How to Pronounce J. Herbin's Caroube de Chypre

Fountain pen enthusiasts have come to embrace the craze that has become J. Herbin's 1670 ink collection with open arms. Every year, a new ink has caused upstanding pen lovers to geek-out over the sparkle, saturation, shading and sheen of the 1670 Anniversary inks.

For 2016, J. Herbin has brought us a warm brown ink that is inspired by carob pods from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This ink is aptly called "Caroube de Chypre," which is French for Carob from Cyprus.

Any non-French-speaking person may end up tripping over their tongue while trying to pronounce the name of this ink. Even the Pen Addict, Brad Dowdy, faced difficulty agreeing on a pronunciation on a recent Pen Addict podcast episode (at the 11 min mark).

Thankfully, we have an Asha.

Asha grew up in Senegal and is fluent in French. She's one of our customer care specialists that has been with us for 10 years. If anyone knows how to detangle this tongue twister, she does.

She confirms the correct pronunciation in our short video on our youtube channel.

However, we know that not everyone is a linguist, so we will also accept other alternate pronunciations, should you call up and place your order with us over the phone for this new ink.

Other acceptable ways to ask for Caroube de Chypre :

"Car-ooh-bay de Shy-pree"
"Carob de Shyper"
"Car-oob de Ship-ray"
"Carib de Chipper"
"the new J. Herbin ink"
"the brown, sparkly one"

So, now that we've cleared up the best way to pronounce this gorgeous ink, let's talk about the best way to write with it. J. Herbin 1670 anniversary inks are well-saturated and contain flecks of gold particles that are suspended in the ink. The more ink that is laid down on the paper, the more noticeable the effect is. Therefore, the thicker and wetter the nib, the better the result.

The East meets West as a French ink is paired up with its perfect match in the Japense Pilot Parallel calligraphy fountain pen. Pilot's parallel plate technology is a champ in getting a large amount of ink down on the page, while maintaining crisp edges of every stroke. If you're looking for a versatile selection of nib widths, check out the Pilot Parallel 4-pack with J. Herbin Caroube de Chypre combo. It includes the necessary CON-50 twist converter to extract the sparkly ink from the bottle.

On the more exotic side, where writing meets artistry, you can opt for a folded nib to put down a ton of ink on the page. Ed Jelley uses a folded nib in his video for the Caroube de Chypre, which looks so cool!

The only problem with folded nibs is that they require a bottle of ink close at hand. The whole purpose of a fountain pen was to carry pen ink within the pen so that it can be used without having to constantly dip from an inkwell. One solution is to take a Pilot Parallel nib and modify it to behave similarly to a folded nib. The large, 6.0mm Parallel nib lays down bold strokes as you attempt to control the beautiful chaos of ink on the page.

The modified Parallel nib, which we lovingly dubbed "Naifu" (Knife in Japanese) writes with raw emotion and has the advantage of being able to fill up with using the CON-50 converter. Packaged together with the Caroube de Chypre, this is a winning combination that will add a whole other dimension to your snail mail correspondence, journal entries and instagram pics.

If you're still struggling with trying to get the sparkles and sheen to appear with your anniversary ink, read our tips on how to get maximum satisfaction with your J. Herbin ink.

All Aboard The J. Herbin Ink Hype Train! Caroube de Chypre Sneak Peek

A new year, a new J. Herbin Anniversary ink for pen lovers to get crazy about.

One would think that after Diamine introduced their line of Shimmertastic inks in 2015, the excitement over another sparkling ink from J. Herbin would slightly diminish. However, J. Herbin smartly tackled their next color to stand out from the crowd.

Introducing Caroube de Chypre :

This color looks rich and chocolatey, with golden shimmer and a slight reddish sheen, according to the J. Herbin manufacturer page. According to the story, J. Herbin was fond of dried carob pods, which look like this :

They have healthy and therapeutic properties. The Carob trees were cultivated all around the mediterranean since ancient times. The pods were so popular, they were called the "black gold of Cyprus."

UPDATE 05/18/2016

We were able to sample a bit of the Caroube de Chypre at the National Stationery Show that concluded this week. We had help from all-star calligrapher .... to create these wonderful photos that show off the shimmer and sheen of this ink. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any of this ink back to the office with us, but seeing it in person was truly an experience!

The sparkle of the new J Herbin 1670 Caroube de Chypre courtesy of @laura_dipiazza taken at #nss2016 at the Javits Center in NYC. #jherbin #sheen #shimmer #calligraphy #lettering #handwriting #handlettered

A video posted by Goldspot Pens (@goldspotpens) on May 16, 2016 at 2:10pm PDT

Here is a little behind the scenes action of @laura_dipiazza doing her magic with J Herbin's Caroube de Chypre at the #nss2016 Awesome talent! #jherbin #dippen #calligraphy #handwriting #lettering

A video posted by Goldspot Pens (@goldspotpens) on May 17, 2016 at 3:11pm PDT

UPDATE 05/19/2016 : The Clumsy Penman did a full-out gorgeous review of the ink with many, many pictures that show the ink color in exquisite detail. Be sure to check out Mateusz's review of the Caroube de Chypre. Here are a few sample images from the post:

As with the Emerald of Chivor that nearly broke our website last year, we anticipate demand for this ink will be high when the initial shipment arrives. This year, we're giving our loyal newsletter subscribers the first opportunity to buy this ink when it becomes available. So, make sure you're signed up for our newsletter list by following the link below.

SIGN UP TO GET AN ALERT WHEN J. HERBIN CAROUBE DE CHYPRE IS IN

Available : mid-July 2016.
Estimated Retail : $26 per 50mL glass bottle.

What Should be the Pen & Ink of the Year 2015?

Hey Pen Lovers,

Need your help in putting together a nominations list for Pen of the Year 2015.

Every year, we (Goldspot Pens) run a "reader's choice" vote for Pen of the Year. We set up a poll online of all the nominees during the first week in November, coinciding the the US Election Day.

Last year, Edison Pen Co completed a 4-peat with their 2014 Pen of the Year, the Glenmont limited edition.

Previous winners of the Pen of the Year

• Edison Glenmont 2014 Limited Edition (2014)
• Edison Menlo Fountain Pen (2013)
• Edison Beaumont & Conid's Fountainbel Bulkfiller Demonstrator (2012)
• Edison Collier Fountain Pen (2011)
• TWSBI Diamond 530 Fountain Pen (2010)
• Pelikan m205 Blue Transparent Fountain Pen (2009)
• Online Newood Fountain Pen Calligraphy Set (2008)

What qualifies as a Pen of the Year 2015 candidate, you say? Any pen that was released during this year, including new colors and styles of established pen models (like the Pilot Vanishing Point Twilight, for example).

Here is a list of what I've got so far :

• Edison Collier LE Black Rose Acrylic Ltd Ed
• Pilot VP 2015 Twilight Ltd Ed
• Pelikan M205 Amethyst
• Pelikan M800 Stresemann
• Pelikan M200 Cafe Creme
• OMAS Ogiva Cocktail Ltd Ed.
• Sailor Pro Gear Galaxy Starburst Ltd Ed
• Retro 51 Tornado Popper "Liftoff" Ltd Ed
• Cross Townsend Star Wars Darth Vader
• Lamy Al-Star Copper Orange
• Kaweco Brass Sport

Please COMMENT BELOW any others that you feel should be on this list.

Ink of the Year 2015

For the first time, we're also going to have a simultaneous vote for the Ink of the Year, 2015. This will be run in a similar fashion with an online poll that we will run here on our blog. Inks have become such an integral part of the fountain pen experience that some "blockbuster" inks truly deserve recognition.

Here are the nominees I came up with :

• Diamine Shimmertastic Inks
• J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Emerald of Chivor
• Pelikan Edelstein Amethyst
• Sailor Storia Pigmented Inks
• Mont Blanc Blue Hour Blue-Black

Again, please COMMENT BELOW any other inks that you feel should be on the list of nominees.

The voting page will be up on Tuesday here on the blog. So, check back here or sign up for our newsletter so you can get the update directly in your e-mail inbox.

Sailor Pro Gear (Sapporo) Starburst Galaxy Fountain Pen Review

An out of this world fountain pen paired with an ink that is as equally brilliant. Prepare to be starstruck by the glittering brilliance of the elegant Sailor Professional Gear (Sapporo) Slim Starburst Galaxy Fountain Pen. A non-numbered, limited edition from Japanese manufacturer Sailor, the Starburst Galaxy is a simple twist on a black with silver colorway. Reflective particles are strewn throughout a rich, lustrous black resin to create the feeling of looking up at the stars in the night sky.

The Pen Profile

The model is based off of the Professional Gear (Sapporo) Slim, which is a good fit for an average man or woman's hand. Here are the dimensions of the Starburst Galaxy fountain pen :

Length Closed : 4.87"
Length Posted : 5.6"
Section Diameter : 0.41"
Barrel Diameter : 0.48"
Weight : 0.6oz / 17.7g

It's comparable to a Pelikan Tradition M200 or a Parker Vacumatic Major, as you can see in the diagram below :

With a pen of this size, it is often more comfortable for the writer to use it posted. The lightweight feel of the acrylic resin is a pleasure to hold for longer writing sessions. The front section has a slight flare at the edge of the grip to prevent fingers from slipping down into the nib.

Sailor Pro Gear Starburst Galaxy in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

The Pen Design

The Starburst pattern, created by small particles of reflective material, is evenly distributed throughout the rich, black resin. The particles seem to be floating at various depths in the resin at varying intensities of color, ranging from silver to blue. One of the small details that I love about this pen is the fact that the Starburst resin is used in every place that there is resin, including the finial top and the section. The continuity of the material is outstanding and accurately nails the theme Sailor was going for.

Turning the pen in the light catches the glint the reflective particles. It can be mesmerizing to look at, with focus shifting from the bright silver specks to the deep blue ones that seem so distant. The striking silver of the rhodium trim, clip and cap band feels as if we were taking a voyage on a space ship through a sea of stars. Sailor's iconic anchor symbol is struck upon the finial top of the cap.

As with all Sailor Pro Gear Slim pens, the Starburst Galaxy is a cartridge / converter filling fountain pen. It is supplied with a Sailor type converter and a package of two Sailor ink cartridges. The nib is a 14kt gold with rhodium plating to match the silver trims and clip. Sailor offers their Pro Gear nib in the set core options within the United States, which are the extra-fine, fine, medium-fine, medium, broad, zoom and music sizes.

The Writing Experience

For this review, I focused on the two-tined music nib, which is more equivalent to a western stub nib. I  couldn't help but match a shimmering pen with a shimmering ink and tried the pen out loaded with J. Herbin's Emerald of Chivor. Boy, was I ever impressed.

The Sailor "Music" nib wrote buttery smooth without any hesitation. The 1670 anniversary inks, with their sparkly particles and deep saturation, can be a bit of a hindrance to certain fountain pen feeds that are stingy on flow. Such is not the case with the Sailor nib. As you can see in the handwriting samples of the video, the ink flows beautifully and you can get a good amount of sparkle on the page, along with that reddish sheen in certain strokes.

Sailor Starburst Galaxy w/ Emerald of Chivor on Rhodia 80gsm blank paper

The music nib offers stellar line variation between the horizontal strokes and vertical ones. On the downstroke, the thickness of the line can be the equivalent of a juicy 1.3mm tip while the horizontal lines are between a medium and broad line thickness. Be prepared to change inks often, as the ink capacity of the cartridge / converter is meager and this nib lays down a lot of ink.

A Few Choice Words

Summary :

• Writing Quality : Stellar. Buttery smooth nib that is hand-inspected by Sailor's expert nib craftsmen. Just remember that the nib grades of Japanese nibs run thinner than their western counterparts. (grade A+)
• Aesthetic Quality : Stunningly simple concept that is well executed with the theme of this edition. The sparkles are just noticeable enough without being too "blingy". (grade A+)
• Utility : The size of the Pro Gear Slim (Sapporo) is a perfect fit for boys & girls. With the cap posted, the pen's light weight is well balanced and comfortable to hold for long periods of time. Fans of oversized pens (like the 1911 Large or King of Pens) would not like this size. (grade A)
• Price : $250 Retail. Considering the price of a Pelikan M200 with a steel nib or a Lamy 2000, this limited edition, 14kt gold nib fountain pen ranks right up there with other high-quality, value fountain pens. This is an easy purchase for many who purchase pens of this caliber. (grade A+)

Final Grade : A+
My only remorse about this review is that the edition was already sold out by the time I can click "publish." We only had these pens in-stock for about a week! If we have any more, then you would be able to find them on our Sailor Professional Gear Slim pens page of our website. If the page does not show any resulting item listings, then it's gone, sorry!

Upcoming NJ Pen Club Meeting July 30th in Manalapan

Attn: Pen Aficionados and Addicts in the Tri-State Area.

Our next NJ Pen Club Meeting will be hosted at the Manalapan Library on Thursday, July 30th at 6pm. We changed the venue to accommodate more of our members to reach the meet point more easily.

Proposed Agenda :

• Meet & Greet - Any new members can come clean about their love for pens. We expect a number of returning members from our first meet, so we'll be chatting until about 6:15p to wait for stragglers to arrive.
• Nib Adjusting and Smoothing - Seems like the topic that most of us are interested in discussing has to do with working our nibs to create a more pleasurable writing experience. Bring some 10,000 grit micro mesh, mylar paper, lighted loupes, brass sheets and paper towels. This may get inky!
• Sample J. Herbin's Emerald of Chivor - We'll be bringing a couple pens to sample the highly anticipated J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor ink. We also have a tiny bottle of the ink that we will raffle away to a lucky attendee.

Coffee and Snacks will be provided.

Suggested Viewing : Nib Tweaks for Geeks

If you haven't already received our e-mail and would like to join in on the fun, please contact tom@goldspot.com to RSVP so we know to expect you.

In accordance to the policies of the Monmouth County Library System, we are restricted from transacting business at the meeting. However, it will be permissible for us (Goldspot) to provide you with our business cards and access to our website with an exclusive, members-only discount to purchase any of the pens and inks that you may be looking for at the meeting. We believe that this restriction will add to a more welcoming experience that isn't sales-driven.

General membership to the club is totally free.

Check out a recap from our first meeting here.

4 Keys to Achieving Maximum Satisfaction with J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor

With the Emerald of Chivor released in August of 2015, many are excited about getting their hands on the 4th installment of the J. Herbin Anniversary Ink. There's not doubt about it, these eagerly-anticipated bottles are going to be in the hands, and pens, of writers worldwide. If you're new to the Anniversary ink crazy and Emerald of Chivor will be your first, we've got your four essential keys to getting the most enjoyment out of your 1670 Anniversary ink experience.

These tips also apply to the previously released J Herbin 1670 Anniversary Inks : Rouge Hematite, Stormy Grey & Bleu Ocean.

The fountain pen ink equivalent to the Guinness cascade. #stormygrey

A video posted by InkJournal (@inkjournal) on Feb 9, 2015 at 4:03pm PST

1. Shake Things Up

Every bottle of J. Herbin Anniversary ink now has gold sparkle particles that tend to settle toward the bottom of the bottle fairly quickly, which would lead to a small amount of sparkle being loaded into your pen.
Shake the J. Herbin bottle immediately before filling your pen. That means you should have your pen ready to fill the second you are done dispersing the glitter throughout the ink in the bottle. Have the converter accessible, draw down the piston, uncap the nib and make sure you're ready to grab all the sparkle you can!

2. The Thicker & Wetter, the Better

To best show off the color, sheen and sparkle of the Emerald of Chivor, a thicker nib (broad, double-broad or stub) is ideal. A nib that has a wetter flow will have no problem laying down the saturated color. A thinner nib (extra-fine, fine) with a more restrictive flow may have troubles starting and skipping.

3. Some Pen Foreplay Before Writing

The same particle settling also applies to the ink when it settles inside your resting pen. The gold particles will rest on the side of the pen / converter if the pen is left on the desk and is not written with for some time. To ensure proper gold distribution and avoid clumping of gold, rotate the pen by rolling it around in your finger tips.
This is particularly fun to watch in demonstrator fountain pens, as you can clearly see the gold particles settle against the wall of the pen and the ink sloshing around when the pen is being moved.

4. Taking Candid Pics

The J. Herbin Anniversary inks are "instafamous." They're one of the most-often photographed inks that are shared online. It's common to see the sparkle of the Anniversary inks on reddit, FPN, twitter and instagram.  A big part of the fun in using these inks is to show common pen "muggles" how awesome they look on paper.

Macro shot of Emerald of Chivor using Olloclip on an iPhone 5

It can be rather tricky to capture the Anniversary ink in all of its glory. As we've taken numerous pics of the 1670 inks on the iPhone and digital SLR, we're offering some of our quick photography pointers to help you with your next pen & ink photo shoot.

• Proper lighting - Bright sunlight that is diffused (with a white curtain, for example) provides some of the best, soft white light. You definitely do not want to use full flash or direct sunlight, as it would make bright white hot-spots on your photo wherever the glittering sheen is most dense.
• Shoot at an angle - The glitter and sheen is most apparent when you tilt the page at an angle to the light source. Adjust the angle of the page to the light source while positioning your camera to achieve the desired effect.
• Take a video - The nature of the sparkle and sheen changes drastically in the light. Capture the light reflecting off the ink on the page by taking a short video. The same lighting principles apply to capture the color adequately. Simply tilt the page while recording the video.
• Macro - Using a macro lens, even an inexpensive adapter lens that can be attached to a smart phone camera, brings you up-close and personal with the inks depth, color and quality.

Nemosine with Emerald of Chivor in direct sunlight.

Extra Bonus Tips

Stay Safe! Follow a routine for cleaning pens that have 1670 Anniversary inks loaded. When you're finished with a fill of the ink, even if you intend to fill it back up with more Emerald of Chivor, clean out the nib and converter. If you've somehow left your pen loaded with Anniversary ink for more than 3 weeks in a drawer, clean it out before anything else. When the ink has been sitting in the pen for a prolonged period of time, the water in the ink will most likely evaporate (especially in the heat of sunlight) and cause flow issues down the line.

Share with a Friend

Despite the 1670 inks being a runaway success with most fountain pen enthusiasts, there are many skeptical fountain pen users and non-fountain pen people that might be open to trying the ink to se what the fuss is all about. Send a sample or mail a letter than showcases the ink. You can also use the photography tips listed above to share pics with your friends on social media. Don't forget to tag your pen pals!

J. Herbin 1670 Emerald of Chivor is a special ink for all pen lovers to experience. With the tips outlined in this article, we hope you will write with great enjoyment when filling up with Chivor.

New J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Emerald of Chivor

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J. Herbin is said to have kept an emerald in his pocket during his voyages as a good luck charm. These precious gemstones have been treasured for centuries as protective talismans. One of the purest emerald deposits in the world, the Chivor mine was discovered in the middle of the 16th century by Spanish conquistadors.

J Herbin 1670 Anniversary Emerald of Chivor with Writing Sample

Chivor emeralds were much in demand, and the emperors and royalty of India, Turkey and Persia sought the New World treasures once the gems arrived in Europe. Emeralds were enormously popular with the Mughal Court, whose emperors referred to them as “Tears of the Moon” because of their opaque transparency.

This beautiful emerald green blue ink contains gold flecks throughout, enhancing your writing with an elegance and beauty that is unmatched by other inks. Each 50ml bottle is hand dipped in sealing wax with a stamped “1670” seal on the front and individually packaged in a collector edition box.

**UPDATED** October 6, 2015 - J. Herbin's Emerald of Chivor is now available in steady supply after a long-awaited release that came in late August. For tips on how to get the most enjoyment out of your bottle of sparkly, sheening ink, please read our article on Hot to Get Maximum Satisfaction from your J. Herbin 1670 Anniversary Ink.

#WriteitWednesday Your Summer Fitness Goal

May is National Bike Month and this week is known as National Bike to Work Week, which got us thinking about our own fitness goals for the summer. Whether you're looking to trim off a few pounds to fit into last year's bathing suit or training for a triathlon, most of us are inspired to get outdoors and get physical during the summer. The challenge for this week's #WriteitWednesday is to write down and share your fitness goal for the summer. Even if your goal is going out for a walk during the summer evenings, it counts! Get that body moving and shaking and get that pen a-writing as well!

OMAS New Bologna Fountain pen with J. Herbin Bleu Ocean

Share the pic of your entry on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #writeitwednesday and mention @goldspotpens to make sure we see it! You may also opt to e-mail us the picture at social@goldspot.com.

Deadline for entries will be Thursday at 10:00am Eastern US Time. We will randomly select a winner on Thursday at 12 Noon.

This Week's Prize

Our giveaway item this week is a bottle of the sparkly blue new formulation of J Herbin 1670 Anniversary Bleu Ocean fountain pen ink. Now loaded with the same gold sparkle that made Stormy Grey such a fan favorite, this ink has got plenty of shimmer and a rich, saturated blue color that is sublime.

About #WriteitWednesday

Each Wednesday, we run a new social giveaway challenge with a different giveaway prize every week. Anyone around the world with an Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or E-mail account can enter. Once the entries have been collected and the deadline has passed, we randomly select one of the entries as the winner of the giveaway and send the prize accordingly.

No purchase is necessary to enter the #writeitwednesday giveaway. Those who enter the contest via social media may have their images shared by Goldspot on this blog or on Goldspot's Social media accounts. The winner will have 1 week to contact us by e-mail to claim their prize. If the prize is unclaimed, it will be used in a future giveaway.

J Herbin 1670 Shimmering Bleu Ocean - New Formula

The boat has finally arrived and the long-awaited J Herbin 1670 Anniversary Bleu Ocean has come ashore to the United States. If you haven't heard already, the new formulation of Bleu Ocean is now packed with the same gold dust that made Stormy Grey a fanatically popular ink that continues to fly off the shelves.

Introducing the New Formulation

We're so smitten by this ink and the 1670 Collection in general. The Bleu Ocean delivers on a rich, highly saturated blue with the sparkling sheen that fountain pen users have come to love about the 1670 ink. We did a short video to show you the shimmer of the Bleu Ocean.



The writing on this video is done with an OMAS New Bologna Aqua di Bologna fountain pen (now discontinued) on an InkJournal notebook for pen & ink collecting. As with the Stormy Grey, the Bleu Ocean can vary in the amount of golden sheen it lays down. On certain words written on the page, the sheen is prominent and the concentration of the sparkles is high. On other parts of the page, the sheen thins out significantly, but is still noticeable in every letter to some degree. It is advisable to shake the bottle of ink prior to opening to fill your pen. Shaking the bottle will ensure proper distribution of the gold dust that will settle at the bottom of the bottle.

The Deep Blue Ink Color

Even without the gold dust, the deep blue color of this ink is a standout. As the outer packaging warns, this is a highly saturated ink that ought to be cleaned out of pens that are not being used for some period of time. If you participate in regular fountain pen maintenance of cleaning your pens out before every fill up and before long-term storage, then you need not worry.

We received a limited number of 1670 Bleu Ocean at our office on Friday, April 17th, 2015. We expect this batch will be sold out quickly, so be sure to head on over to our site and snag a bottle or two. As with the other inks in this collection, inventory tends to be rather erratic. In the past, it has taken several months for particular colors to come back into stock. We expect our current batch to last us for a couple of weeks, with more on the way.

Bexley Phoenix Fountain Pen Review

Writing with a fountain pen has become a resurrected art. With mobile technology enveloping our modern culture in almost every facet, many of our writing needs have been replaced by the keyboard or the touch screen. In recent years, many of you (especially followers of our blog), have heeded a call to return back to a more personal form of expression using pen and paper. Much like the phoenix arising from the ashes, the almighty pen has made a comeback and continues to grow in popularity.

The Bexley Phoenix collection is a new release of 2015 for the Ohio based manufacturer of fountain pens. The Phoenix is aimed to recapitulate the essence of the fountain pen's return to relevance. Each feature of this edition answers the questions of why the fountain pen has experienced a resurgence.

The Pen Details

Proudly made in the USA, the Bexley Phoenix is crafted from acrylic resin and features an internal piston-filling ink system with a clear or translucent barrel to view the ink that it holds. Part-demonstrator, part-acrylic resin pen, the Phoenix marries the two concepts of having an eye-catching acrylic used in the cap with the transparency of a demonstrator barrel. Part of what has made pens a modern luxury accessory is the wide array of beautiful acrylic resin materials that they are made from. There's a color design for every personality here - Solid black for the classical purist, Cappuccino for the latte-lover, Red for those who have a fiery passion for writing, and Blue Velvet for those who fine serenity and calm in handwriting.

The demonstrator barrel with ink window is a feature that has become such a staple in pen designs across all brands. Writers love watching the ink be sucked up into the pen and seeing the ink slosh around in the barrel as they write. Also, it's easy to see when a new fill up is needed.

And you won't need to worry about filling this pen very often. The internal piston mechanism has a capacity of almost a full 1 mL of ink.

Bexley Phoenix Demensions
Length Capped : 5.35"
Length Open without Cap : 5.125"
Length Posted : 6.45"
Diameter at Section : 0.43"
Weight : 0.92 oz.

The Writing Experience

Uncapping and filling the Bexley Phoenix is much like your standard Pelikan piston-filler model. However, it is noticeable that the finishing on the cap threads and the piston mechanism are not very smooth. In fact, they take a more encouraged twist to operate. Possibly, over time and use, the "stiffness" of unscrewing the blind cap will become looser and smoother. Right out of the box, it isn't so.

The pen filled right up on the first turn without any hesitation. I used J Herbin Cafe des Iles, since it has a lovely coffee bean on the bottle label and it goes well thematically with the Bexley Phoenix Cappuccino finish.

The medium, stainless steel nib on this pen wrote wet and juicy with a feather-light touch. I was surprised by how smooth this stainless steel nib performed without any adjustment. Writing on a Rhodia Ice 80gsm notepad, the pen effortlessly gave a rich, wet line.

Writing for an extended period of time was easier with the cap in-hand than posted on the back-end. The cap does post on the back, but not very securely. The writer would have to firmly fit the cap on the back-end in order to get it to post well enough. The black, front end section is a pleasure to comfortably hold while writing. From an aesthetic point of view, I would have wanted it to match the acrylic resin color of the cap.

A Few Choice Words

• Writing Quality : The stainless steel nib performs exceptionally well as a wet writer right out of the box. One of the smoothest steel nibs that I've experienced. The pen's size and weight is decent enough for a man or woman. (grade A)
• Aesthetic Quality : The resin caps are quite appealing and the novelty of an ink window is always fun and useful. The clear window could be polished more and the "frosted" white part that hides the piston mechanism is not very flattering. Really would have been more impressive if more of the pen was made out of the cap material. (grade B-)
• Utility : Piston-Fill system has a large thirst for writing fluid. Writers who prefer the cap posted may not be happy with the loose posting of this pen's cap. Tight cap & blind cap operation. (grade B)
• Price : Drawing another comparison to Pelikan, the Bexley Phoenix $219 MSRP price point is similar to a Pelikan Tradition Series M200 with a steel nib. The money is better spent with the Pelikan. (grade C+)

Final Grade : B
While the Bexley Phoenix does provide a fountain pen that stores a large amount of ink and writes exceptionally well with a steel nib, the fit and finishing of this pen leaves something to be desired at this price level.

J. Herbin Vert Olive - July/August's "Ink of the Month"

Sometimes, our expansive selection of fountain pen inks can get a bit out-of-hand with a particular color. Similar to our "Weekly Dip" special that features an item on our website that has been selected for an extra discount for a week, we are going to feature an "Ink of the Month" that will be available at an extra discount for a month or until the herd is thinned. For the last week of July and during the month of August, we will feature the J. Herbin Vert Olive as the Goldspot Ink of the Month.

Vert Olive has a lighter, khaki green color that has is lower in saturation and shows some shading. As you can see in the above olive doodle, you can build up the color of the Vert Olive after letting it dry, creating contrast for ink sketches and drawings. Each J. Herbin bottle also has a little shelf built into the design for your pen to rest on (see below). 

Order your bottle of J. Herbin Vert Olive here.

Goldspot at the Philadelphia Pen Show

We're getting packed up and ready to make the trip down to the Philadelphia Pen Show at the Downtown Sheraton and wanted to give everyone a head's up on what to expect when you get down there.

First of all, weather is supposed to get a little unkind tomorrow, so be careful if you're making the drive. Secondly, we'll be setting up shop to get going when the show kicks off at 10am on Saturday morning. There should be plenty of signage in the lobby of the Sheraton to point  the way up the escalators to the ballroom that the show is being held.

To whet your appetite a little bit, here is a preview of the items we will have on hand to sell during the weekend:

The featured pen this year will be the Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel Age Collection. The lava of Mt. Etna is now available with stainless marine steel trim. We will also have the bronze age versions of the Homo Sapiens on sale as well. My Pen System personalization is free on any Visconti pen purchase.

We will have the very last of our TWSBI Diamond 540 clear pens (in broad point) and the ROC100 pens, which are still available in all point sizes. We will also have all color bands of the innovative TWSBI ink well on hand.

Although we don't have all the colors of the Noodler's flex nib pens, we do have a good amount of inventory that we will bring of the standard nib creeper and the Ahab pens.

We have the very last of the Pelikan m205 Blue Transparent fountain pens, which will be available at the show in extra-fine, fine, medium, broad and italic nib sizes.

Last year, many folks enjoyed the items we brought from the island of the misfit pens and we're doing the same this weekend as well. We will have nearly new pens that have engraving snafus and other slight cosmetic defects for a great value buy.

Of course, what would be the pen without the ink and paper. We will have most (if not all) the colors of the Pilot Iroshizuku ink, Pelikan Edelstein and J. Herbin. We will have Rhodia webbies and some staplebound notepads available as well.

Promotions - this weekend, you'll be able to take advantage of great Pen Show sale opportunities, along with the special promos you've come to know and love on our website. For example, orders over $35 will get a free Parker Leather Pen Case, while supplies last. Anything that we normally offer on the website, but we don't have in-person, you can buy with free shipping if your order is given at the show. Any orders we take for items not at the show will be entered and fulfilled on Monday when we get back.

For those of you that can't make it, we're sorry we missed you this time around! We'll take plenty of pictures of the crowd, the vendors and the PENS!

2011 Pen Stocking Stuffers for Women

Tis the season once more, ladies and gentlemen! We're planning on having a huge Black Friday weekend all the way through "Cyber" Monday. As we prepare ourselves to pick and pack orders like elves for the next 5 weeks, we would like to offer our experience in suggesting some stellar gifts for your loved ones, starting with the lovely ladies.

Waterford Arcadia Lacquered Pink

Pink as pink can be, the this Waterford pen is a gal's best friend. Engraves nicely and features polished chrome trim. Twist-action ballpoint mechanism accepts a common Parker-style ballpoint refill (also can use a Parker-style capless gel ink refill).

Swarovski Pens

 Glittering with over one hundred sparkling crystals, the Swarovski writing instrument has a brilliant personality with capable writing ability. Uses a mini d-1 size refill commonly found in multi-function pens.

Online Crystal Inspirations

 German-made, compact and fabulously decorated with Swarovski crystals, the ONLINE Inspirations will be your muse through long writing sessions.

Cross Century II Masquerade

Classic Cross writing quality and iconic slim design paired with an elaborate, colorful Mardi Gras-inspired pattern. Truly dazzling to admire while offering a solid writing experience.

J Herbin Scented Inks

 Scented writing ink for your fountain pen - this unique J Herbin ink is a great stocking stuffer for the fountain pen enthusiast.

Eccolo Be Fabulous Journal

Know a bride-to-be or someone that is newly engaged? Gift them this hard-bound, leather-like journal to keep track of all the wedding plans.