(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
It can be a little dangerous watching Brad's Twitch streams. I mean, it's always exceedingly pleasant, but every now and then he unboxes something on stream, and I end up buying one. As soon as I saw the packaging for Gravitas Pens, I knew I was in trouble. The pen tube has Ogham lettering down the side, an ancient alphabet from Ireland that my best friend and I memorized in middle school so that we could pass notes in code. Gravitas is based in Dublin, owned by pen designer Ben Walsh. I love all things Ireland, and now I love Gravitas, too.
Brad's pens were a lovely metallic rainbow color. Totally stunning. So I clicked over to the site, and then I saw the Skulls. Spooky Irish fountain pens? How could I not? Very glad I did.
My pen is machined aluminum in anodized black with a laser-etched design with skulls and filigree that looks like delicate lace. Perfectly Gothic. The pen body is symmetrically tapered at both ends, and has triple-start threads, so it unscrews quickly and easily. At each finial is a tip of silicon nitride to protect it from damage. The grip section is matte finished black aluminum. The finish stops it from being too slippery. The grip tapers slightly, then flares at the end to stop fingers from sliding onto the nib. The threads are not sharp, and the step is angled and smooth. It's very well designed for comfortable writing. And while it's a heavy pen, it's well balanced and doesn't cause fatigue.
The cap does not post, and you wouldn't want to mess up that beautiful etching by posting, anyway. There is no clip or roll stop, so you'll need to stay vigilant on uneven surfaces. The nib is a #6 Jowo. I got a medium, and it's a perfect writer. Smooth and not too wet or dry. I have noticed some nib drying between writing sessions, which is fairly common in metal machined pens. It sometimes needs a little extra ink fed from the converter to get writing again. It does come with a standard converter, as well as six ink cartridges, but will take any standard international cartridge or converter.
Between the comfortable grip, the great design, and the fantastic nib, this pen will be one that stays in rotation. This fancy one sells for 95 Euros, and Walsh offers a number of colors and designs, as well as non-fountain pens in a range of prices--all very reasonable for the quality. This is a brand I'll keep my eyes on. I don't know if any design can top the one I already have, but I'm excited to see what Ben comes up with next.
(I purchased this pen with my own funds at regular price from Gravitas Pens.)
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