LUXURY FOUNTAIN PENS | A PERFECT ACCESSORY FOR MEN
There’s nothing quite like feeling the weight and grip of a high-end fountain pen in your hand. From Mark Twain to Winston Churchill, fountain pens have been praised by the greats and are a staple in classic American luxury. If you are looking for a high-end fountain pen, look no further than Goldspot Pens.
With prices ranging from a few dollars to thousands for special editions MontBlanc, Visconti, and even Porsche designs. The fountain pen is a staple for gentleman and business-men alike. There’s no better way to impress a room of business people than by signing a contract with a beautiful, elegant designed fountain pen.
Writing With a Fountain Pen
Writing with a fountain pen feels amazing. The feel and resistance is different for each pen and brand. Each pen produces beautiful handwriting unique to its own.
There is something alluring about how a luxury pen writes, especially with quality ink bottles of various colours and styles. The tip of the pen has a gold or silver nib that you write with, and it is one of the reasons fountain pens write so much better than a normal ballpoint pen or rollerball ink pen.
There are various nib types that all give a different writing experience. The most popular being Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, and Broad nib. These go from smaller to bigger, where a broad nib can even be used to write traditional calligraphy.
The pure gold nib at the tip of your fountain pen is what makes writing with a fountain pen the experience it is. The nib takes the ink from the cartridge inside the pen and pulls it down the slit at the tip of the nib to produce ink on the page. Most brands produce their own unique nib that creates the writing experience of that particular brand.
A Guide to Fountain Pen Brands
When buying fountain pens, the two things you want to look at is,
A. THE NIB. This is what determines how the pens write on paper. An easy way to see if a fountain pen has a high quality nib is to see a video of how it writes or to choose a famous, classic brand like Aurora, Sailor 1911, Esterbrook, or Monteverde.
B. THE DESIGN. A factor no one can ignore. A beautifully designed pen is like a Rolex. The design and materials make the pen a beauty to handle and see everyday. There is nothing like a perfectly designed fountain pen.
Many brands have their flagship nib, design, and writing style that they're famous for.
GRAF VON FABER CASTELL
Graf von Faber-Castell is a luxury and historic brand known for their sleek designs. Founded in 1761, they are one of the largest and oldest fountain pen manufacturers. They are headquartered in Stein Germany. Germany produces some of the best fountain pens on the market and you will see more brands from Germany on this list.
Faber-Castell’s flagship products go for $500 or more. But this luxury fountain pen brand has options in the $50-$100 range as well, especially if you look for retailers.
AURORA
Founded over 100 years ago, Aurora is one of the most classic and elegant brands. Located in Italy, they have fine craftsmanship and care about working on each and every pen. They are considered one of the first truly italian fountain pen manufacturers.
Aurora Fountain Pens is considered one of the best pen brands by many, but If you want one of these beautiful high-end fountain pens, it’s going to cost you. The majority of Aurora pens are several hundreds of dollars. But, you can still find some for around $80-$100 if you are ok with settling for any design.
LAMY
A classic German brand with great options for both novices and aficionados. Lamy has been in the game since 1930 and continues to represent a professional and modern brand until this date. They have luxury pens like the Lamy Scala or Lamy 2000, while at the same time selling the most famous beginner fountain pen, the Lamy Safari, for only $25 dollars. If you are new to pens and don’t want to shell out a hundred dollars, you can’t go wrong with the Lamy Safari if you buy it from a reputable verified reseller.
ESTERBROOK
Esterbrook is a classic brand with a modern revival. Starting in 1856 and then reopening in the 2000s with an all new modern-while-classic look, the Esterbrook fountain pen is one of the top picks for men who are confident to pay a premium price. Starting at $156 for their flagship product The Estie fountain pen, these pens are just beautiful and write wonderfully.
PARKER PENS
Parker Pens is a great brand with a modern, masculine style that sets them apart. Parker Pens has a large variety of fountain pens and their classic Jotter ballpoint pen for men who are looking for a simpler look and don’t want to invest in a luxury fountain pen yet. The Jotter Parker pen comes in at just $16 and is a great pen to add to any home office or place of work.
Parker Pens was established 1888 in Janesville Wisconsin. Parker pens is a great American pen brand that is a great pen to write with and get a lot of solid, productive work completed with. If you want a non-fountain pen option for a luxury pen, the Jotter is a great choice. If you love what you’ve heard of Parker Pens so far but want to try out a fountain pen, Parker has a lot of options for you on their website!
NAMIKI
Namiki is a truly luxury brand. You won’t be able to find a proper Namiki fountain pen for under $200. And their pens sell for upwards of $2000. Yes, you read that right. These Namiki pens are extremely well-made luxury pens that write like no other. They come in various styles, often inspired by Eastern art. They were founded in 1920. They have become a serious main-stay in the high-end luxury ink pen market.
WATERMAN
Waterman is the most classic American brand there is. Founded in New York city in 1884, they have been crafting beautiful fountain pens for over a hundred years. There are endless vintage, beautiful looking pens you can find online from Waterman, and their new collections of fountain pens are just as nice. Waterman makes beautiful and antique products that many people around the U.S. find they can’t live without. Check out Waterman Pens if you are looking for the perfect American writing pen.
Buying Your First Fountain Pen
Buying a luxury pen can be overwhelming. The history of these brands are long-running and you get different advice everywhere. There are many online retailers where you can look through hundreds of fountain and ballpoint pens. Find one you love the design of and search the name into Youtube or Google and there is bound to be several reviews with people handling the pen and writing with it. This is the best way to get a good idea of whether the pen is right for you.
We hope this article helps you understand the luxury pen market and perhaps order a beautiful fountain pen for your home and business life.
Founder of this eponymous blog, focusing on men's fashion & lifestyle.