I picked up this beauty at Pen Chalet, and even picked it with a fine nib. As soon as it arrived at Pen Chalet, it was here
so fast. Solid shipping! I've
reviewed the Milord in the same finish before - this Paragon is a size up.
ABOUT
Body Material: Celluloid
Trim: Gold
Length (capped): 148.7 mm/5.85''
Length (uncapped nib-end): 135.0 mm/5.31''
Length (posted): 178.0 mm/7.00''
Barrel Diameter (flat - flat): 13.5 - 14.7 mm/0.53'' - 0.58''
Section Diameter: 11.0 - 13.2 mm/0.43'' - 0.51''
Nib material: 18KT Gold
Weight (all): 48 g
Weight (cap): 12 g
Weight (body): 36 g
Fill type: Piston-filler
Price: $1,075.50USD (sale)
Where to buy:
Pen Chalet (Discount code: GourmetPens for 10% off your purchase)
PACKAGING
I love Omas packaging, because it's consistent across their products, and it matches. The outer sleeve is a deep, shimmery grey. This box is large, but not huge. Inside the box, there is the pen, the usual pen information, and a bottle of Omas black ink. I love when a pen comes with a bottle of ink! The pen was in a QC-checked plastic bag, inside a single pen grey felt sleeve. I love the clean, tidy presentation. It looks good, isn't over the top, and it also doesn't feel like an afterthought. I'm not crazy about packaging, but I really appreciate this one.
The section of this pen was tarnished a little, which is odd. This is the first Omas pen I've received that wasn't pristine and ready to go. The tarnish polished off with a silver cloth. I probably could have objected and sent it back for a new one, but it came off easily, and I didn't want to part with it.
APPEARANCE
The Paragon is a large, solid, beautiful pen. This one is in the obviously stunning bronze arco celluloid, and I absolutely love it. The pen has twelve facets, which are slightly rounded. The pen is
widest at the top of the cap, and tapers a little towards the end of the barrel. The piston-turning knob is identified by a thin gold band. It has a slightly conical top. The finial has the same shape as the
piston-turning knob, but it also has a gold O set in it. The clip is attached internally, and it arches slightly from the cap. The end has a rolling ball. The center band is located near the end of the cap. It is engraved with OMAS The Paragon Italy, and a Greek Key design. I love how it looks against the rich, warm celluloid.
The section is silver (and hallmarked) with gold vermeil. It is rounded and smooth, tapering towards the nib, and ending in a faceted band that matches the shape of the body. The cap and barrel are turning from a single rod of celluloid. Each facet lines up almost perfectly - the size difference between the cap and barrel seems to make a very tiny difference in the alignment. This celluloid is a little hard to describe. There are many rich, warm colors: sienna, amber, red brown, creamy shades, and let's not forget the chatoyance, the depth, the pearlescence. The facet with the clip, and the opposite facet are the most outstanding, rippling outwards from around the center band. The other facets are striped, and it looks striated. The whole package, to me, is magnificent. I know a metal section is not for everyone, and that's cool, but it works just fine for me.
The facets highlight the celluloid perfectly, and the colors are stunning. I may be a little in love with Omas.
NIB & PERFORMANCE
This nib... The 18kt gold nib with rhodium highlights is a fine, with a single slit and a round breather hole. This nib is outstanding, which makes a perfect match for the rest of the pen. It's one of the most pleasant fine nibs I have, and have ever used. It was perfectly adusted upon arrival. Ink flow is wet but it doesn't gush ink. At any angle, the nib writes very well - smoothly, consistently, and without skips or hard starts. Ever. However, the sweet spot is exquisite, so although I can write at any angle, writing on ''the spot'' is divine. It's at the perfect spot on the nib, it's incredibly smooth but not over polished, and it feels perfect.
The nib is soft and very pleasant to write with. It can produce some line variation with pressure is applied, but it's definitely not a flex nib. (For that, check out the extra-flessible nibs). This nib offered a fantastic, extremely pleasant writing experience.
IN HAND
The clip is fairly snug, but the rolling ball makes it easy to slide the pen into pockets, pouches, and on to pages. The metal section is surprisingly comfortable. The shape feels like it warms up to fill my grip, and I really love that. The metal is just slightly slippery if your fingers are greasy, but I grip near the bottom of the section, so the ridge at the end prevents my fingers from slipping off the section. The metal threads are super smooth and not uncomfortable to the touch either. The ridge from the section to the barrel is minimal, but is sharp if you run your finger over it. It's out of the way, but it's noticeable.
Unposted, the pen feels solid, robust, and pretty well-balanced. I can feel the girth of the barrel more than the weight of the pen. It isn't terribly uncomfortable, but I do prefer the Milord's diameter over this one purely for comfort during longer writing sessions. The cap posts by friction, but I'm always a bit nervous about posting it too deeply, what with the relatively thin celluloid cap lip. I can't really use this pen posted anyway, because it's too heavy and too long. If you must post it though, you can.
PROS & CONS
OVERALL
This is a very expensive pen. It lacks an ink window, and the metal section might not be your thing, but it so beautiful, and the Paragon model is lovely. The fine nib is outstanding. Overall? I'm a huge fan of this pen. Huge fan. I would not part with this one, ever! In addition, there's quite a few nibs to choose from, and if the arco celluloid is over the top for you, there's also other finishes and trims that are quite beautiful. Great stuff.
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