New Arrivals: Caran d'Ache 849 Claim Your Style, Edition 3!

On the heels of the latest Caran d’Ache Nespresso releases, Caran d’Ache has announced the latest entry in their “Claim Your Style” series of 849 ballpoints. The Claim Your Style releases always offer six unique color schemes, and this year is the first Caran d’Ache has offered a monochrome look as opposed to mixed-and-matched colors. The current options include “Night Blue,” “Ice Blue,” “Moss Green,” “Scarlet Red,” “Tangerine,” and “Violet.” While I may have a hard time choosing a favorite this year, the dark blue and the green are both absolutely stunning. Fans of the first Claim Your Style edition will appreciate that Caran d’Ache has returned to a slightly more matte finish on these pens (which is especially pronounced on the Moss Green, shown above).

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Shown here from left: Violet, Ice Blue, Scarlet Red, Tangerine, Moss Green, and Night Blue. I love the more muted tones.

The latest Claim Your Style pens are now available in the Curated Shop, priced at $39 each. I also still have a handful of Edition Two pens remaining, with special pricing. And, yes, for those of you who want to mix and match parts, I don’t see any reason why you can’t swap clips and buttons between pens (though it’s not “officially” supported).

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we carry. By shopping with us, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Sunday Reading for August 1, 2021

1. The Late Late London Spring Pen Show (via Dapprman). I’m getting geared up for the D.C. Pen Show this coming weekend, and it’s been fun reading reviews of other pen shows that are happening. (Honestly, I like the look of a truly “distanced” pen show rather than the somewhat claustrophobic situation that tends to prevail at U.S. shows.)

2. Pen Shows Are Back, and Better Than Ever (via UK Fountain Pens). Another great report from the London Pen Show, and again, I love the look of the new setup. I hope D.C. will be similar.

3. How to Pen Show (via Inkdependence). A timely video from Mike, who will be in attendance in D.C. as well! I can't tell you how much I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again.

4. Saying Goodbye to The Pen Addict (via Pen Addict). Congratulations to Susan and best of luck in your new endeavor! I hope this isn't goodbye forever, and that Susan will still occasionally share her thoughts and excellent reviews!

5. Shibui Kibo Urushi Enamelled Copper Pen (via Dapprman). The finish on this pen looks gorgeous, and Ruth Bolton is an urushi artist to keep an eye on.

6. Taccia The Jeans Collection Classic Wash (via Fountain Pen Pharmacist). I’ve never really understood how Taccia develops their various ink lines. Sure, they make great inks, but the “Jeans” collection is kind of quirky.

7. Obligatory Mechanical Keyboard Post (via Penquisition). The mechanical keyboard hobby is something that interests me, but I’ve never jumped in wholesale, such as building my own keyboard like Evan does. I have two (one at home and one at the office) that I’ve been using for years, and I keep going back to Cherry MX Green as my switch of choice. (Stiff and Clicky!)

8. Dingbats Notebook Review (via Writing at Large). I’m glad to see that Dingbats is still making notebooks. Their paper is quite fountain pen friendly and the vegan covers quite durable.

9. Looking Back at Old Flames, with Ever Widening Eyes (via UK Fountain Pens). You may have noticed that I’m selling off a ton of inks and paper, and I haven't figured out how I’m going to reduce my pen count. I’m struggling with it to avoid later regrets.

10. Birmingham Pens Everlasting Inks (via Mountain of Ink). I love these colors, but permanent inks tend to feather and bleed a lot for me. I have a bottle of “Compost” in for review and will see how it works out.

In Case You Missed It…

This week I published the third installment of my “All the Inks” series, in which I swab my “mini collections” of ink in their entirety. Purple inks were up next, and it was interesting to see that I wasn’t as attached to many of the super-popular “cult” purples as I thought I would be. I let a lot of them go. I also wrote a short piece highlighting the new Caran d’Ache x Nespresso collaborations, which are available in the store. I love this annual release - I grab one of each installment for my personal collection. Finally, this week’s Deals & Drops highlighted the new TWSBI Swipe and more!

Pre-D.C. Pen Show Inventory Updates - Sunderland, TWSBI, and the More Regular Launch of T.G.S. Gently Used/Vintage!

I will be bringing all remaining Sunderland x T.G.S. mk1 collaboration pens to the D.C. Pen Show with me, so if you are NOT attending the show, and want to get one in the near term, I would recommend purchasing this week. As I noted, I have the new TWSBI Swipe in stock, all of the TWSBI inks (including the smaller bottles of colored inks), and the full range of Caran d’Ache x Nespresso pencils. Finally, I’ve launched the T.G.S “Gently Used” page, where I will be selling some items from my personal collection, as well as some vintage items - namely vintage pencils - that I’ve stockpiled over the years.

Sunderland MK1

Caran d'Ache

TWSBI

Rhodia

Consider Joining TGS Patreon for Access to Monthly Meetups and First Dibs on Gently Used Stationery, Exclusive Products and More!

For some additional fun, and to help support the blog consider joining the Patreon program. Patreon supporters receive special pricing and early access to product releases and collaborations such as the T.G.S. x Sunderland pen, in addition to other benefits. You can read more about T.G.S. Patreon here. This year I’ve introduced monthly online meetups, which take place on Friday or Saturday and have been super enjoyable. We’ve discussed our thoughts on pen shows restarting, recent arrivals in our personal collections, and more. I will also continue with periodic “sample sales” of gently used review items and T.G.S. collaborations, to which Patrons will have first access. The current sale is now live and features the inks that I’m selling off as I thin out my personal accumulation.

Mini Collections, Part IV: All the PURPLE Inks

I’ve decided to push through, and to post my ink inventories consecutively, as opposed to stretching these posts out over the coming months. (As I previously mentioned, I’m focused on really paring down the amount of ink that I have accumulated, and this is the most effective way to compare the various colors and decide what I like and what I can move on from.) Next up are the purple inks, a color that’s less represented in my collection in terms of number of bottles, but which is still one of my favorite “fun” colors to write with, especially for annotation purposes.

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Of course, the one that everyone wants to see is Lamy “Dark Lilac,” with Montblanc “Beatles Psychedelic Purple” a close second. So these are the top two inks on the sheet. The bottom two, leaning more heavily blue, are Colorverse “Hayabusa” and “Hayabusa Glistening.”

You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a great purple ink. Waterman “Tender Purple” (formerly “Violet”) is a bright, intense purple ink that I believe rivals many of the “cult” purples that command such a premium on the secondary market. TWSBI Violet is another sleeper, which I think approaches the tone of Montblanc Beatles Purple with slightly less vibrancy.

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Key Takeaways and Conclusions

I don’t use my purple inks as often as other colors, and even though I don’t have as many, I don’t really need what I have. Therefore, I’ve decided to make some hard choices to pare down the collection:

1. After much consideration, I’m going to move on from a lot of the “popular” inks that I’ve accumulated over the years. While Lamy Dark Lilac and Montblanc Beatles Purple are great colors, I don’t use them enough to justify keeping them around when others will likely enjoy them more. These are going in the Patreon Sale today along with several others.

2. The purple inks that I enjoy the most are the ones that aren’t very expensive. Waterman Tender Purple and TWSBI Violet can be had for a song, so there’s no need for me to have a ton of money locked up in (much) more expensive inks, some purchased at a premium on the secondary market, especially where there are relatively close equivalents should I occasionally want to write in that particular shade.

3. For those looking for a substitute for Lamy Dark Lilac, consider picking up Diamine “Pansy” from the Flower Set, or Diamine Monboddo’s Hat, which I’ve not personally tried but many swear by as a close match. Montblanc Beatles Purple is a bit harder to duplicate. While the shade of purple is fairly common (it’s a bright violet), other inks have a hard time matching the vibrancy after the ink dries. Both TWSBI Violet and Iroshizuku Murasaki Shikibu have somewhat similar tones but don’t maintain the brightness when dry.

4. I’m partial to purple inks that lean heavily blue, such as Colorverse Hayabusa and Diamine Iris (another from the exceptional Flower Set). Over time, I’ve become less enamored with very dark purples-black inks, such as Sailor-Bungubox Ink of Witch and the Lamy Dark Lilac. I guess tastes evolve.

Further Reading and Personal Ink Sale Details

If you missed the first installments of my multi-part ink comparison, check out my post on “All the Red Inks” here, and “All the Green Inks” here. (I have many more red and green inks in my collection than any other color, so these will be the most comprehensive.) Also, here’s how I’m handling my “ink liquidation”: All bottles that I decide to sell go into the Patreon sale page for a week, and anything that Patreon members don’t claim goes to the public “Gently Used” page, where I occasionally post stuff from my own personal collection for sale. I recently moved a bunch of green and red inks, as well as vintage pencils and other items, to that page. Though I am not an official retailer of any of the items listed, any gently used orders can be combined with Curated Shop orders to meet the free shipping threshold. I’m not looking to profiteer here - nearly everything is listed at below retail, and where a premium is charged, it’s for a bottle I had to work hard to get or for which I paid over retail on the secondary market.

Disclaimer: This post does not contain paid affiliate links. Going forward, T.G.S is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

New Arrivals: TWSBI Swipe Is Now In Stock! Plus Caran d'Ache Nespresso and More Sunderlands!

In addition to the launch of the Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 pencils, this week also saw the arrival of the much-discussed TWSBI Swipe, TWSBI’s first cartridge-converter pen. We received our initial shipment, plus TWSBI cartridges and an ink restock! You may also have seen my Instagram announcement that several new products (mainly red inks from last week’s sampling), have been added to the “Gently Used” page. While those items come from my personal collection, they can be combined with shop orders to take advantage of the free shipping offers.

1. TWSBI Swipe Fountain Pen. Many were wondering, “Will TWSBI ever release a cartridge-converter fountain pen? Well, now the wait is over. The Swipe arrived on the doorstep yesterday afternoon, and they are now live and ready to ship. We also have cartridges and the full range of TWSBI bottled ink, with the 1790 Colors now available for purchase individually!

2. Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Fixpencil. As I discussed in yesterday’s post, for this year’s collaboration with Nespresso, Caran d’Ache decided to go in an entirely new direction, releasing a limited edition version of their iconic Fixpencil.

3. Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Swiss Wood Pencils. In addition to the Fixpencil, Caran d’Ache decided to release a set of special edition Swiss Wood pencils, featuring three metallic capsules, a special imprint, and graphite made from 25% recycled coffee grounds! (Don’t worry, I tested them out and to me, the pencils write like any other Swiss Wood!)

4. T.G.S. x Sunderland Machine Works mk1 Exclusive Edition. Our exclusive collaboration with Pennsylvania-based Sunderland on a bead-blasted, matte-black and red version of Sunderland’s signature EDC gel-rollerball pen is back in stock! If you’re wondering why we chose this particular model for our second store exclusive, you can read my write-up here.

5. Write Notepads Spiral and Reporter Notebooks. I’ve fully restocked on Write Notepads Spiral and Reporter Notebooks, in all colors! This paper is among my favorite for everyday writing, and if you want an example of how it can show off fountain pen ink, look no further than my recent ink color comparisons.

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Back to School/Work Season Is Upon Us - Don’t Forget to Check Out Our Notebook Systems and Reading Accessories!

School starts for us in less than two weeks - I know, I can’t believe it snuck up like that. If you’re headed back soon (to work or school), be sure to check out our ranges of notebook and organizational systems, including notebooks, refills, and accessories from Traveler’s Company, Midori MD, and now Stálogy! We also stock a wide assortment of reading accessories, including Book Darts page markers (one of my absolute favorite items we carry in the shop), and desk accessories from Hightide Co. and WMS & Co.

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of all brands we carry. By shopping with us, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Something Completely Different, and Yes, a Little Weird: Nespresso x Caran d'Ache Edition No. 4

For the past several years, Caran d’Ache has released an annual special edition collaboration with Nespresso, and to date, the release has always been an 849 ballpoint, such as last year’s “Arpeggio” pen. All of the various Caran d’Ache x Nespresso products share one thing in common: they are made from aluminum recovered from recycled Nespresso capsules, as part of Nespresso’s capsule recycling initiative. (If you own a Nespresso machine, you are likely familiar with the prepaid recycling bags included with your capsule orders, in which you can return your used capsules to the company.) This year’s release, however, goes in a completely different direction in the sense that it expands the Nespresso line to include both a special edition Fixpencil and Swiss Wood pencil set, and also incorporates a new graphite consisting of 25% recycled Nespresso coffee grounds.

For starters, let’s talk about this coffee-grounds graphite. While it sounds a bit…weird…I didn’t notice much, if any, difference from Caran d’Ache’s graphite core found in either the standard HB Fixpencil lead or the standard Swiss Wood pencil. (For the Fixpencil, your writing experience with the “new” graphite will actually be limited to the core that ships with the new Fixpencil - as of now Caran d’Ache doesn’t sell refills, so you will simply refill with standard Fixpencil leads.) While the graphite might be a selling point for some from a sustainability perspective, I didn’t find that it changed the writing experience all that much.

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Visually, the orange Fixpencil in particular is stunning. I’m a bit biased, since I love orange finishes on writing instruments, and this sort of dark matte copper/orange color is somewhat uncommon. I also enjoy the “grippiness” of the finish on the various Nespresso editions, and No. 4 is no exception. I really do hope this particular Fixpencil sticks around for a while, or at the very least Caran d’Ache continues to expand the lineup.

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With respect to the Swiss Wood Pencils, in addition to the recycled coffee grounds used in the graphite, Caran d’Ache has added a special inscription and metallic caps, which do not appear to be actual metal but rather a paint or coating, so there is no change to the balance of the pencil. If you’re a fan of the Swiss Wood, the Crayons de la Maison Caran d’Ache, or any of the other special edition pencils the company has released over the past few years, you’ll want to check these out.

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We currently have both Edition No. 4 products available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop. The Caran d’Ache x Nespresso Edition No. 4 Fixpencil retails for $40, while the Swiss Wood Pencil Set retails for $20. We do still have some limited stock of the Edition No. 3 849 ballpoint remaining, though I don’t know for how long Caran d’Ache will continue to make or distribute this pen since Edition No. 4 has now hit stores. Please check out these and our full range of other Caran d’Ache products, both standard and special editions!

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Caran d’Ache products an all other brands we carry. By shopping with us, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more.