This week we finally get to introduce two new brands to our newly redesigned store! We are happy to welcome Opus 88, famous for their Japanese-style eyedropper fountain pens, as well as Retro 51, known for their Tornado-series rollerballs and ballpoints that are available in a wide variety of themes and finishes. Stay tuned as we completely revamp the shopping experience here at T.G.S., as the new site give us much more flexibility to add additional product lines and navigate our growing offerings.
The Opus 88 Koloro was the first pen I picked up from the brand - I still love the combination of acrylic and ebonite.
To read more about the versatility Opus 88 offers both in terms of nib compatibility and ease of use when traveling, check out our “Workhorse Pens” write-up that’s been a longstanding favorite post of many. We currently offer select pens from the Opus 88 Koloro, Demonstrator, Jazz, and Harmony lines, as well as a selection of nib units which are JoWo threaded and therefore compatible with other pens that accept JoWo nib units.
The Retro 51 Rescue Collection features animal-themed designs, including protected and endangered species.
For Retro 51, we have a selection of Tornado Rollerballs, which can be used with either short Schmidt Capless Rollerball Refills or Schmidt Easyflow 9000 ballpoint refills (or any other Parker-style refill). Our current selection includes standard lacquered finishes, the dark “stealth” finishes, the Vintage Metalsmith collection, and the “Rescue” Editions (where Retro donates a portion of proceeds to animal rescue and conservation groups). We also have a couple of their 1.15mm twist-action mechanical pencils, which is one of the more unique pencil offerings out there!
Finally, we have received a very small shipment of this year’s Pilot Vanishing Point Limited Edition, “Golden Journey”. Inspired by the Japanese art and philosophy of Kintsugi, this pen features a pearlescent dark blue barrel accented with lines of metallic gold paint. This absolutely beautiful fountain pen also features Pilot’s yellow gold trim and nib unit, which has been discontinued from the regular line in the U.S.
Those of you may notice that the T.G.S. online storefront looks different, and that’s because we’ve completely redesigned the experience and moved to Shopify! Read more on what’s new and what you can expect in this post from Sunday. You can also see these pens in person at our Nashville shop, which will be open this week normal hours from 1-5pm Thursday and Friday and from 10am-5pm on Saturday.