In the Curated Shop: TWSBI Inks (Swatches Included!)

While most are familiar with TWSBI pens, the TWSBI ink lineup receives less attention. TWSBI initially released a series of basic colors - Black, Blue-Black, Blue, and Red - in 70 ml bottles, and later added “Midnight Blue.” If you’re looking for work and wallet-friendly inks in an attractive frosted bottle, consider these. The blue-black has some water resistance, and I’ve found that it’s a great ink for the office because (like many traditional blue-black inks) it writes well on cheaper paper, even in broader nibs.

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What’s the difference between “Midnight Blue” and “Blue-Black”? Midnight Blue lacks the water-resistance of the Blue-Black, but definitely leans more blue, whereas Blue-Black has more steel grey undertones.

TWSBI later released a series of six brighter colors in 18ml bottles: Emerald Green, Prairie Green, Royal Purple, Sky Blue, Orange, and Pink. What surprised me about these inks is the saturation. When I first saw the announcement, I expected colors such as Prairie Green, Sky Blue, and Pink to look a bit washed out, but I was pleasantly surprised at how bright and legible they are.

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You can currently purchase 70ml bottles of TWSBI Ink individually in the Curated Shop for $15.99, along with a set of six 18ml bottles for $34.99. If you’re an experienced fountain pen user, these are well-behaved inks that should cover most of your writing needs. If you’re purchasing your first fountain pen or new to bottled ink, the six-bottle set is a great way to experiment with the wide range of available ink colors and broaden your horizons beyond black and blue! Remember that TWSBI pens only fill from the bottle, so if you pick one up be sure to grab some ink to go along with it.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of TWSBI and all brands sold in The T.G.S. Curated Shop.

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All ink swatches done with a q-tip in a Write Notepads Dot Grid Notebook, exceptionally ink friendly paper that showed no feathering or bleed-through even with these wet swabs. Writing samples were done with this glass dip pen purchased from Papier Plume.

Building a Set: Caran d'Ache 849 Fountain Pen

I’ve never given the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen a proper stand-alone write-up, even though it’s been on the market for several years now. Like the 849 ballpoint, the fountain pen has grown on me over time, as yet one more way in which Swiss company Caran d’Ache has taken the classic hexagonal barrel and applied it to writing instruments beyond the woodcase pencil. I figured it’s time to take a closer look at this pen.

Back when this pen was first introduced, it was a bit of a departure for Caran d’Ache, as they previously had been known for higher-end fountain pens such as their Léman and Ecridor series. While releasing a fountain pen in the $50-60 price range increased the brand’s accessibility, moving “downmarket” was viewed by some as risky, given the company’s relative lack of experience at the price point and the inevitable manufacturing and quality control compromises that often need to be made to create an affordable fountain pen. Years later, however, the 849 fountain pen is still around, remains widely available, and has garnered a good reputation as not just an entry-level pen but a solid everyday writer for those who enjoy a slimmer format with a couple of different grip options.

Before I continue with the rest of the post, I want to be completely transparent up front that I am an authorized Caran d’Ache retailer and sell these and other Caran d’Ache products in my shop. My goal, as it has always been, is to offer detailed discussions and reviews of products so that you can make an informed decision about what you ultimately decide to purchase. I’m selective about the products I stock, drawing on nearly a decade of prior experience as a pen user and collector, and generally only sell products that I would use myself. That said, I strongly encourage readers to do as much research as they can, including from sources other than me, before deciding on any purchase.

Pen Design: Building on an Iconic Shape

The 849 fountain pen is pretty simple, construction-wise, featuring a lightweight aluminum body that comes in a variety of finishes: classic navy blue, white, red, and matte black, as well as “wilder” green, orange, yellow, and pink fluorescent. The pen accepts short international cartridges, long international cartridges, and will take a Caran d’Ache converter if you want to fill from a bottle.

The full color array of Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pens.

Where the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen departs from most pens in this price segment, however, is its unique design. The pen borrows its hexagonal barrel from the 849 ballpoint, with the hex edges slightly rounded for increased comfort. The Caran d’Ache logo appears etched on the cap finial, with branding tucked under clip - another quirky design touch shared by the 849/844/Fixpencil family. Like its siblings, the 849 fountain pen fits well in a planner loop, so it’s easily portable.

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The 849 fountain pen will fit in the Traveler’s Notebook pen loop and other similarly sized pen slots.

Nib and Writing Experience

Though slimmer than what I typically prefer in a daily writer, I consider the 849 fountain pen comfortable to use, and it makes for a convenient pen to keep in the pen loop of a planner or notebook. The friction-fit cap snaps firmly closed, and attaches securely to the barrel in case you want to post the pen.

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The Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen stainless steel nib in fine, with a splash of Idyllic Blue.

The pen features a smaller stainless steel nib with a shape somewhat reminiscent of the nib on a Lamy Safari. Though not at all “flexible,” I would describe it as pleasantly springy, and the all of the ones I personally have used have been smooth. Given the pen’s light weight (even posted), you can comfortably write for longer sessions, provided a slimmer format works for you.

The section and barrel present a couple of different grip options. You can of course hold the pen at the rounded plastic section, but I sometimes grip this pen a bit higher up on the hexagonal barrel. While it gives the pen a bit of a “paintbrush” feel, I find it oddly enjoyable to use this way, especially if I’m writing in formal cursive.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen is a fun addition to the Swiss company’s now-iconic (and increasingly expansive) “849 lineup.” A key benefit of the shared design scheme is the ability to create matching fountain pen/ballpoint/pencil sets. Here, I opted for the matte black fountain pen for my own personal collection, because I already have a matte black .7mm mechanical pencil, and eventually I’ll add a “Black Code” 849 ballpoint and a black Fixpencil so that I’m color-consistent. (If the company is listening, the “Black Code” motif applied to a fountain pen, mechanical pencil, and fixpencil - especially a black-plated knock and clip - would sell like crazy. Just sayin’….)

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From left, the “Black Code” 849 Ballpoint, the 849 fountain pen in matte black, the 844 mechanical pencil in matte black, and the Fixpencil with black knock.

As I noted above, Caran d’Ache is one of the brands I’ve chosen to sell directly, and I currently stock the fountain pen in all colors with fine and medium nib options, as well as the full range of Caran d’Ache “Chromatics” ink cartridges. If these pens do well, I’ll consider bringing in additional nib sizes, converters, and bottled ink, but for now I’m sticking to the most popular nib widths and cartridges, which honestly is how most people use this pen. The 849 Fountain Pen currently retails for $52, and ships with one Caran d’Ache “Idyllic Blue” ink cartridge.

In the Curated Shop: Caran d'Ache Ecridor Racing Collection Pen and Pencil Sets

The Caran d’Ache lineup features several “collections”, ranging from the high-end Léman fountain pens to more entry level offerings such as the iconic 849 and the 888 “Infinite.” At the midpoint, which sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, is Caran d’Ache’s Ecridor collection. Typically, these pens and pencils are offered only in a polished chrome + guilloche finish, but this year Caran d’Ache has released a matte-black version dubbed the Ecridor “Racing” collection. Featuring a black-chrome brass barrel with guilloche engraving to add further grip and texture, the overall look of the pen is accentuated by two bright red lacquer stripes. (I couldn’t pass this one up - you all know red + black is my thing.)

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The Caran d’Ache Ecridor Racing collection is currently available in limited quantities from the Curated Shop, priced at $160 for either the ballpoint or .7mm mechanical pencil that includes a black calfskin Caran d’Ache pen sleeve with red accented trim.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all Caran d’Ache products.

In the Curated Shop: Essential Office Supplies

While I’ve only ventured back into the “office” office (i.e., not the one at my house) a handful of times over the past year, when I was there I did notice a number of my pencils, ballpoints, and gel pens left unattended during this time had dried up or gone missing. I also realized that the office had by default become the repository for second and third-tier review samples - pens I had picked up for review purposes, in many cases years ago, and don’t actually want to use. It was plainly time for an overhaul and an upgrade.

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Since office pens and pencils do tend to walk off my desk or get borrowed by co-workers, I don’t invest a lot in the pens I keep there. At the same time, I need something reliable that’s pleasant to work with. As I expand The Curated Shop, one category I plan to build out is “Essential Office Supplies,” a selection of high quality, yet relatively inexpensive, pens and pencils that you don’t have to overly fret about taking to or leaving at the office. Currently, the selection ranges from disposable Caran d’Ache Eco click pens (one version of which is made from reclaimed wood shavings from the pencil-making process), to woodcase pencils, to relatively inexpensive refillable ballpoints and mechanical pencils such as the Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 series.

You can check out these and many more quality Caran d’Ache products in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Caran d’Ache and all other brands sold. Many thanks for your continued support!

Happy Easter Weekend! Take 10% Off All Shop Orders Through Sunday!

Time to celebrate the beginning of Spring! (Even though it somehow still got down to the 20s here in Nashville last night). Through Sunday night at 11:59pm, take 10% off all T.G.S. Curated Shop orders using the coupon code “SPRINGTIME”! This includes all the new Caran d’Ache items that recently hit the store, including the Caran d’Ache 888 “Infinite” collection, 849 mechanical pencils, Edelweiss woodcase pencils, and more!

Many thanks, and enjoy the long weekend!

Ok, while I love the grey, the Swiss Cross set might be my favorite.