Nemosine Singularity and Fission Fountain Pens - And Giveaway!

Pen Chalet connected with me recently to let me know of a new brand in their lineup of entry-level priced fountain pens called Nemosine, and inquired as to whether I'd like to do a review/giveaway here on the blog. Of course! Thanks for sending the pens my way.

I don't know very much about Nemosine other than the fact that are pretty new to the scene being only a few years old, but there may be more to come from them over time. New to me!

The pens sent over range from around $25-$40 at full retail, street price at $20-30, so definitely within the LAMY Safari and Kaweco Sport range. 

From a design perspective, the pens carry a sort of "businessy" feel if that makes sense. They have that kind of generic boardroom look that is nice, but not super interesting, although is something someone sees and thinks "that seems fancy". 

The pens come with German made steel nibs that have a stamped "N" (for Nemosine no doubt) as well as some some flowery scroll work. I've found mine to be a bit on the grabby side, even on smoother paper. I'd wager a few swirls over some brown paper or micromesh may smooth it out.

On the Nemosine website and on each of the respective boxes there is a space, physics, math, equation based theme that, honestly, I'm not quite certain I get. In looking at the pens, nothing really about the design screams "science" to me but, according to their website:

"...the equation marked on each box provides an insight into the contents to those who understand."

Hmmm.... yeah, apparently not me. And I'm ok with that.

The Singularity model is a plastic/resin barrel that is quite light, while the Fission is an all metal barrel and cap that is fairly hefty coming in capped at 1.6 oz. It feels heavy no doubt.

Both of the pens post, but I found the Fission too long and too weighty for it to be comfortable to write with that way. The Singularity wrote while posted very comfortably.

The Fission, being all metal, has metal-on-metal threading which I'd have to admit can be a bit awkward at times. The threads are slightly thicker, but seem to be coated in a slick chrome plating which gives a very distinct gritty and clanky feel when putting the pieces together. Probably not a huge deal, but doesn't have that precision machined feel like a lot of all metal barrels do.

These pens didn't quite blow my mind but, for the pricepoint, I think the Nemosine pens could be a great entry level fountain pen for someone wanting to try something outside of the Pilot Metropolitan or LAMY Safari. I could also see these as a nice pen gift to someone who may not be a fountain pen person, but would appreciate the thought and the pen looks nice to carry into a meeting.  

And, I wanted to run a giveaway for both pens, so we'll have two winners! If you're interested in trying one of these out, put your name into the hat and press your luck.

CONTEST RULES (the "fine print"):

- Contest will run through Friday, October 14th and will end at 11:59pm Arizona Time, USA

- To enter, leave a comment below telling us your first fountain pen or which fountain pen you have your eye on next... (limited to one entry per person; no cheating!)

-Open to both International and US readers 

- I will arrange the entries in numerical order and randomly select the winners.  The winner will be announced on the blog on Saturday, October 15th and will need to connect with me within a week to claim their prize. 

   

Karas Kustoms Render K Mini Giveaway - Winner!

Thanks to everyone that turned out for the giveaway! And, special thanks to Karas Kustoms for providing the pen for our prize.

And the winner is:

Congrats Lauren! To claim your prize (within one week...), connect with me through the Contact form on the site to provide your details and I'll get it shipped out to you right away.

Also, if you're interested in picking up a Mini K (or other pen from their lineup) of your own, Karas has an ongoing promo code CLICKYPOST for 10% off which should shave off a few bucks.

Stay tuned for another awesome giveaway coming very soon...

Retro 51 Slim Tornado - Sterling Silver Deco Tower

Ah, Retro 51, one of our most beloved gateway pen makers... For many of us pen fanatics, the Retro 51 Tornado is probably the first time we ever dipped our toes into the "expensive" pen world. Starting at $20 or so, looking back that "plunge" seems almost silly, but at the time $20 for ONE PEN seemed like a lot of money.

Starting with the standard lacquer series as the base model of the lineup, the fun and fanciness only goes up from there... Retro is always releasing new models and limited editions to keep us coming back for more.

Currently on the slightly higher end of the Retro 51 spectrum (if you want to go a bit on the fancy-fancy side) is a newer release called the Deco Tower edition which is built on the new slim Tornado and is sheathed in .925 sterling silver.

Yes. Silver.

There are a few design periods that tend to get me really excited, and the streamlined yet expressive (quite gaudy at times even) Art Deco movement of the 20's and 30's is no exception. So naturally when I heard there was an Art Deco inspired Tornado coming out I was anxious to get my hands on one. 

The pen I'm reviewing was kindly sent over by the folks at Pen Boutique, a pen retailer that not only has an impressive online offering, but also has two physical retail locations around the Washington DC and Baltimore area. If you're near there, definitely swing by to check them out and, special thanks to them for providing the review sample.

Retro has had a sterling Tornado for some time now so it isn't a completely new concept for the brand, but what they've done with the Deco Tower edition is just exquisite. 

Packaged in a simple, but nice, textured black cardboard tube stamped with shiny silver lettering is the pen upright and at attention waiting for you to take it out and start ogling it. Seriously, this pen is a stunner.

From top to bottom, the pen is shiny, shimmery, and silvery. That is likely what takes you initially by surprise is just how "pretty" it is. In essence, it is like a piece of jewelry or fine flatware, but you write with it and it is beautiful.

Starting after the shiny chrome tip, textured designs start shooting upward towards the knock mechanism. Side by side, thin rectangles on both sides of the pen gradually step up into what could be described as a skyscraper-esque image. Because the pen is tapered, this creates a fantastic illusion of perspective at certain angles.

The remainder of the silver barrel is filled in with thin grooves that run the length of the pen. Stamped just below the knock section is stamped "925 Sterling".

Being sterling, over time I anticipate the pen will acquire a tarnish that can either be left on or polished away. Retro kindly provides a polishing cloth in the packaging.

It has been awhile since I've seen a pen that stands out to me like this one has. I'm not trying to overly flatter the pen by any means, but I am completely and honestly impressed with how they've executed this.

Being in the slim Tornado family, it is a smidge skinnier than the standard, but feels great. If you've used/seen the Apple Store Tornado pens, these are the same size. From a comfort perspective, I think the slim is more enjoyable than the standard. The Tornado can seem a bit on the top heavy side, but the slim seems to solve a good portion of that.

The only downside (sort of) with the slim is that it only takes the Schmidt Easy Flow 9000 ballpoint size (or Parker) refill and not the P8126 rollerball that pretty much everyone knows and loves. If you don't like Parker style refills and are hoping for the rollerball, no dice.

For a ballpoint, the Easy Flow is probably my favorite in this size anyway. Not the same dark, wet lines of the rollerball, but smooth, consistent, and generally without the dreaded "white lines" that show through the ink of most ballpoint pens.

Retail on the Deco Tower Tornado comes in at $139, not inexpensive by any means, but I'm of the opinion that this price is fair given the material, craftsmanship, and design. Although I received this model as a sample, I would certainly pay that much for one (and will likely buy another actually).

I'm fairly certain that my feelings about this pen are clear, but I really do love it.

I will say that this is a pen that will get use, but will be cared for. Some people are of the mindset that when you buy something you shouldn't be overly delicate as you won't see ample enjoyment from it, but I agree and disagree to a point. Utility from something is extremely important to me, but a pen like this I would hate to just throw into my pocket with keys, in the bottom of a purse or backpack, or damage neglectfully due to a lack of care. If I want a "beater" Tornado, I'd go for a classic stainless for $20.

Make the Deco Tower the pen you use when out on the town a bit...

Special thanks again to Pen Boutique for providing the pen for review!