(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!)
Be still my glitter goth heart. I held off on the Pelikan M205 Moonstone, because I already have the Star Ruby, and I told myself I didn't need this one, too. We all lie to ourselves, sometimes. It continued to haunt me. Thankfully, Brad (the best) sent one my way from JetPens, and I am so glad he did. This is a gorgeous pen, and totally in keeping with the quality I expect from Pelikan.
Like the Ruby, this one is really difficult to photograph. The pen looks plain grey in so many photos, but it's really a misty transparent acrylic that is completely saturated with very fine rainbow sparkles. When you hold it to the light, you can see how transparent it really is, in keeping with the gemstone theme.
It's not only beautiful, but it's a very well-made pen. As I've mentioned before, Pelikan is a brand that doesn't treat its lower-tier pens like lesser-than versions of the expensive models. This pen feels every bit as refined as its upper-echelon peers. It is all flush joins and precise edges with crisp details. Because it's part of the Classic line, and not the Souveran line, it sacrifices a few fancy features for a lower price tag, but it sacrifices absolutely nothing in quality. These Pelikan Classic limited edition pens come in at $192, half the cost of the Souveran specials. That is an increase from when the Ruby came out at under $170, but it's still reasonable for this pen, in my opinion.
It has a steel nib instead of gold, but Pelikan's steel nibs are every bit as smooth as most gold nibs. I have to double-check every time to even be sure it is steel and not gold. This one is an extra fine, but writes more broadly than a lot of extra fine nibs, as Pelikan’s do. It writes very well with a bit of feedback but no scratchiness. This nib is actually a little drier than I like, which is rare for Pelikan. Most of mine have been firehoses, so this may be an anomaly.
The pen body, cap, and grip section are made in ethereal, shimmering acrylic. It has chromium plated trim, with the characteristic Pelikan bill clip. The clip is just the right amount of firm and springy. The finial is black plastic with a silver stenciled pelican with one chick. Overall, it looks classy. It's not glittery in a kitschy way--it's fine, and subtle enough that it looks more like a shimmer, from a distance. Up close, in direct light, you can see the sparks of complex colors and depth to its finish. It's more playful than standard Pelikan fare, but stops well short of glitzy. The cap posts securely, and it is very comfortable to hold, posted or not, for my hands.
I should probably stop trying to resist these Pelikan gemstone limited editions. They're perfectly understated fun, really great quality, and fairly priced. I don't know if future editions will match this perfect blend of glitter and gloom that I love so much, but I have a feeling this isn't my last Pelikan gemstone pen.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
