Good writer at good price - does it need the flashy gold trim?
Written: Mar 22 '05 (Updated Mar 22 '05)
Product Rating:
Pros: even, broad line, nice balance and classic looks, great price
Cons: gold trim and problems starting
The Bottom Line: Solid and attractive, the Phileas is a handsome pen with a few quirks, but few if any other fountain pens can match it on a price/performance basis.
icevic's Full Review: Waterman Phileas Fountain Pen Black Finish Medium ...
Waterman was one of the original names in fountain pens. A US American company, it was an innovator and one of the leaders in pen technology for the first half of the 20th century. However as the ball point became the standard for daily writing, and the disposable pen forever changed how much people would pay for a pen, Waterman could not adapt and eventually faded away. The Waterman brand we know today is actually imported from the French offshoot, owned by Bic for many years but now owned by Gilette. The pens are made in France.
Fountain pens are much more charming than ball points, but require some maintenance and attention, which is too much for 99% of the population today. However there is still the 1%, and for them, there are still many fountain pens available from about a dozen manufacturers.
The Waterman Phileas is both a throwback and an innovation. Unlike most of the fountain pens sold today, it is not an expensive collectors piece or a reissue of a famous pen from the past. It was not designed as a ballpoint with a fountain pen nib tacked on to make it a set. It was designed from the ground up as an inexpensive fountain pen, a pen you would use everyday as a writer, a pen you could afford but still with the look of class and distinction.
The Phileas comes in various colours: mine is black. For a fountain pen, it is of average size and weight. To ballpoint users, this means it is thicker, longer, and heavier than your average office pen. I won't describe it in detail - I'll assume there is a picture attached to this epinion review. The plastic barrel and cap are glossy and smooth. The gold trim is perhaps too gold - the description "gold coloured" might be more appropriate.
The steel nib is two tone, gold and stainless, with a design etched in it which is echoed on a band near the end of my pen. On my pen, the band does not come all the way around, looking more like a clip than a band. Otherwise, it is well finished. The bands are nearly flush with the case and everything seems tight. The cap fits tightly on the end of the pen and does not come loose when writing. The overall impression is classy and conservative.
In the hand, the pen is well balanced. The point where the pen is gripped while writing is ribbed for grip and tapered to offer various holding points.
My first thought when I wrote with the pen was that it had a broad nib. I knew it was medium, but it writes so thick that it seems broad. If you have small handwriting, or prefer a thin line, don't get the medium point.
The Phileas lays down an even, thick, wet line that I really like as long as I am not writing too small. The line is very consistent. Flow is generally good, with little splashing or stuttering. However, I do have problems starting. Often the first downstroke comes up dry. I flushed the pen with water several times to clean the feed, but it didn't help. Next I switched from the cartridge to the converter (tube that installs where the cartridge was and allows it to be bottle filled, comes with the pen), and it was fine for a while, but then it started again.
Now, I find that when it begins to give me problems starting, I open up the case and give the converter filler a few twists. For whatever reason, this keeps the ink flowing smoothly. In fact, it is usually a little thicker after doing that, which I like so I have made it a habit after I have been writing for a while, even if it is not hesitating.
The Phileas looks and writes like a more expensive pen. It even comes in a beautiful Waterman presentation box, like a more expensive pen. I wish there wasn't so much gold trim. It makes it seem like it is trying too hard to be a more expensive pen, instead of just looking and writing like one. This is a pen that walks the walk and talks the talk - it doesn't need to dress itself up to pretend it is something else. It is a good pen on it's own, and I think the gold is out of place, especially since the only place on a fountain pen where gold actually matters, the nib, is stainless steel.
Fountain pen buyers seem to really prefer gold, just like Cadillac buyers prefer wood on their dash, so I probably shouldn't fight it.
Because of the box and the classy appearance, this pen makes a fantastic gift.
If you think you like fountain pens but aren't sure, this would be a great place to start. You will get a beautiful pen at a reasonable price (reasonable for fountain pens, don't think in terms of ballpoints where $10 is expensive. My complaints are the gold trim and the problems I had with ink flow before I discovered the trick with the converter.
In the CAN$50 price range, few pens can really compete with it.
Phileas Fountain Pen. Gift box included. Manufacturers lifetime warrantyContemporary design features a balanced feel to ensure writing comfort. Detail...More at Amazon Marketplace
Phileas Fountain Pen. Gift box included. Manufacturers lifetime warrantyContemporary design features a balanced feel to ensure writing comfort. Detail...More at Amazon Marketplace
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