Pelikan Stola III Collection Preview

Coming soon from Germany, the Pelikan Stola III is a new line of professional writing instruments that rivals the Lamy AL-Star and Pilot Metropolitan in contemporary style and affordable luxury.

Did I miss the Stola I & II? What was it about?
The Stola III is part of a trilogy of pen designs from Pelikan that are similar in model with some minor design differences. Chartpak, Pelikan's US distributor, is only going to bring in the Stola III at this time to test the market. Although Pelikan's website does have information and images of Stola I & Stola II for you to check out, we're going to focus on the third act, since that is the one we are going to have in our hands shortly.

Acting as an entry-level point for emerging professionals and students who are looking for a high-quality and sharp-looking writing instrument, the Stola III has the weight, finish and writing quality to compete with other well-known pens in the $30-$45 price range.

The Stola style has an elegant, contemporary look. Sleek, polished and well-designed with a high-degree of utility in mind. Multiple layers of silver coating give the impression of a metallic, automotive paint finish. The black, stainless steel clip is outlined in the shape of the iconic Pelikan beak with a modern twist. The pen's cap sits flush with the barrel, creating a streamlined look to the pen body. The rounded, black end of the barrel has an "Apple"-esque flair.

The Stola III Fountain Pen

The Stola has a significant weight in hand that feels more luxurious, thanks to a brass-lined barrel and front section.  The fountain pen comes with an ink cartridge to start, but also accepts a Pelikan converter (sold separately). The German-made, stainless steel nib writes fluidly and smoothly from the get-go, with excellent flow. The Stola III is only available in medium point, which is the most common nib size for fountain pen newbies.

The snap cap fits securely over the front end when the pen is capped. The cap itself is made from aluminum, and doesn't add much weight when posting it to the backend of the pen while writing. Posting the cap is a tad difficult, as you have to be quite forceful to get a secure fit.

Fountain Pen Specifications : 4.625" length open, 5.313" closed, 6.188" cap posted, 0.438" width at thickest point, 1.2oz, 0.375" diameter at section.

The Stola III Rollerball Pen

With the free-flowing, Pelikan rollerball ink cartridge installed, the Stola rollerball provides a smooth and liquid writing experience. Similar to the fountain pen, the rollerball also has a brass-lined barrel and front section to give forward weight-in-hand while the cap is a lighter aluminum. The cap snaps over the front send with a satisfying CLICK between writing sessions.

Rollerball Pen Specifications : 4.625" length open, 5.313" closed, 6.25" cap posted, 0.438" width at thickest point, 1.2oz, 0.375" diameter at section.

Pelikan Stola III Ballpen - I am not a hand model :-)

The Stola III Ballpoint Pen

The twist-action ballpen has a unique design characteristic in the front end grip area. The section flares out to 0.438" in diameter, which provides finer balance and more comfort for your grip. The Pelikan ballpoint refill that is included can be replaced with any Parker-style type ballpoint or gel ink refill, which makes it very easy to find refills for your pen, since you aren't tied down to a particular manufacturer.

Ballpoint Pen Specifications : 5.438" length open, 5.313" closed, 0.438" width at thickest point (grip section), 0.9oz.

Comparing the Stola III with the Lamy AL-Star & Pilot Metro Fountain Pens

It is hard not to immediately want to compare this new Pelikan model up against some of its tried and true competitors that dominate the entry level pen arena. The closest analog (especially since it's also made in Germany) is the Lamy AL-Star. The aluminum-bodied AL-Star has a more utilitarian look, as most Lamy pens are designed in the Bauhaus style. It is also larger in size, as you can see from the comparison photo above.  The brass-lined Stola fountain pen is 55% heavier than the AL-Star at 1.2oz versus 0.77oz. The retail price points are nearly the same, with the Stola winning out by a few dollars less than the AL-Star.

The Japanese-made Pilot Metropolitan is similar to the Pelikan Stola III in its streamlined profile, sleek design, metallic barrel and black front sections. The Metro fountain pen is lighter by a third of an ounce, while being only slightly longer. The Metro comes with a converter to start with and is priced under $20, which is half the price of the Stola. However, I felt (and this is my opinion) that the nib on the Pelikan was much smoother than the Metro.

I can see the Stola III being a great option for an entry-level Pelikan that has more style and elegance than a kid-friendly Pelikano. Will it be in the conversation for "best beginner fountain pens?" One could certainly argue that such a well respected fine writing brand like Pelikan should have their name in the mix, but only time will tell. One thing I would suggest for Pelikan is to offer this pen in multiple nib sizes.

The Stola III ballpoint is really intriguing and I think will be a pleasant surprise for Pelikan fans and those who need a solid, everyday carry ballpen. The engorged front grip area and brass-lined barrel is great to experience and comfortable to hold.

We expect to have the Pelikan Stola III line available within the next few months. If you would like to be notified of when these pens will be available for sale on our website, please SIGN UP to our E-MAIL NEWSLETTER to be the first to know.