed pens and seen listings by others with fantastic prices. These pens wouldn’t have lasted a day in the past but now don’t sell. I know Goldspot also sells at ebay. Have your sales dropped there and do you think what I suggest is the case?

@OSG – Sorry to thread hi-jack.

@Der Bingle

True, those who like buying luxury gifts like pens, watches, jewelry, etc have cut back since the meltdown around October of ’08, but everyone still needs to buy gifts for others and the occasional present for one’s self. We’ve seen huge declines in higher-end pen sales. People are looking for more bang for their buck these days.

I feel like ebay has always been a garage sale and people aren’t really looking for a fair price, they are looking for a fire-sale price on that website. In pen terms, they want to see a 99 cent, no reserve auction for a Pelikan m1000. If it’s rare, it may fetch fair market value, but everything I’ve ever personally sold on eBay has been a low-ball price.

@Tom – Great insights, thanks.

I agree about higher end stuff, though I think the definition of that term has changed: $50 is now high-end. It is that change that in large part prompted my ‘suffering’ comment earlier. One might think that the times we live in would have prompted the pen companies to lower their prices, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Actually, someone at one of the pen boards stated that, counter-intuitive as it might seem, prices for luxury items go up in tough times. But I’d love to see the books/balance sheets for Montblanc, Pelikan or even Parker.

You are spot-on on ebay. And I think people have missed out on some great bargains because of it. There is also, I think, a rip-off factor involved: some people simply still don’t trust ebay. They probably have never been ripped off themselves, but have heard some story that their cousin’s barber’s neighbor was ripped off there. They don’t realize that most ebay sellers are reptuable and that ebay is generally much more pro buyer in its policies then pro seller.

Der Bingle,

You can thank the steeply-accelerated price of gold for most of the price increases in the last few years. Some manufacturers ‘get it’ more than others and are accommodating for pen people’s tighter budgets. I would say Parker and Montblanc definitely aren’t with it and are being hit harder by the economy.

On eBay, sometimes you don’t know who you are dealing with. Unless you diligently check each person’s feedback rating and read their auction descriptions thoroughly, there is a high chance for disappointment.

@Tom – I hadn’t thought about the gold angle. I’ve also noticed that more brands aren’t allowing discounts (or as many discounts) of their products these days.

I disagree, I think, a bit with you on ebay. Yes, it is possible to get burned, but it isn’t likely. As mentioned, ebay is pro-buyer. Sellers aren’t even allowed to leave negative feedback any longer. And giving negative feedback to a seller is a not insignificant hammer that ebay buyers hold. Also, ebay now requires a return policy. From what I’ve seen, most pen sellers allow returns. If one does get ripped off in some way by a disreputable seller, ebay and/or PayPal will likely save the day by giving you a refund. All in all, I think one can buy pens with confidence at ebay. I know when I was buying a lot of fine pens regularly, I always checked what was available at ebay. Though I still did buy more from online retailers like Goldspot.

A bigger problem for fine pen sellers is simply that people don’t write as much as they used to. I believe the Pen Addict blog linked to an article not too long ago proclaiming the death of the fine pen. That may be going to far, but a small sub-group or hobby isn’t likely to get bigger anytime soon. It is a shame, but at least some of us know better.

@Der Bingle,

I think the discount offering has to do with the success of online pen retail and how it is overshadowing the brick-and-mortar store. Many brands are trying to keep the prestige of their name by not allowing online retailers to advertise discounts, but many will have call/email for pricing. So, if you see anything at full price on Goldspot.com, always call or e-mail us first and we’ll help you out.

I also disagree with my statement on eBay as well. I was speaking more on the behalf of the general public consensus. I feel very safe in dealing with buyers and sellers on the site and have never got burned on either side of the fence. However, I’m also one of the few people that I know that have had an eBay account since the late nineties. Family members and friends have come to me to sell or buy things on the site. Everyone has that moment of caution before considering eBay to buy/sell and I usually step in to quiet their fears. Buyers definitely have more power in the exchange, but not many people “feel” that way.

I agree with you in the fact that things are trending toward the electronic and the old “pen and paper” system is looking pretty weak. I firmly believe that pen and paper will never be fully replaced, that the electronic medium will always need to be supplemented by old-fashioned writing. Watches, I hear, are doing really well in the recession, despite the fact that the time is always within reach on our cellphones and other mobile devices. I think fine pens will make a resurgence as a fashionable, luxury item in the coming years.

PS. for OSG, sorry we’ve patronized your comments section for our off-topic discussion!

@Dennis – It is a very nice pen, I hope my photos are not misleading though, I wouldnt say the barrel is “big” compred to other pens. I think its pretty much average size. It is slightly longer than a Pelikan M215, but not quite as thick.

@Der Bingle – You seem to be quite the Aurora connoisseur, I’m jealous. Glad to hear that you have also had good experiences with Goldspot, they have always treated me well, both before and after I started this blog.

@Lloyd – I was actually considering the Talentum before I bought this, but the sale on the Ipsilon was the deciding factor.

@Tom and Der Bingle – No need to apologize, I think its interesting to hear the perspective of both a consumer and retailer on how the economy is impacting the industry. I could just as easily be considered an economics geek in addition to an office supply geek, so its fascinating to me, and I’m sure other readers here will find much value in what you have to say. Thanks for sharing all of that.

I do not think I have ever owned a fountain pen but this one looks like a real winner here. I like the fact that it is orange. I have been really into that whole burnt orange phase even my blackberry has that color!

Nice review