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Benefits of Using a Fountain Pen

Source bellamysworld.com
  • Improves Handwriting: A fountain pen encourages you to write slowly and at a more precise inclination angle. The ink in a fountain pen flows more smoothly than a ball pen, and there is less fatigue on your fingers. These factors play a critical role in improving your handwriting. In fact, till some years ago, students were permitted to begin writing only with fountain pens in middle school to ensure that they developed good handwriting.

  • Smooth and Expressive Writing Experience: The mechanism of ink flowing through a fountain pen's nib is fundamentally different than the rollerball or ballpoint pens. Fountain pens deliver smooth ink flow anytime and every time, unlike other pens that deliver a more inefficient and scratchy performance. Fountain pens also have a better holding grip by default and exert less pressure on the paper, which ensures less fatigue on your fingers so that you can enjoy writing for longer hours. Fountain pens also provide you the option of choosing different nibs like fine, medium, bold, etc. which give a unique identity, character, and flourish to your handwriting.

  • Choice of Different Colours of Ink: Another advantage of using a fountain pen is the wide variety of inks you can use to create your own special writing style, for example, considering just blue as the base colour of your ink, you can choose from blue-black, royal blue, turquoise blue and a host of other shades of blue to create your own identity. This is in stark contrast to the bland blue and black colours commonly available for rollerballs and ballpoints.

  • Long-Lasting, Affordable and Eco-Friendly: Unlike other types of pens, fountain pens were never meant to be disposable. After the initial investment of buying a new fountain pen, you will enjoy using it for many years. The only recurring cost is the ink and an occasional replacement of a broken nib. Consequently, fountain pens turn out to be much cheaper and affordable in the long run. Moreover, if you are environmentally conscious and feel bad about disposing of plastic pens ever so frequently, buying a fountain pen is definitely a more eco-friendly option, as it will remain with you for a long time.

  • A Collector's Delight: Fountain pens are a collector's delight. They are passed on as family heirlooms from one generation to another. You will be delighted to receive the fountain pen used by your father or grandfather in their student days. Some companies produce certain models of fountain pens in limited editions, special colours, and co-branded logos. If you love collecting items, then fountain pens should undoubtedly be on your collectibles list. Who knows when the fountain pen you received from your grandfather becomes a priceless antique!

Top Fountain Pen Brands

1. Montblanc

Source news18.com

The history of Montblanc is perhaps as old as the history of the modern-day fountain pen itself. Founded by 3 German partners in 1906 as the Simplizissiumus-Füllhalter Pen Company, Montblanc is known as one of the most iconic writing instrument brands in the world. The white rounded star on top of every Montblanc pen represents the snow-covered peak of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe. It signifies the highest quality of design, materials and craftsmanship, which goes into producing a Montblanc pen.

It launched its most legendary product – Meisterstück, in 1924, which is considered to be the epitome of fine writing instruments across the globe. Each Meisterstück writing instrument has the number "4810" engraved on the nib, which is the height of Mont Blanc and signifies the supreme quality of a Montblanc writing instrument.

2. Sheaffer

Source amazon.in

Sheaffer, an American company, was founded by Walter A. Sheaffer in 1913. Sheaffer pens are recognised by the "White Dot" symbol on the pen clip, which signifies Sheaffer's unconditional lifetime warranty for all its writing instruments. Sheaffer is known for several fine writing instrument collections, including Sagaris, Prelude, VFM, etc. It was taken over by A. T. Cross in 2014 and continues its journey in the luxury writing instruments segment worldwide.

3. Cross

Source thepencompany.com

A. T. Cross Company is another American company founded by Richard Cross in 1846. It is known for its creative designs and unsurpassed quality and craftsmanship of fine writing instruments. Some of its most iconic pen collections include Century II, Townsend, Matrix, etc. In addition to fine writing instruments, Cross has diversified into producing top class timepieces, wallets, card cases, and other luxury accessories products.

4. Waterman

Source makoba.com

Waterman is a French company founded in 1883 by Lewis Edson Waterman. It is known for its innovative designs, exceptional craftsmanship, and Parisian elegance and style. Waterman fountain pens are handcrafted using precious materials and hand-tested by experts to deliver a supreme writing experience to its customers. Its 18 karat gold nibs are a collector's most prized possession. Waterman fountain pens are known for their smooth and beautiful writing.

5. Parker

Source clipartkey.com

Parker Pen Co. Ltd. was founded by George Safford Parker in 1888 in the USA. Parker pens have evolved continuously with innovative timekeeping design, superior materials, and meticulous production processes at the centre of each Parker pen. Some of the most renowned Parker writing instrument collections include Duofold, Sonnet, Premier, etc. Parker pens are identified by the iconic Parker arrow design on the clip, first introduced in 1957. The WW-II German surrender was signed using a Parker 51 and the Japanese surrender was signed using a Parker Duofold. Parker also has the invention of the quick-drying ink "Quink" to its credit, which was launched in 1931.

6. Lamy

Source hamiltonpens.com

Lamy is an iconic German brand founded by C. Josef Lamy in 1930 in Heidelberg. The Lamy 27 fountain pen launched in 1952 marked the birth of the Lamy brand. It came with a unique "Tintomatik" system, which ensured a smooth and clean flow of ink. Lamy's most legendary product range, the Lamy 2000 was launched in 1966 and was a revolutionary fine writing instrument of its time. Lamy writing instruments have everything that German design and manufacturing is famous for – high quality, wonderful aesthetics, perfect functionality, and timeless contemporary designs.

Top Fountain Pens in India

1. Gold Leaf Jinhao X450 Matt Black

Source amazon.in

The Jinhao X450 has a lightweight metallic body with a pull cap and comes in a matt black finish. The pen comes with an 18-karat gold-plated medium nib, ensuring smooth and effortless writing. This is one of the top-rated fountain pens in the budget range, and you can get it for ₹ 444 from Amazon. You can use both an ink cartridge and ink-filling in this instrument.

2. Pilot Metropolitan Classic

Source antikcart.com

The Pilot Metropolitan Classic is one of the most popular fountain pens from Pilot. The pen comes in an all-metal matt black body made of a brass alloy and a pull cap. The nib is a medium grade steel nib. The pen has a classy finish coupled with a sturdy body. It is ideally suited for beginners as it is easy to write with and makes smooth perfect lines. It comes with a pre-filled cartridge and an ink converter. You can buy this great pen for ₹ 1,500 from Antikcart.

3. Lamy Safari Charcoal L17M

Source amazon.in

The Lamy Safari L17M is a lightweight fountain pen with an ABS plastic body in charcoal black colour. The nib is a medium grade black-coated steel nib. The pen comes with its own ink cartridges and an ink converter. This fountain pen is ideally suited if you have small or medium-sized hands. If you have large hands or prefer heavier pens, then you can give this pen a pass. This fountain pen also features an ink window that allows you to see when you are close to running out of ink. The writing is incredibly smooth as the pen simply glides on paper effortlessly. You can buy this exquisitely designed German pen for ₹ 2,395 from Amazon.

4. Cross Century II Gunmetal Grey Finish

Source penz.co.in

The Cross Century II comes with a contemporary design and a thicker and sturdier grip than its legendary predecessor, the Cross Century. The pen is crafted in metallic gunmetal grey along with a fine grade, hand-finished, black-coated steel nib. The pen has a click-off cap and comes with ink cartridges with specially formulated quick-drying ink, which glides smoothly on paper. The pen has a well-balanced design and delivers a flawless writing experience. You can buy this masterpiece for ₹ 9,975 from Penz Solutions.

5. Sheaffer Sagaris 9472 ChromeTrim

Source williampenn.net

Sagaris literally means a battle-axe. However, the Sheaffer Sagaris is anything but a battle-axe. It is an exquisitely designed, lightweight, slim fountain pen with a tapered cap and barrel. The pen features a brushed chrome finish with chrome-plated trims and clip. The gripping section is crafted of glossy resin material, giving complete comfort and control. The nib is crafted of stainless steel and is of medium grade. Inspired by the legendary Sheaffer Triumph, the Sheaffer Sagaris 9472 is available for ₹ 4,070 on William Penn.

6. Waterman Perspective Black GT

Source amazon.in

If you are a die-hard fountain pen-lover then the Waterman Perspective Black GT is meant just for you. Featuring a bold contemporary design, the Waterman Perspective Black GT comes in a metal body with a glossy, luxurious black lacquer finish and gold trims. The unique Waterman medium grade nib is constructed of 23 karats gold-plated stainless-steel with an intricate web of oblique lines engraved on it. The iconic 2-branch, 23 karat gold clip further enhances the appearance of this masterpiece. It will take the breath away of everyone near you, every time you take it out of your breast pocket, and it will deliver a blissful writing experience like no other. You can get this beautiful fountain pen for ₹ 6,487 on Amazon.

7. Parker Ingenuity Lacquer Black Rubber 5th Technology

Source flipkart.com

The Ingenuity Lacquer fountain pen is one of the finest writing instruments created by Parker. The pen features a premium metal and texturized soft-touch rubber finish with nickel palladium trim. The pen is equipped with revolutionary patented 5th Technology developed after decades of research in fine writing instruments. The 5th Technology innovation includes a fixed yet flexible smart glide tip that adapts to every curve of your unique writing style after just a few words, delivering an unbelievably smooth, effortless, and pleasant writing experience. The iconic arrow clip further adds to the subtle elegance of this pen. You can get this fountain for ₹ 8,500 on Flipkart.

8. Kaweco AL Sport Silver

Source penz.co.in

Kaweco is a German pen company producing fine writing instruments since 1883. The Kaweco AL Sport Silver is an all-aluminium body matt finish fountain pen with a medium grade tip stainless steel nib. The pen has an octagonal barrel and a screw-close cap. The pen measures only 10.5 cm when closed. Due to its small size, it is extremely travel friendly and portable. The octagonal design of this extremely popular fountain pen is continuing since 1935. It uses standard ink cartridges and is available for ₹ 4,800 on Penz Solutions.

Montblanc 13661 Meisterstück LeGrand

Source williampenn.net

Keeping the best for the last, and if you do not have any budgetary constraint, then this is where your search for the most iconic of fountain pens ends! The Montblanc 13661 Meisterstück LeGrand is designed using Montblanc’s famous precious black resin and 23 karat gold-coated accents and detailing. A meticulously handcrafted semi-flexible 14 karat gold nib with rhodium coated inlay goes into this timeless classic. A little oversized yet incredibly lightweight fountain pen will mesmerise you with its design and elegance every time you hold it in your hand. The large ink tank will ensure that you need not worry for refills for extended periods and the incredibly smooth ink flow will delight you every time you put this pen to paper. The pinnacle of fountain pen design and craftsmanship is available for ₹ 47,200 on William Penn.

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From our editorial team

Fontain Pen: Your Personality and Lifestyle Statement

Have you ever seen any top executive of your company signing the Memorandum of Understanding with a ball pen? Any C-Suite executive will always put a fountain pen to paper on matters of critical importance. Buying, using, and maintaining a fountain pen says a lot about your personality and unique style. It is as vital a lifestyle accessory as any other. High quality personally engraved fountain pen is an ultimate indicator of your arrival on the professional and social scene.