Recapping a Great Year: Five (or Maybe Six?) Favorite TWSBI Releases

We have many more new items on their way to the T.G.S. Curated Shop this year, including new exclusive product collaborations that are in the works and new lines currently on their way to us. Before the New Year’s lull ends next week, however, and we dive into all that is new and exciting, I did want to give props to TWSBI for what I considered to be a fabulous string of releases in 2023. While I’ve long been a fan of TWSBI’s standard lineup, their periodic special editions draw the most attention, and this year was spectacular with more than usual. Here are five favorites, in no particular order.

1. TWSBI Diamond Mini AL Grape Fountain Pen. It’s about time the Diamond Mini received as much attention as its larger Diamond 580 counterpart. This particular format is a personal favorite because (1) it’s pocketable; yet (2) posts into a full-sized writing instrument via a threaded end cap.

2. TWSBI Diamond Mini White and Rose Gold Fountain Pen. Again with the TWSBI Diamond Mini! For rose gold plated trim at the sub-$100 price point, it’s hard to do better than TWSBI. White and rose gold makes a stunning combo.

3. TWSBI Kai “Limited Edition” Model Fountain Pen. TWSBI released the third version of their otherwise unnamed “limited edition” style fountain pen, which they dubbed the “Kai”. It’s a gorgeous deep blue acrylic paired with rose gold trim. Because I had yet to use one of these fountain pens for any length of time, and prior experience had been limited to seeing (and envying) one of the TWSBI “Draco” versions at a pen show, I went ahead and did a full review. If you don’t want to shell out for the higher-priced Kai, consider the Indigo + Bronze Trim ECO which has a similar aesthetic.

4. Tie: TWSBI ECO-T Saffron and TWSBI ECO Creme and Rose Gold Fountain Pens. This was an incredibly difficult pick to make, but Saffron won out (yellow pens are a favorite) followed by the December “Creme” release, both of which pair very well with dark red inks.

5. TWSBI Diamond ALR Sunset Yellow Fountain Pen. Of all the Diamond 580 special releases from the past several years, this might be my favorite (with the possible exception of the Diamond 580 Iris that I hope is here to stay). The “Sunset Yellow” is a beautiful yellow-orange-gold color that’s distinct from the “Mandarin Orange” tone so common in the pen world.

What does TWSBI have in store for 2024? We’ll have to wait and see!

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Your Support Matters! Consider Becoming a TGS Patreon Member and Help Grow Our Community!

Happy New Year! Those of you who have been following this site over the years know that it’s constantly evolved, and 2024 will be no exception. How do we keep the lights on and fund all of this? Direct reader support, either through purchases in the T.G.S. Curated Shop or pledges via T.G.S. Patreon. While T.G.S. posts multiple pieces of original blog and social media content per week, the site hasn’t relied on third-party advertising and affiliate support to pay its bills for several years now. Whether you’re a longtime reader or only recently discovered the site, I’d appreciate it if you’d take a brief moment to browse the carefully curated selection of goods in the shop, and/or visit the Patreon Page. Last month, I wrote a bit about how we curate goods for our shop, and how it integrates into the larger vision for T.G.S. In short, we highlight well-made pens, pencils, paper, and desk and reading accessories that not only look great but are actually meant to be used in your everyday life.

What Does the T.G.S. Patreon Membership Entail?

I’ve enjoyed building an active community both here on the site and on Patreon, which I think of as an “extension” of T.G.S. for our most dedicated readers and supporters. Over the past year the Patreon program consolidated at two levels of monthly support: $3 or $5, with a 10% discount for an annual pledge so you don’t have to deal with recurring charges. Among other benefits, Patreon supporters receive a handwritten thank-you note from me and some swag (depending on support level), a welcome discount code good for one use in the shop, access to the monthly online meetup, early access to T.G.S. exclusive release products and my periodic “Gently Used” sample sales, and special content. My most recent series of exclusive posts was a series on the 2023 Diamine “Inkvent” Calendar, the first of which is publicly available.

I’m looking forward to 2024, and building on what we’ve been able to do with your generous support so far! I plan to share more about what’s in store for this year in the coming weeks, as I’m constantly exploring new ways to grow our community.

Year-End Inventory Clearance! Further Markdowns and Specials to Celebrate the New Year!

Through Monday, grab 10% off all notebook systems with the coupon code “NEWYEAR24” at checkout. Eligible brands include Traveler’s Company, Midori, Stalogy, Lochby, WMS&Co and Laconic. This is in addition to the existing markdown on Traveler’s Notebook 2024 Diary Refills - it’s a great time to pick up a Traveler’s Notebook (or any other notebook system of your choice) as you prepare for 2024!

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We’ve also marked down many different items in each section of the shop. Just click on the “Sale” tab at the top of the page to view clearance pricing on items we’re looking to clear out before the end of the year when we have to do an inventory count, which we’d absolutely love to be as low as possible.

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized reseller of all brand sold.

1. Traveler’s Notebook Starter Kits. We recently received a fresh shipment of Traveler’s Notebooks in most colors, in both Standard and Passport sizes. If you’re looking to set up the Traveler’s Notebook system for 2024, this is a great opportunity.

2. Traveler’s Company 2024 Diary Refills. All 2024 Traveler’s Notebook Diary refills have been marked down for 2024. The year-end discount code will be valid on top of the markdown, as well as on the standard undated refills.

3. Stalogy 365-Day and 1/2 Year Planners. Stalogy notebooks are known for their light grey ruling, with a layout that allows you to use them as an undated planner (great for bullet journaling) or a standard notebook.

4. Stalogy Undated Calendar Stickers. Easily add calendar/planner functionality to your standard notebook or the monthly page of your bullet journal with these stickers. They’re also removable so you can take them out or move them around as necessary.

5. WMS & Co. Calendar Pads. Available in full “desk pad” size, as well as a smaller “Keyboard” size that conveniently fits underneath your computer.

6. Write Notepads Weekly Planners. These week-to-two-pages landscape style planners are designed to sit easily on your desk and allow you to view the entire week at a glance. They also feature Write Notepad’s excellent paper, sturdy chipboard covers and a versatile undated layout.

7. Laconic Style A5 Notebooks. One of the surprise success stories for 2023, Laconic Tokyo’s “Style” series of notebooks (and bookmarks) allows you to build out a versatile planner system tailored to your needs with a wide range of refills.

8. Lochby Field Journal. Looking for a sturdy canvas A5 notebook cover that allows you to carry multiple A5 refills? These Lochby Field Journals close securely featuring a canvas strap with aluminum clip closure. Each notebook includes a single A5 Lochby dot-grid refill, but the system is compatible with any A5 sized notebook.

9. Lochby A5 Planner Refills. Lochby refills feature exceptionally fountain pen friendly 68gsm Tomoe River Paper, in a variety of layouts that includes an undated weekly planner format. Compatible not just with the Lochby system, these notebooks will fit any A5 cover.

10. Midori A5 Codex. Do you write every day? Do you enjoy having enough paper for a full year of journal entries, but don’t want the added “guilt” of skipping a day in a dated planner? Try the Codex.

11. Midori Multi-Year Diaries. Looking for a handsome hardbound diary that allows you to compare your entries from 3, 5, or even 10 years ago? I personally use the five year but the three might be less intimidating. People do LOVE the 10-year, however.

New Arrivals: Nakabayashi Yu-Sari Sheets and Notebooks, Logical Prime Notebooks, Scissors and More!

Until the last year or so, Nakabayashi and Profolio were two Japanese paper brands that didn’t receive as much attention in the U.S. as their peers. Now, I count them among the top sellers in our shop. These notebooks handle fountain pen ink extremely well, and they also feature a broad selection of rulings, including multi-lined rulings similar to longtime favorite Clairefontaine Seyes.

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You can read more about the Profolio Oasis in this post from last week. Today, we’re releasing a restock of the Nakabayashi Yu-Sari, Logical Prime, and Logical Air notebooks, along with Yu-Sari blank sheets in A5 and B5 sizes. Finally, don’t miss new additions to our desk and reading accessories store, including five-blade shredder scissors (perfect for those working remotely or in a smaller office), as well as new bookmarks with incorporated loupes.

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The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We are an authorized reseller of all brands sold.

Year-End Review, Part III: 2023 Best Sellers from the T.G.S. Curated Shop

This post is always the easiest year-end post to do because it’s straight-up math. For me there were also very few surprises: the items I thought would do the best were actually our top sellers, and I probably could’ve named the Anterique ballpoints and Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 pens off the top of my head. What surprised me somewhat was the popularity of the Lamy 2000, as well as how many Roterfaden organizers we’ve sold in so short a period of time. Stay tuned as we’ve already started on the buying for 2024. We also have several new arrivals from the past couple of weeks, including Profolio Notebooks, a Nakabayashi restock, and a fresh round of Caran d’Ache pencils!

The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized reseller of all brands sold. Check out the rest of our Year-End Review content, including Part I (Favorite New Acquisitions from 2023) and Part II (Favorite Products Reviewed in 2023).

1. Anterique Ballpoint Pens. This one came as no surprise to me, given how many different variations we carry and how well these vintage-style ballpoints write. My brass pen in Pearl Grey is always with me, and I have multiples of the standard pens and mechanical pencils scattered around my various workstations.

2. Laconic Bookmarkers. I’m continuing to look to resource the full range of the bookmarkers, because they ended up being insanely popular (as expected). For now, I’ve managed to get three or four of them in regular stock.

3. Midori MD Cotton Paper. Apparently my favorite all-around paper for fountain pens is also yours. Midori MD Cotton Paper handles ink well and comes in several formats, including writing pads, notebooks, letter pads, and at least for now, even a “B-Sides and Rarities” Traveler’s Company refill.

4. Lochby Field Journals and Refills. For those looking for a non-leather A5 notebook cover option, the Lochby Field Journal remains extremely popular, and the A5 refills continue to feature 68gsm Tomoe River Paper.

5. Hightide Sandglasses. A TGS Classic! The 30 and 15-minute increments remain the most popular iterations of Hightide’s analog timing device. For more information on how I use these and how you can incorporate them into your routine, I refer people to this post.

6. Lamy 2000 Pens. All of the various iterations of the Lamy 2000 (and recently, the Lamy Studio) have sold well, probably because it’s one of the best workhorse pens out there. Unassuming, reliable and with a timeless design, you can’t really go wrong with a Lamy 2000.

7. Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Organizers. Honestly, these would probably be No. 1 on the list if we could keep them in stock. We have a restock order in the works, and hopefully it will arrive in time for the New Year. We currently have a couple of A5 and A6 covers in stock, in limited color options.

8. Traveler’s Notebook Standard Size Starter Kit. We recently restocked on the standard size Traveler’s Notebook in all colors except the recently released Olive version. Now is a great time to pick up a Traveler’s Notebook, especially if you plan to use it as your 2024 Calendar, as our dated Calendar refills are marked down.

9. Caran d’Ache 849 Paul Smith Special Edition. The fourth collaboration between Caran d’Ache and designer Paul Smith tops our Caran d’Ache sales list for the year, as these editions always do when they are released. We recently received a shipment of the British Racing Green version, which is by far the most popular though all the colors are excellent.

10. Caran d’Ache Infinite 888. One of the great unsung heroes of the pen world, the sturdy and inexpensive Caran d’Ache Infinite 888 features a standard ballpoint refill (the Swissride) that in my opinion rivals the Goliath. Now if they would only bring back the mechanical pencil…

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