(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
I have never owned or even tested a modern Parker fountain pen. I once owned a Parker 51 in Cedar, but I could never get that pen flushed out, and I eventually sold it.
My old Parker 51
So, I wasn’t at all sure what to expect from a modern Parker, like this Parker Premier Monochrome Titanium model. This pen arrived in a black clamshell box with black velveteen lining. The black velvet really shows off the silver finish on this pen. Included with the pen are a box of blue Parker cartridges, a converter, a polishing cloth, and a booklet.
I must say that this pen is absolutely gorgeous. The titanium PVD finish is etched and that gives the pen a semi-matte look.
The barrel is adorned with triple sets of engraved rings—two sets on the grip and one at the base of the barrel. The rings make the design interesting without overwhelming the classic lines of the pen. Plus, the grooves on the grip provide some texture so your fingers don’t slip as much.
The snap cap has matching rings on the finial and cap ring. Plus, the Parker logo, name, and the word “France” are engraved on the cap ring. This is pretty low-key branding, and it suits the pen. The clip is a classic Parker arrow design. It flexes well and will clip easily to a shirt pocket or pad of paper.
The pen is postable, but as usual, I find posting throws off the balance too much to make it practical, especially since this pen is fairly weighty. The Premier is a medium-sized pen. It is 5 inches uncapped, 6.2 inches posted, and 5.5 inches capped. It weighs a total of 45 grams.
You can fill the pen with the supplied Parker cartridges or with the converter. The converter is an especially nice model with metal fittings. It holds .5ml of ink.
The nib is a Ruthenium-plated 18k gold medium, and it writes beautifully. It is engraved with Parker’s arrow design.
It has a little give to it, so it doesn’t write like a nail. It offers a tiny bit of line variation.
I used this pen to take notes during my Honors Old Testament oral final. While the students responded to my questions, I wrote their responses as quickly as I could. The nib kept up with me, and never missed a stroke. I was very impressed as I wrote constantly for an hour and a half with no problems whatsoever.
One thing I don’t like about this pen is the metal grip. Even with the engraved rings, my fingers slipped when they got warm and sweaty. This is simply unavoidable with a metal grip. Still, I found the Parker’s grip to be much better than smooth metal grips. I never had to wipe my fingers off in order to keep writing.
The only other minor quibble I have is that ink gets caught in the engraved rings when you fill the pen. This isn’t a major problem, but you do have to clean out the rings if you fill the converter via the nib. You can avoid this by simply filling the converter and inserting it into the pen.
I fell in love with this Parker Premier. It convinced me that I need a modern Parker in my life. I’m looking for one with a non-metal grip so my fingers won’t slip as much.
If you are looking for a classic modern pen that writes beautifully and exudes professionalism, the Parker Premier in titanium is an excellent choice. You can purchase this pen from Goldspot Pens for $419.95 (current sale price).
Pros
- The Parker Premier in titanium is an elegant, professional looking fountain pen. I particularly like the etched/matte exterior.
- Although I normally prefer screw-on caps, the snap cap on the Premier attaches firmly to the barrel, and it does not rattle or rotate loosely.
- The pen is hefty, but I found it completely comfortable while writing constantly for an hour and a half.
- The nib is fantastic. It is smooth and has a bit of bounce to it.
Cons
- Because the grip is metal, it can get slippery if your fingers sweat like mine do.
- Ink can get caught in the engraved rings on the grip when you fill the pen.
- This pen is expensive, retailing for $525.00. Goldspot is currently offering it at a sale price, but it is out of stock. I read elsewhere that this pen is no longer being produced. So it may be difficult to get your hands on this exact model.
(Goldspot provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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