It’s been a while since any pen has received as much acclaim as the recent collaboration between Leonardo Officina Italiana and Jonathon Brooks of the Carolina Pen Company. Jonathon’s “Primary Manipulation” acrylic features more than six pigments mixed to create a swirled pattern of incredible depth, and back when we still had pen shows, pens made from these materials were always the subject of an early rush at the Carolina Pen Company table. So, when Leonardo first teased this collaboration a couple of months ago, you can imagine the hype. I was lucky enough to snag a pen in each of the two patterns: “Stromboli” (with green as the predominant color) and “Vesuvio” (where red predominates).

I’ve previously reviewed the Leonardo Momento Zero and the Momento Zero Grande, with the special edition Arlecchino making my list of favorite products from the first half of the year. The “Primary Manipulation” MZG easily knocks that one off the list (though the Arlecchino is still a great pen). Leonardo did justice to this unique material, in that the design and finish on the Momento Zero Grande really shows off its depth and vibrancy.

The depth on this particular area of my Stromboli pen is absolutely stunning. Check out that purple swirl! Given the nature of this material, no two pens are alike.

In addition to the unique materials, this version of the Momento Zero Grande is the first pen in my collection to feature Leonardo’s new high-capacity piston filler, which holds 1.5ml of ink. Prior versions of the Momento Zero Grande, such as the Arlecchino, featured a “captured converter,” which still held a good amount of ink but wasn’t a true integrated piston. I believe that going forward, new models of the Momento Zero Grande will feature the high-capacity piston.

The “Vesuvio” model in-hand. Despite its size, the Momento Zero Grande feels incredibly light posted.

As I’ve mentioned before, the Momento Zero Grande shows that an oversized fountain pen can still be comfortable to use, provided the pen is well-balanced and steps are taken to keep the weight down. Comparing the two pens in hand, the Primary Manipulation featuring the integrated piston is actually lighter and less back-weighted than the Arlecchino, making it the easier pen to post. (Overall, the Primary Manipulation weights 1.2oz inked, while the Arlecchino weighs in at 1.4oz. Neither is particularly heavy as far as larger pens go.)

I’m developing quite a collection of special edition Leonardo’s in rare materials. From left, the Arlecchino Momento Zero Grande, a standard Momento Zero in OMAS “Burkina” celluloid, the Stromboli, a standard Momento Zero in OMAS “Burlwood” celluloi… — I’m developing quite a collection of special edition Leonardo’s in rare materials. From left, the Arlecchino Momento Zero Grande, a standard Momento Zero in OMAS “Burkina” celluloid, the Stromboli, a standard Momento Zero in OMAS “Burlwood” celluloid, the Vesuvio, and a standard Momento Zero in OMAS “Arco Verde” celluloid. The three pens in OMAS materials formed part of a limited edition “Maestro” set of which only 15 were made.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Everything that Leonardo continues to do impresses me, and hopefully this collaboration with Jonathon on the “Primary Manipulation” model is the beginning of a trend where pen companies and smaller artisan makers like Jonathon collaborate to bring some truly unique pens to the market. Personally, things have seemed a bit stale lately, and this project was just what I needed to rekindle my interest.

The two Primary Manipulation models shown here with the Arlecchino limited edition (far left).

The standard Momento Zero Grande is priced at $329 for a steel nib version, and $549 for a 14kt version, which I consider very good value for a pen of this quality. Special editions such as the Momento Zero Primary Manipulation are priced slightly higher, with Goldspot selling it from $599 (an incredible value given the uniqueness and current limited availability). While Leonardo produced a relatively small number of pens for this initial run, the Primary Manipulation pens form a non-numbered special edition, and the word on the street is that more pens are on the way. I ended up having to hunt for my pens, since this edition was in high demand, and ordered my Stromboli and Vesuvio pens from Appelboom in the Netherlands and Casa della Stilografica in Italy, respectively.

Disclaimer: I purchased both pens pictured here with my own funds for my own collection. I did not receive any discount unavailable to the general public and paid standard retail. This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

Italian brand Leonardo Officina Italiana - referred to as “Leonardo” for short - has developed into one of the major success stories in the modern fine writing market. Founded after the collapse of Delta by designer and penmaker Salvatore Matrone (who previously worked for Delta), Leonardo has gradually expanded its lineup from the original Momento Zero to include the “Furore,” the newly announced “Messenger,” and the pen reviewed here, the “Momento Zero Grande.” I’ve chosen to review a limited edition version of the latter: the Momento Zero Grande Arlecchino (“Harlequin”) that was announced a few months back.

Leonardo’s packaging on the Arlecchino is reminiscent of OMAS, from the box liner to the faceted ink bottle. (The ink is excellent, by the way. Look for a separate review soon.)

The Problematic History of the Omas Arlecchino

This particular pen is inspired by the Omas limited edition “Arlecchino” fountain pen from the early 2000s, of which only 750 were made. While beautiful, the celluloid used to make these pens had a tendency to degrade over time, resulting in cracks and deterioration in the structure of the pen. Instead of attempting to work with the classic Arlecchino celluloid - if any even remains usable - Leonardo (or someone assisting in the production of these pens) developed an acrylic that closely resembled the original, with similar shades of green, black, and orange scattered throughout. I don’t know that it’s been clearly communicated that the material used to make the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande is NOT the same material used by Omas, given that I’ve received multiple comments from those concerned that this pen will disintegrate. The structural issues affecting celluloid generally do not affect acrylic resin (provided it is competently made), and this particular “Arlecchino” pen does not pose the same long-term durability issues.

The “Arlecchino” acrylic features darker orange, olive green, and black flecks within a lighter orange/peach base color.

Momento-Zero-Grande-Arlecchino-Full-Length

Design and Build Quality of the Momento Zero Grande

Like the standard Momento Zero, the build quality on the larger version is exceptional. I understand that all Leonardo pens are hand-turned, and the pens reflect a high degree of expert craftsmanship in both the design and the finish. The appeal of any pen from a design standpoint is naturally subjective. Longtime readers of this blog know that I was a fan of Delta - at least their “subtler” designs - and the Momento Zero Grande falls squarely within that tradition.

Like many larger Delta Pens, the Momento Zero Grande features a piston/captured converter system that holds a lot of ink. To fill the pen, you don’t need to unscrew the section. The blind cap reveals the end of the converter - in effect the hidden “… — Like many larger Delta Pens, the Momento Zero Grande features a piston/captured converter system that holds a lot of ink. To fill the pen, you don’t need to unscrew the section. The blind cap reveals the end of the converter - in effect the hidden “piston knob” - that fans of Delta pens either loved or hated.

The Arlecchino is far from a minimalist pen, and the material itself may come across as a bit loud to some, but it’s generally free from unnecessary adornments. Leonardo elected use a subtle zigzag engraving on the cap band and the ring just below the blind cap. The design, along with the Greek key pattern etched onto the captured converter, lends the pen an Art Deco vibe.

This is a high capacity converter which threads onto the section. I assume it can be removed for cleaning, but I’m not sure I would do it. I like that you can unscrew the section to check your ink level.

Nib and Overall Writing Experience

The Momento Zero Grande is a large pen. There’s no getting past that, and the size and weight will work for some but not others. After writing with this pen for a month, I actually think it’s at or near the limit of what I could consider comfortable - BUT I love it. Unposted, the balance is perfect for me, because the added weight from the captured converter system falls directly between my thumb and forefinger. Those with smaller hands will likely find the Momento Zero Grande too large and back-weighted. Larger hands shouldn’t have a problem, and may even be able to post this pen comfortably.

The standard Momento Zero Grande features a stainless steel No. 6 Bock nib, which is typically tuned quite well out of the factory but I sometimes find that I have to reset the nib to adjust ink flow. The Arlecchino limited edition featured here comes with a 14k gold nib on an ebonite feed, and writes quite well, like all the other Leonardo pens I own with this nib/feed combination. I opted for a fine nib here, and while I might characterize the line it writes as closer to an extra-fine, it has a steady inkflow with none of the Bock quality control issues that might give someone pause.

The color patterns in the Arlecchino material makes this a perfect pairing with green and red inks. Writing sample shown here with Montblanc Irish Green, which I reviewed this past week.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Because Leonardo speaks to my vintage-inspired design aesthetic, this pen was a no-brainer purchase for me, and I snapped up No. 67/100 immediately. Fans of the Momento Zero probably shouldn’t hesitate to pick one up, especially since the “Grande” line features some of the more interesting materials Leonardo has used. In addition to the Arlecchino, Leonardo also released a series of “Art Deco” ebonite pens that I waited too long on, but I may try to grab one on the secondary market in the “Mustard” color. As noted above, my one word of caution on this pen is the sizing. If you’ve had trouble using larger pens in the past, you may want to hold a Momento Zero Grande in person before purchasing, or buy from a retailer with a flexible return policy in case the pen turns out to be too large and/or heavy.

I was surprised to see that the Momento Zero Grande was actually longer than the Montblanc 149, which I’ll be putting into rotation this month. Here, the Arlecchino is shown compared against, from left: (1) Standard Leonardo Momento Zero (in “Pietra… — I was surprised to see that the Momento Zero Grande was actually longer than the Montblanc 149, which I’ll be putting into rotation this month. Here, the Arlecchino is shown compared against, from left: (1) Standard Leonardo Momento Zero (in “Pietra Marina” Sea Stone Acrylic); (2) Montblanc 149; and (3) a Lamy 2000.

As Leonardo pens have grown in popularity, the Momento Zero and the Momento Zero Grande have become more widely available. I purchased the Arlecchino pen featured in this review from site sponsor Appelboom, which still has pens in stock, but only with gold trim. A few stores still appear to have both versions, including Casa della Stilografica and Novelli. The Arlecchino special edition is priced at around $480 at Appelboom, which I consider standard (or even on the lower side) for a larger handmade limited edition pen with a gold nib. If you’re interested in the standard Momento Zero Grande, my go-to sources for Leonardo Pens are Appelboom in Europe and The Nibsmith and Pen Chalet in the United States. The standard pen (with a steel nib) is priced anywhere from $260-300, and some retailers offer a gold nib for an upcharge.

Recommendations for Further Reading

Since it’s release, I’ve written several posts on the Leonardo Momento Zero and various limited and special editions. My original review can be found here, which includes pictures of the celluloid “Maestro Set” I acquired last year, and I wrote a follow up on the Leonardo x Pen Chalet special edition collaboration in which they released a Momento Zero reminiscent of the discontinued Delta Dolcevita. Finally, if you’d like a writing sample of Leonardo’s 14k stub nib, see Part II of my “Stock Stub Nibs” profile.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use, though I did use some store credit generated through the Appelboom affilate program, one of may ways I use to support the blog.