Review: Waterman Perspective Fountain Pen @KnightsWritingC

Thanks to Knights Writing Co. for lending me this pen for a review!

ABOUT

Body material: Lacquer
Trim: Chrome
Cap: Snap on
Posts: Yes, friction
Nib material: Steel
Filling system: Standard international cartridge/converter
Length (capped): 138.17 mm/5.44"
Length (uncapped): 122.81 mm/4.84"
Length (posted): 163.36 mm/6.43"
Length (section): 25.44 mm/1.00"
Diameter (barrel): 11.14 mm/0.44"
Diameter (section): 9.35 - 11.29 mm/0.37" - 0.45"
Weight (all): 38 g
Weight (cap): 12 g
Weight (body): 26 g
Price: $220.00 CAD
Where to buy: Knights Writing Co.

PACKAGING

Waterman's pen presentation is consistent between models and simple, so I like it. The box is a hard blue clamshell that has a silky smooth texture. It has a ribbon of blue across the middle. The pen sits inside on a velvety cream colored bed. The bed is removable - underneath you will find warranty information and an ink cartridge. I love the texture of the boxes as well as the color. It's a secure, robust box.

APPEARANCE

I will be honest. This pen does not really appeal to me. I just don't care for the design. The Perspective is a round pen, straight to the ends with a blunt end and top. Both ends are chrome with a black resin inlay. The finial has a silver W Waterman logo on it. The clip is attached internally through a very clean cut out in the cap. The clip is boxy with a W logo at the bottom and a slit down the middle.

The cap is short and has a small chrome band at the end of it. It joins with the wide chrome band on the barrel. The barrel band is engraved with a geometric design, Waterman Paris, and France. The cap and barrel are a solid blue lacquer. The blue, although the pen is glossy, just comes across as a flat blue to me. The color combined with the odd proportions and blunt shape is the reason I am not into this pen. It looks too blocky to me.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

The nib is a steel fine. It has a single slit and no breather hole, coupled with a plastic feed. The nib is engraved with geometric designs, a W logo, Waterman Paris, and F (fine). This nib worked - some feedback, no skips or hard starts, but very dry and ink dried quickly. On the other hand, it was quite fine, dried out if left uncapped, and had just a bit too much feedback. Not my favorite kind of nib or writing experience. It's also a very firm nib so overall, it isn't really my thing. That's all there is to say about that. It's a functional nib but the writing experience leaves something to be desired.

The cartridge pops into place easily and a converter is easy to use. One downside: at this price, the pen should come with a Waterman converter and it's crazy that it doesn't.

IN HAND

While I do not care much for this pen, I do like the super easy-to-use spring-loaded clip. It has a superb design, sliding on and off pockets, pages, and pouches with ease.

The section is strange. It starts with the end of the barrel and has quite a few steps down to the nib. It is quite short and slender and I find it uncomfortable. I suppose the idea is to grip the larger part of the section but I don't so it's slippery and bites my fingers a bit.

Top to bottom: Omas Divine ballpoint, Waterman Perspective, Waterman Expert 3, Lamy Safari.

Unposted, the pen feels solid and balanced enough but it feels slippery in my grip. The cap sort of posts by friction. It is snug but makes the pen way too long and top heavy. What is this now, strike three?

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

Waterman manufactures reliable, safe pens. They write well, perform well, and are well made. Unfortunately, this is just not my kind of pen. I don't care for the shape, the metal section, the short cap, the posting, the nib... but I do really like the clip. Overall, just not for me. I much prefer the Expert 3 model.


I was loaned this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. The pen has been returned to Knights Writing Co.