Gourmet Pens: Review: ST Dupont Liberté White Pearl Fountain Pen @Iguana

Thank you to Iguana Sell for lending me this pen to review! Iguana Sell will be attending the Madrid Pen Show this year, so if you're interested in some gorgeous pens and nibs, come on over and check them out!

Just a reminder that Iguana Sell will attend and sponsor the Madrid Pen Show this year! On the first day of the show, Friday November 18, in the afternoon, Stephen and I will be at the Iguana Sell table. Anyone interested in checking out some fountain pens, inks, or chatting about them, please come over!

For an extra 5% discount off your purchase, you can use the discount code: 'IGUANAPENSHOW' on all Iguana Sell's sites: www.iguanasell.com, www.iguanasell.es, www.iguanasell.co.uk, www.iguanasell.de, www.iguanasell.fr. Valid from Thursday, November 17 to Sunday, November 20, 2016.

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ABOUT

Body Material: Metal, lacquer
Trim: Palladium
Nib material: 14KT gold, rhodium-plated
Cap: Snap on
Posts: Yes, friction
Length (capped): 140.8 mm/5.54"
Length (uncapped nib-end): 126.3 mm/4.97"
Length (posted): 140.1 mm/5.51"
Barrel Diameter: 7.9 - 11.2 mm/0.31" - 0.44"
Section Diameter: 7.7 - 9.9 mm/0.30" - 0.39"
Weight (all): 38 g
Weight (cap): 14 g
Weight (body): 24 g
Fill type: Standard international cartridge/converter
Warranty: 2 years
Price: $ 550.00 USD
Where to buy: Iguana Sell

PACKAGING

The Liberté has fairly minimal packaging. It is not huge or excessive. Inside a protective white cardboard sleeve, there is a matte black clamshell box. The Dupont 'D' is printed on the top in a glossy black. ST Dupont Paris is printed on the front in silver. The inside of the box is black velvet, with a removable bed. The pen is secured in place by a ribbon, and it is further protected by a foam insert. There is also an International Guarantee Card, and a booklet with ST Dupont's history, pen instructions, care, warranty, etc. It's classy and simple, though not particularly outstanding.

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APPEARANCE

This ST Dupont Liberté is the second ST Dupont fountain pen I have used, the first being the Line D Spectre. I find the design, shape, and overall look of this pen quite attractive. The cap is widest at the top and the shape narrows towards the end of the barrel. The finial is faceted like a brilliant cut diamond, in palladium, and it has a 'D' in a clear white pearl dome. It's a pretty and distinct finial that is the fanciest piece of furniture on this pen.

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The clip is attached through a square cut out in the side of the cap - this could be more clean cut but it is only really noticeable if you look closely. The clip is very simple, with two facets coming to a single crest in the middle. It is a long, thin clip that runs to the end of the cap. The center band is located at the end of the cap, but has no engravings on it. The other half of the barrel has another wide band, engraved with 'ST Dupont Paris'. The rounded end of the barrel also has a palladium cover. The section is on the longer side and is quite pinched, giving it a slender width and look. It comes to a flared lip at the end and covers a small part of the nib.

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The cap and barrel are a glossy, pearlescent white. Overall, the pristine white with the cool color of the palladium trim, and the long, flowing curves and slender profile makes this a very elegant pen.

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NIB & PERFORMANCE

This is a 14kt gold nib with a rhodium-plating to match the trim. It is somewhat tubular; the base wraps around the feed, and the section extends to cover a portion of the nib. It has a single slit, no breather hole, and it is engraved with some decorations, the 'D' logo, 14K 585, and a hallmark. It is not a huge nib - I think the size suits the elegant profile of the pen.

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The nib is a medium, and it performed very well. It was smooth, did not catch on paper, but it offered some feedback. Just a bit. It was on the dry side, but did not actually run dry. Drying times were pretty fast. With normal writing and a light to moderate (pressure) hand, the nib feels firm and did not hard start or skip. I found it very pleasant for fast writing, and it kept up with longer writing sessions. With some pressure, I could squeeze out some line variation. It could even be used for reverse writing! All in all, nib performance was solid, reliable, and pleasant.

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The pen was supplied with a royal blue standard international cartridge, but I used a converter. Oddly enough, I had to try a few converters (all standard international) before I found one that fit (Visconti).

IN HAND

The clip is long and springy, and is easy to operate one handed. It slides on and off pages, pockets, and pouches easily. The tension is ideal - it secures the pen in place but it isn't too tight, nor too loose.

The shape of the section is nice in my grip, but it is a little slender and slippery - a brutal combination! The flared band before the nib keeps my grip off the nib itself but I can still feel it rotating as I write.

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Unposted, the pen is a comfortable length, feels solid, and is well-balanced. I don't really think it needs posting but the cap does post snugly by friction. When posted, it is a bit long for my comfort and feels heavy for comfortable use. I definitely prefer this one unposted.

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PROS & CONS

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OVERALL

This is an interesting pen. The color, shape, and overall appearance does appeal to me. It is unique and don't really look like a 'typical' fountain pen - cigar shaped, black body, gold trim. It has an unusual shape with a different nib. The nib is very enjoyable to write with and it performs well, so I am satisfied overall.

Downsides? It seems picky about converters, so it's best to have your retailer check for one for you and buy that one, or you can just use cartridges. The snap on cap rotates loosely when the pen is capped, and the section is quite slim. The cap rotating is a huge no-no for me, so that's a big issue for me. The price is high, and given the discomforts for me, the cons would outweigh the pros. It writes well, I enjoy the nib, but the price, the rotating cap, the slim section... I would have to pass on it. I wouldn't get enough use out of it to justify it.

I received this item on loan for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion.