Sponsored by Newell Rubbermaid, the parent company of the fine writing division that owns both Parker & Waterman, this Holiday rebate includes purchases made from November 15th, 2015 to December 31st, 2015.
Purchase Amount (before tax)
Rebate Amount
$50 - $99.99
$5
$100 - $149.99
$10
$150 - $199.99
$15
$200 and up
$25
To Redeem the Parker / Waterman Rebate
Purchase any Parker or Waterman pen from us during the rebate period and be sure to save the sales receipt we send in the package.
Mail the redemption form, the original sales receipt with the Parker / Waterman purchase circled, making sure it is postmarked by January 15th, 2016.
The mailing address for the Rebate promotion is as follows :
Fine Writing Promotion 2015
PO Box 2511
Grand Rapids, MN 55745-2511
There is a limit of one rebate claimed per person & per household during the promotion period.
The offer is valid only in the United States. Goldspot Pens is not responsible for payment for these rebates and they cannot be exchanged for a discount at the time of purchase.
For more details, please check out the official rebate voucher below:
Today, we're kicking off the first #writeitwednesday giveaway.
What is #WriteitWednesday?
Every Wednesday, Goldspot Pens is running a social giveaway that aims to inspire minds around the world to write and share their creativity online.
Every Wednesday morning, we will issue a new #writeitwednesday challenge and share it across our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow the writing prompt of the week and take a photo of your entry.
Share the pic of your written 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.
The giveaway prize each week will be a different pen, ink, notebook or anything related to fine writing that we may have available at the shop to give away.
This Week's Prize
A Waterman Hemisphere Blue Obsession Fountain Pen in Medium Point with a pack of Waterman fountain pen ink cartridges ($100 retail value).
Your First #WriteitWednesday Challenge - Pangrams
Pangrams are sentences that include every letter of the alphabet at least once. The most popular being "The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog." However, there are a number of sentences that pen enthusiasts like to use when sampling new inks and pens. This #writeitwednesday is all about sharing your favorite Pangram. Get writing!
Fine Print 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.
Waterman, Paris introduces the 2015 special edition Ombres et Lumieres to follow up their 2014 Blue Obsession line extensions of their most popular pen models. This time around, the Carene, Perspective, Expert III and Hemisphere get a noir makeover inspired by the chic Parisian fashion trends that focus on the interaction of light and shadow.
The glossy black lacquer seems to dissolve into the matte white, silkscreened with dots that scatter down the end of the pen. It can remind one of the glittering lights of Paris against the dark or the bright lights reflecting on the rippling waters of the river Siene.
The Ombres et Lumieres is an elegant and tasteful finish that fits well with Waterman's European fashion sensibilities.
The Carene Ombres et Lumieres is the lone fountain pen in the group that sports an 18k solid gold nib in either medium or fine and is rhodium plated to match the palladium silver finished trims.
All other fountain pens in the collection use a stainless steel nib. Nibs will be available in fine or medium point sizes and fill using ink cartridges or converter.
Matching ballpen and rollerball pens are also available in every Ombres et Lumieres model. Each pen is gift boxed and wrapped with an exclusive themed sleeve.
The arrival timeline for the Ombres et Lumieres is early April. We will be adding them to the current Waterman lines on our website and will accept pre-orders soon.
---Edit : May 29th, 2015 - Ombres et Lumieres is now available and we have stock on sale at Goldspot Pens.
Firstly, I wanted to mention how awesome all of you are who sent in a piece of written correspondence to us during this giveaway. We were delightfully surprised about how creative and personal each letter or postcard was. We were also floored by the hundreds of entries we received from around the world. From our neighbors up North in Canada to the Philippines, the UK, Spain, Norway and down under in Australia, it is truly astounding what the internet can accomplish in terms of a global following.
Here's a sampling of the letters we received that we posted to our new @goldspotpens Instagram account earlier today.
A photo posted by Goldspot Pens (@goldspotpens) on
With today being the deadline for entries, we eagerly awaited the mailman this morning in anticipate of a few stragglers. The last entries came in and the great drawing began. Instead of picking from a hat, which could have led to a bias in shape, size or texture of the entry, we counted out every piece of mail, shuffled the pile, and ran a random number generator that picked the winning entry.
Congrats Marie E. of Madison, WI! We'll reach out to you with the good news and to confirm your address to receive your pen-tastic goodies.
Thanks to everyone for entering and participating in International Correspondence Writing Month.
If anyone would like to send us mail during the rest of the year, we'd love to be your pen pal! Please feel free to send us letters (and offerings of chocolate or jerky) to :
In the pen world, sometimes manufacturers can take the same model and update it to improve upon the design, tweaking the size, trims, nib or body shape enough that they need to release it as a "sequel" to the original. Such is the case for Waterman with their Expert II & Expert III New Generation.
The Expert II had long been one of the most popular modern Waterman pens. Their business-minded designs and elegant finishes look as nice as a Mont Blanc while being about 1/3 the price. In 2011, Waterman had updated the design ever-so-slightly and introduced the Expert III "New Generation."
For the most part, Waterman did not mess around with a great pen. Here are some of the subtle differences, illustrated in our photographs below. Comparing apples to apples, we chose the Matte Black with Chrome trim in both Expert Series II & III.
Firstly, let's look at packaging. At the time of the Expert III's introduction, Waterman started shipping their Hemisphere, Expert, Perspective, Charleston & Carene Pens in a deluxe, satin blue Waterman gift box with cream-colored fabric interior. When we had purchased the last of the Expert II's, they arrived in the same presentation box. No difference with the packaging.
Looking at the "top" of the pen, the cap of the Expert III has more metal in the cap band, with "Waterman Paris" engraved into the metal. The same branding is imprinted into the lacquer band of the Expert II, giving the logo more contrast. The same goes for the opposite side of the cap, where you would see the word "France."
The overall body shape and size of the Expert had not changed one bit. Both pens are exactly the same length, girth and dimensions when capped, opened and posted. In fact, while taking the photographs for this post, I had mistakenly swapped the wrong cap on the body of the pen a couple of times. They are that similar!
The nib is really the only other main difference. The material is still the same polished stainless steel with plastic feed, but the nib graphic was updated slightly. Going for a more minimalistic approach, Waterman got rid of the hexagon that surrounded the "W" on the nib and made it larger while shrinking the "Waterman" name underneath.
Currently, we're running a special Weekly Dip (ends October 30th, 2014) that offers our remaining inventory of the Waterman Black Matte Expert II fountain pen at a substantial discount. The difference is price is astounding. Our current price for the Expert III is $134.95, but, for a limited time, the Expert II Black Matte fountain is $99.95, that's a whopping 25% off the already discounted sale price.
Waterman threw the fountain pen world in a confused frenzy a while ago when they had renamed their entire line of fountain pen inks. While the ink formulas have stayed the same, the names have taken on a vague complexion that requires us to relearn the colors over again. Let's get reacquainted with one of Waterman's best-selling colors, Serenity Blue (formerly known as Florida Blue).
Deep with saturation and rich with color, Serenity Blue can be categorized as a royal blue, leaning a bit towards the purple. Dry time is 3-4 seconds on Rhodia 80gsm paper. Doing a water drop test reveals the ink as not being very water resistant. There is a slight bit of shading, even with an extra fine nib.
Courtesy of @inkjournal on Instagram
As with any Waterman ink, when the ink level starts running low, you can shift the 50mL glass bottle to make it easier to draw ink.
Waterman Serenity Blue (50mL) is our Ink of the Month for September 2014. An additional discount applies to this ink for the entire month of September or until stock runs out.
In 2014, Parker & Waterman, both owned by the Newell Rubbermaid Company, are both not looking to shake the boat this year with all new pen designs or innovative writing modes. What we have this year is a simple add-on of color in several Waterman Designs and the Parker Jotter.
Harkening to the brand's blue color scheme and style, Waterman is offering all of their popular, upscale lines of Hemisphere, Expert Deluxe, Carene Deluxe and Perspective in a rich, cobalt blue.
Last year, Parker had released a set of colorful Jotters for their 125th
Anniversary. This year, we see another set of colors in white, hot
pink, fluorescent orange and teal. True to the jotter design, the top
section with clip and clicker are all brushed metal while the color
barrel is plastic.
We expect to have inventory of these new pens by the end of April. We will have them available for pre-order soon on the website and you can sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know. Thoughts? Feel free to share your comments below or tweet us @goldspotpens.
Waterman, Paris has added a new, high-end style finish to their ever-popular, cigar-profiled Expert design. This new model is the Expert Precious Finish - a deeply engraved, metallic finished pen that offers a higher level of sophistication than your usual lacquer or stainless steel designs. This Expert still offers the solid proportions, weight and balance you have come to know and love of the Expert line, but with a refined look and luxurious appeal.
The deep, spiraling engraving up the barrel is etched into Nickel Palladium plating while the satin black lacquer cap is also etched with the same pattern. The clip and cap rings are made from Ruthenium for a nice silver contrast against the black cap.
The Expert Precious is going to be available in a ballpoint, rollerball and fountain pen in May 2012. The fountain pen will be fitted with a stainless steel nib in fine or medium point sizes. The twist-action ballpoint pen will use a standard Waterman ballpoint refill and the capped rollerball can use either the Waterman rollerball, fibertip or ballpoint refill interchangeably. A Waterman rollerball refill is included inside the pen initially. The fountain pen fills via Waterman ink cartridges or converter, which both are included with the purchase of the pen. MSRP for each will be $165 for the ballpoint, $180 for the rollerball and $190 for the fountain pen.
To stay updated about the pending release of this pen, please feel free to follow us on Facebook or keep checking back here at our blog.
If the snowflake matters most, then there's no replacing the need to buy a Mont Blanc.
However, if writing quality, style and value matter more, then we can certainly help you find a holiday pen gift that has a Mont Blanc "style" for hundreds of dollars less. Here are some suggestions :
The newest generation of Expert is here. Classic cigar-shape profile, weighted brass inner barrel and classic lacquering style make this line a perfect, affordable competitor to a Mont Blanc.
The Japanese-made Sailor pen is renown for high writing quality and superb gold nibs that make writing an absolute joy. Prices for the fountain pens are a bit up there ($310 Retail), but compare to a Meisterstuck large fountain pen that can cost hundreds of dollars more still, Sailor demonstrates a better value.
The Marquis Metro collection has been one of the best selections for corporate gifts to have engraved and buy in bulk. The pen is built from an inner metal barrel coated in polished lacquer and chrome trims. The accompanying gift box presents this pen extremely professionally, leaving the gift recipient wondering how much this pen must have cost. Both rollerball and ballpoint are under $50 separately at the time of this writing.
Classic, Italian-crafted design that pulls no punches when it comes to quality, Aurora has always been an excellent choice for pen-shoppers looking for Mont Blanc style for a much greater value (under $100 for a fountain pen in the ipsilon resin collection).
When it comes to imitating the luxury style of a Mont Blanc, Taiwanese pen manufacturer Laban does it the best with high quality materials like gold and sterling silver. This gold-plated edition looks gorgeous, writes just as well and is a faction of the cost to own a Mont Blanc.
If you're getting back into the old-fashioned way of writing by using a fountain pen, there is a core curriculum, a "required writing" of pens that every fountain pen enthusiast can start with to re-kindle the love of writing.
Lamy Safari
The Safari is like the marijuana of pens. It's the gateway for many, while others will swear by it and buy every color that comes out, including the new 2011 color, Aquamarine. You can search "Lamy Safari Review" and come up with hundreds of opinions, mostly ones that champion its value (costs under $30). It has a sturdy ABS plastic body, strong wire clip and a stainless steel nib that is interchangeable in a variety of point sizes including extra-fine, fine, medium, broad and calligraphic stub nibs.
Pilot Varsity
The uninitiated writer often fears the maintenance and upkeep of a fountain pen and will never attempt buying one due to the inconvenience. The Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pen gives you the experience of writing with a fountain pen without the bother of upkeep. The multi-pack array (under $15) of colors also gives the writer a taste of what it would be like using a fountain pen and being able to change out the color with every fill.
Pelikan Pelikano
Thankfully, Europeans still carry a torch for teaching penmanship and writing with a fountain pen, especially when it comes to our younger generations. Pelikan (Germany) offers their Pelikano line specifically as a "beginner's" or "school-age" fountain pen. The molded grip design instruct the writer of proper finger positioning. The bright colors used for the plastic barrel and clip are nice for children, but also appealing to adults as well. The "A" nib is considered a beginner nib since it has a larger area at the tip that allows for a variety of hand positions while writing.
Waterman Phileas (discontinued)
Although Waterman has discontinued its famous Phileas pen, I thought it was still worth mentioning since we (Goldspot Pens) do have ample stock of the fountain pens and they happened to be one of the most popular pens in many collections. As you can see by its style, the Phileas is about more than utility, it provides an Art Deco appeal with writing comfort and smoothness. This is a fountain pen for a beginner who desires a classy look and a great, inexpensive writing experience.
Pelikan Tradition Series m205
Last, but not least, another offering from Pelikan that introduces the neo-fountain pen enthusiast to piston-filling, which is the internal, bottle filling system. The other pens mentioned above use cartridge or converter (except for the Varsity), which means you have the option to purchase disposable ink cartridges or use a converter that you can fill with bottled ink. Many people feel that to truly experience a fountain pen, you have to fill it using bottled ink. As we've discussed in a prior article, there are benefits to using bottled ink over cartridges, and the Pelikan m205, m200, m215 series are certainly the best value in the class of piston-filling fountain pens. Extremely smooth stainless steel nib available in an array of nib widths, large ink capacity, great size and weight with the cap posted and reliable piston mechanism make this pen an exceptional value (most models under $100).
When you talk to any one that likes using a fountain pen, they most likely have one of these in their collection. For the more advanced fountain pen user that has moved on to exploring other brands like Sailor, Aurora or Montegrappa, they will still fondly use the pens that started their addiction long ago. Personally, I can attest to having two of these pens on this list and I have one of them inked to write the outline of this post!
If any of these pens started your journey into the wonderful world of fountain pens, please share your experience and drop us a comment. If you have a beginner fountain pen that is not on this list that started your love of writing, please share!
In 2011, the Waterman Hemisphere gets a new facelift. Well, maybe not exactly a facelift but more like a tummy tuck or a nose job. Similarly to how Parker refreshed their Sonnet line in 2008, Waterman is updating the style of their popular, entry model, slimline pen
Can you pick the old Hemisphere?
The big change is in the center band, literally. The barrel band is thicker with the engraving of "Waterman, Paris" proudly inscribed on the chrome or gold plating. Also, the clip does not seem to flare as much toward the bottom. Each pen is still offered in ballpoint, rollerball or fountain pen. The fountain is fitted with a stainless steel nib in either fine or medium point size and fills by Waterman cartridge or converter, which is included for use with bottled ink.
The Hemisphere line has grown to accommodate a Deluxe and Special Edition line. The Deluxe models, much similar to the Expert Deluxe, feature a metal cap and lacquered barrel. The Silky black has a plain chrome-plated cap and a black lacquered body with a tone-on-tone effect to create silky wave effect. The Deluxe White has a plain white lacquer barrel, exactly like the standard white pen, only with a cap that is guillioche engraved with waves in gleaming chrome.
Then, there's the Hemisphere Agnes B. Special Edition. Originally an exclusive to Levenger, this finish was created by the European designer Agnes B., which would be more relevant to Americans if we were in Europe. Alas, the dark blue polka dots and the smooth thunderbolt of white going down the barrel looks more odd than inspiring to us Yanks. If only we were cultured to be more worldly... Personally, I don't care for it. It reminds me of a plain-looking Acme Pen and that is not the typical Waterman aesthetic.
The price points have stayed true to the thrifty quality of the Hemisphere. All the new Hemispheres (excluding the Agnes B) can be purchased for under a C Note and exude the grace and style of the Waterman brand that is known to be expensive. We have all styles available for shipping this week.
As the fourth quarter, the Holiday Season and 2010 draws to a close, it is typical business etiquette to show your appreciation to those who have helped you in making this year a successful one. If you're looking for a great value pen to give as a token of your gratitude, then look no further! Goldspot has a great selection of business-appropriate pens.
Waterford Metro - Classic styling and signified quality backed by the Waterford name, the Metro is a full sized pen that is dressed for the boardroom. Handsomely presented in a glossy black gift box and priced to move at under $50 for either the twist-action ballpoint or capped rollerball.
Waterman Carene Garnet Red - When you think classic fine writing quality, one of the first brands that usually comes to mind is Waterman. There is hardly a better value than that of the Carene pens we have on Waterman Clearance. Half-off selected styles with limited inventory.
Cross Classic Century Satin Blue Ballpoint Pen - Can't talk Corporate gifts without mentioning Cross. Always a reliable standby when it comes to choosing pens for your clients, retirees or executives, the satin blue w/ gold trim is a classy and rare pen that has been discontinued and on sale for 20% off.
Parker Urban Contemporary Finishes - Strong, architectural patterns chiseled into the metallic body of this pen give the Urban a modern, high-tech appeal. Available in metallic black or white, the Urban is moderately priced upholds Parker quality standards.
Fisher Space Pen Bullet Lacquered - For the dressed-down bosses that prefer to keep things fun and lively, the colorful and functional Bullet Space Pen is a perfect match. Under $25 each, the Bullet offers convenience, utility and personality. There are several colors available, which could match one of your company's colors. Engraving looks really sharp on any of these pens and is usually a good idea, especially if you have coworkers that like to abscond with your pens...
As always, we recommend you call our customer service line (800-963-7367) to check stock on any bulk order. Depending on the price and the quantity ordered, we can also offer quantity discounts. At this time of year, it is especially important to give us a call right away so that delivery is guaranteed before the big office party.
Yes, you n00b. For those lacking savvy in web gaming vernacular, "n00b" (or newb, newbie, etc) is synonymous with novice or newcomer. I think it is fair to say that there are more young people who own an iPod than those who own a fountain pen. But that's OK. We're going to change that this year.
We've been swamped. The Holidays have started early this year, and we would like to address some common questions that our customers have while they make their list (& checking it twice). One topic that we would like to offer our insight on is, "what is a good starter fountain pen?"
It's a great gift idea. While there are an overabundance of technological gadgets and tchotchkes that will be flying off the shelves this December, throw your loved ones a change-up this year and wrap up one of these :
Lamy Safari - almost a no-brainer in suggesting an all-time best-selling fountain pen. What's not to like? Inexpensive at under $30, available in an assortment of brightly colored, sturdy ABS plastic and fitted with a durable stainless steel nib that will withstand the initial adjustment for the writer to adapt to a fountain pen nib. One caveat to the Safari for the holidays is its no-frills packaging cardboard tube - not very presentable unless you giftwrap it. Also, they are only sold with one disposable ink cartridge, so buy the converter separately to give the ability to fill from an ink bottle.
Parker Urban Fountain Pen Kit - an incredible value at $39.95, the kit offers a black Parker fountain pen with gold-plated trim, a bottle of Parker black "Quink" ink, a converter, ink cartridges, an instruction booklet on "how to write with a fountain pen" and a cleaning cloth. This is a great idea for someone who always wanted to try a fountain pen and was not sure on how to care and write with one.
Waterman Phileas - Largely considered to be one of the most popular entry-level luxury fountain pens, the Phileas brings classic Art Deco style with a smooth-writing stainless steel nib. The Phileas is a more high-class option that is still affordable ($42-$60) and is sold in a Waterman blue leatherette box and comes with converter and ink cartridge.
We have plenty of these options in-stock and ready-to-ship for all your gifting needs. If anyone needs any pen suggestions, feel free to drop a comment!
While voting for Election 2010 has now concluded, voting for Pen of the Year 2010 continues until Tuesday, November 9th. Cast your Vote for your favorite pen.
In an interview with one of our own, OSG featured Tom's Desk and favorite office supplies. It is a part of the What's on their Desk series, which is a series of interviews of people in the stationery, fine-writing and office supply industries about what tools do they use everyday.
Reviews:
Okami reviewed the new Delta Italiana fountain pen. The additional photos and writing sample are done very well to give you a great impression of how that pen looks and writes. The "aged/dull" finish of the swirl colors really doesn't translate well in pictures. You have to feel the pen for yourself!
The NoteBooker got a hold of some neat Waterman Harley Davidson Pens. He compared the Harley Free Wheel and Horizon to other fountain pens you may also have in your collection : the Lamy Safari and Monteverde Invincia. We also have them up for sale on our clearance section, as these styles have been discontinued.
Other Pen News: Tiger Pens talks about a Telegraph article that wrote about how stationery shops are flourishing amid the digital revolution. "Journalers are cool kids now," Tony writes. Yes! Finally!
As used in the recent review of the Waterman Exception fountain pen, Waterman South Sea Blue is definitely one of the nicer turquoise inks that we stock. Since this is our first Waterman ink review, lets talk about the bottle and its unique shape.
The glass bottle is multi-faceted, which is a lot more accommodating to get the most ink out of the bottle in a mess-free fashion. When the ink level is low, simply tilt the bottle on one of its flat sides to create larger pools of ink that are easier to get at with your nib. The wide dimension at the base of the glass bottle ensures stability when you rest it on its side to fill your pen.
The ink itself performed very well when tested, producing smooth, clean lines without feathering or much show through on the back side of the page. It even offers some nice shading. The hue itself is a slight bit of a greener turquoise than Pelikan's Turquoise, which is another favorite of mine. The drying time is outstanding, producing very little smear even after one second. True, there are cheaper alternatives for 50mL's of ink, but for the glass bottle, fast drying time and beautiful shading, it is definitely worth the few extra dollars. Waterman bottled ink - $9.00 for 50mL at Goldspot Pens.
