Maker: Faber-Castell.
This pen is at the upper end of Faber-Castell’s non-luxury offerings, although because of variations in trim pricing it shares its perch with two other models. Like most of the pens Faber-Castell offers without a “Graf von” in front of the name, the capitalization of its name doesn’t follow normal conventions; according to the catalogue, it’s all lower-case.
It has, approaching it rather subjectively, somewhat more interesting lines than the most of the company’s modern pens, having a tapered rather than parallel sides to the barrel, and a complimentary taper to the cap. The finish is extremely good– the tolerances are such that it is hard to make out the joint of the section above the barrel threads. I have some doubts about the durability of the top-end “pure black” anodized aluminum trim, which most people would call a stealth look, but that doubt is general to that style of trim rather than specific to the model; matte black on a metal base tends to show through eventually, however it’s applied.
Functionally, the points are generally extremely smooth, as for most of the company’s pens, but for some users there will be a concern about the section becoming slippery after a few minutes handling. Oddly, despite being well-shaped for the practice, posting is not something this pen does; some reviewers have found that the cap starts to lose its grip on the tail of the pen after a few sessions of writing, while my example declined to hold on from right out of the box. This means that it is effectively a rather short pen, uncomfortably so for those with hands much above the average size. It is also a fairly heavy pen, so not having the cap hanging off the barrel while writing might be considered an advantage.
Having hands only slightly above average size for a North American male, and not being committed to posting, I find the pen comfortable enough for daily use and have yet to have a problem with slipperiness. I am also very fond of the clip, which is works in much the same clothes-pin-ish manner as the old Sheaffer Stylist, but without being hideously ugly. The pen is very secure in the pocket, although it is also rather high above the line of the pocket– people will know you’ve got a pen in your pocket, and from some distance away.
Production Run: c. 2005 to present (I haven’t been able to find a firm initial date for it).
Cost When New: the 2015 MSRP is $130, $135, or $175, depending on the body materials.
Size: 13.8 cm long capped, 14.9 cm posted, 11.7 cm uncapped.
Point: Steel.
Body: Depending on model, wood, resin or aluminum (in ascending order of cost).
Filler: Cartridge, capacity approx. 0.6 ml or 1.2ml (international type), or converter, capacity approx. 1.0 ml
Faber-Castell e-motion in “ivory parquet” resin.
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