tl;dr... Pelikan has released the new Dunkelgrün Dark Green 4001 ink to replace the Brilliant Green, which is now discontinued.
The Pelikan 4001 ink series stands as one of the most reliable set of colors for your fountain pen. Not only are the recommended for optimal performance of your Pelikan pen, they are also safe for many other plunger-filling, converter type fountain pens as well. The 4001 series is also more affordable, in comparison to the Pelikan Edelstein line of luxury inks, at $10 per 30mL bottle. Other than the blue-black being discontinued some years ago, the lineup has remained mostly the same for years and years.
Effective April 2016, the lineup has made a change to remove the "Brilliant Green" and replace it with "Dark Green," or Dunkelgrün.
I know, Earth-shattering news, right? Although I didn't lose any sleep about it, I'm sure that some would at least be interested to know the difference between the two inks, which is slight, but definitely noticeable.
In terms of performance and safety with your fountain pen, you can still expect the same level of quality from the new Dunkelgrün. I would feel comfortable in putting this ink in any Pelikan, from a Pelikano to a Souveran M1000. To test out the color, I went to a vintage 1940's Waterman Stalwart fountain pen with a semi-flexible 14kt nib.
As one might expect from the name, Dunkelgrün is a darker shade of Brilliant Green. It seems to take on a cooler, blueish hue when compared against the lighter green. Brilliant Green is less saturated, so it does shade a bit better and is less water resistant than the new darker green color.
Dunkelgrün's color seems to be an homage to the dark green that is synonymous with Pelikan's brand. From the striped Souveran fountain pens to the historical models of yesteryear, the German brand is forever associated with dark green.
What do you think of the change? Are you going to miss Brilliant Green? As of this writing, we have both colors readily available in-stock. Hit the 'Spot to pick up a bottle, international sized ink cartridge or the giant size ink cartridges.
There are many blue pens that exist in the world of fine writing. Pelikan has not just made another blue pen, but the blue pen that separates itself from all others before it.
The Souveran M805 Vibrant Blue (launched April 2016) is the blue you've been searching for all your life.
People who favor blue are said to revel in its tranquil, calming qualities. The layered, acrylic material of the M805 Vibrant Blue hits those serene notes with its pearlescent, marbled barrel and cap. Light penetrates the semi-translucent, blue material, creating a stained glass effect.
Turning the cap to unscrew it from the section, the 18ct gold, rhodium coated nib can be spied through the translucency, as if it were submerged in shallow water. Bringing the pen's barrel to light, the ink that is held within the body can be seen sloshing around and should clearly indicate when a refill is soon needed.
As with other M800/M805 model Pelikan pens, like the Stresemann we reviewed last year, the Vibrant Blue has an oversized profile, more suitable for larger hands.
Top to Bottom : OMAS Ogiva Cocktail, Pelikan M805 Vibrant Blue, Pelikan M215 Blue
Souverän M805 Vibrant Blue Dimensions
Length Capped : 5.5"
Length Posted : 6.5"
Length without Cap : 5.00"
Barrel Diameter : 0.52"
Section Diameter : 0.42"
Weight : 0.89 oz
Ink Capacity : 1.2mL
18ct gold goodness
The large nib on the M805 rhodium coated to match the gleaming silver color of the palladium trims and signature Pelikan "beak" clip. The silver trim is a perfect compliment to the deep, placid blues of the pen body. As with other Pelikan 18ct nibs that I've personally experienced, this one had a small case of baby's bottom. For the uninitiated, baby's bottom is the over-polishing of the nib's iridium tip that can cause a gap in the nib's writing contact surface and lead to some missed strokes and starting issues. Writing on a coarse surface, like a brown paper bag, is usually recommended to remedy the problem. However, I prefer using micro-mesh instead. With a little slight scribbling, I was gliding around on paper like an olympic figure skater on ice.
I know, I know. You should be shocked that a pen of this caliber would not write anything but perfect out of the box, but it happens occasionally. If you have experienced this with any new Pelikan (or any fountain pen) purchased from us right out of the box, please do contact us if you aren't comfortable with nib adjustments / troubleshooting. We'll either get it working exactly like its supposed to, or replace it to make sure you have a writing instrument that you are in love with.
Written with M805 & Edelstein Aquamarine on Tomoe River Paper
Baby's bottom aside, this nib is super-smooth with a tiny bit of springiness. There's no flexibility to speak of, nor would anyone recommend to flex the nib to attempt any line variation. The pen writes a bit on the drier side. My writing sample for the demonstration is done with the Pelikan Edelstein ink of the year 2016, Aquamarine.
As the M805 Vibrant Blue is a special edition for 2016, I imagine this will be a design that will be sold quickly and will be a highly demanded collector's item a few years from now. At the time of this writing, we had received our first shipment of Vibrant Blue last week and they are currently on-sale at Goldspot.com.
A Few Choice Words
Summary :
Writing Quality : 18ct solid gold nib performs smoothly and with expected refinement. The weight and size is perfect for those with larger hands, but can work for those who can write un-posted. (grade A-)
Aesthetic Quality : That Blue... Oh man. Hard to resist just gawking at that blue and the translucency. (grade A+)
Utility : Pelikan always gets the checkmark on this category for the large internal piston-filling mechanism for its ability to hold a tanker-full of ink. This pen is on the larger side and may have a little difficulty fitting with some pen loops and pouches. (grade A)
Price : This type of quality and Pelikan brand-name craftsmanship does come at a hefty cost. The +$800 retail price may give most sticker shock, but, if you're in the market for a grail pen, we're offering a discounted street price that will be competitive to any US retailer. (grade B)
Final Grade : A
Pelikan has a knack for taking all the classical elements of their flagship pen model, this case being the Souveran, and forcing pen fanatics to fall in love again with new styles like this Vibrant Blue. Although Pelikan tends to be rather conservative in their everyday pen lines, these exotic special editions are perfect for writing enthusiasts to obtain a Pelikan that has more of a "vibrant" personality. If you're a blue lover like I am, this is going to be a pen you will want to sell other pens to justify adding it to your collection. Buy the Pelikan Souveran M805 Vibrant Blue at Goldspot Pens.
