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I wanted to share with you all some photos of one of the more interesting pens in my collection: the Diplomat Bruyére, a special edition pen that seems to have been a fairly unusual departure for Diplomat. This pen was introduced when Diplomat was owned by IMCO J. Michaelis, its second owner, between roughly 1981 and 1999. I'm not sure exactly when this pen was introduced during that period, but the packaging appears to me to be from some time in the 80s. The same pen was also sold through Tiffany, the NYC jeweller, with both Diplomat and Tiffany markings. (If anyone happens to know more about the timeline, please share in the comments!) The pen is about the same size as the current Excellence A2 model and the Classics that were its predecessor. And despite what some might think, the pen is not plastic resin. It is actually made of briarwood (hence the name "Bruyére," French for briarwood). Briarwood is a moor shrub, the roots of which have been used for making tobacco pipes since the 19th century. The size of the pen is about the same as the current Excellence A2 and the previous Classic models, but the shape and style of it is quite different. In fact, rumour has it this pen is actually a Platinum. This might seem surprising if it weren't for the fact that Joachim Michaelis was apparently fond of collaborations within the (fountain) pen world. There are pens produced by Inoxcrom that are identical in every way but the logo and name, and the reintroduction of the Kaweco Sport produced pens sporting 'by Diplomat' on the barrel and using Diplomat's distribution system. In the photos below, you can see the beautiful (and soft) 18k nib, which, except for the name Diplomat, looks very much like a Platinum nib. It is a B, but writes much closer to a M, which is perhaps another indication that it is a Japanese-produced nib. Here is the pen currently fitted with a new Platinum converter after the original converter wore out: I was lucky enough to get this pen with its original luxury packaging which seems to me to be from the 1980s. It includes the price tag showing an original price of 495 DM. Included in the original packaging was this brochure explaining the process of selecting and using the briarwood (in several languages): Thanks for reading! And please feel free to share your comments and questions!

I have a bottle of Diplomat red ink. I have used it very rarely. I haven't even fully filled a converter with it... I don't like the colour but someone else might. I don't charge money for the ink, but I do need you to cover the shipping costs. I live in the Netherlands. First come first serve. Happy penning, love, Alma

There isn't an over-abundance of information about Diplomat pens on the forum and I haven't been able to identify this understated guy. I bought him for 18E on the small ads. It's the first Diplomat I have owned and I can report that it is a shockingly fine pen for 5 times that price. It has little sign of age, writes very well and gives the impression of being very solid in construction. I would compare it to a middle range Waterman of the 80s, but without the rust. The pen works well with standard/Pelikan cartridges and converters. The body is a grey and black granite enamel or plastic coat over brass. The cap is brass and the clip is GP steel, stamped 'Germany'. The body finial is convex gold plated brass and the cap finial has a gold ink on brass legend 'Diplomat Germany'. In the centre is a three-line logo, which is also present in the clip. I had always associated a Maltese cross logo with Diplomat but it is nowhere to be found on the pen. The nib is gold plated steel, some of the gold has worn off. The nib has no breather hole but has the same three line logo and is marked 'Diplomat B'. It's one of those super smooth, who needs gold, steel nibs. A great writer. Can anyone identify which model it is, or tell me more about it?

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if any of the Diplomat experts in this forum can help me identify the model of this pen. It is the exact size and shape as my Optimist, so my first guess would be an Esteem (I don't have one to compare it to). But I have only seen the Esteem with the current teardrop logo and this one has the (anniversary?) clip with a cross medallion. And since I'm very new to collecting Diplomats, I have also not yet been able to figure out when the Esteem was introduced and/or what the name of a possible predecessor might have been. So any information would be greatly appreciated! After purchasing two new Diplomats (an Excellence A2 Oxyd Brass and the Optimist in the second photo), I kind of 'accidentally' started collecting them (ahem... obsessively seeking out older models 😅) a few months ago. As such, any additional 'trivia' is also more than welcome. I'm new to the forum as a member, but I have followed quite a few of the posts and found a lot of great information on here so far! Thanks so much for the help!

Hi guys! I'd like to share with you a quick video review of the diplomat aero (Steel nib) I made recently! I think this is an amazing pen and just wanted to share my thoughts and the unboxing experience with you guys if you are interested in getting one of your own! Video review link! I'd have to say that if you're on the fence about getting one, you should just pull the trigger and get one! Let me know if you guys have an questions or comments! Links to where to get one; Diplomat catalog; http://www.diplomat-pen.com/product-category/diplomat/aero/ Get one here!; https://www.overjoyed.xyz/product/diplomat-aero-blackorange-fountain-pen-fine-45591

Pros- Beautiful Finish Perfectly Balanced Amazing Nib (both steel & gold nibs are amazing). Snap Cap Very Solid Pen, Almost Indestructible Comfortable grith Great Packing Cons- Price is very higher for steel nib variant , you will get too many gold nibs in this price segment. Clip is tight. Diplomat don’t has good Customer Service, incase your pen turns out to be faulty. It’s a Heavy Pen, And people with small hands won’t like this pen. Some things you need to know – Body Material – Lacquered Metal Cap Type- Snap Cap Filling Mechanism- Cartridge, Converter Grip Material- Resin Nib Size – Extra Fine, Fine, Medium Postable – Yes Trim – Silver Diameter Body – 13.1mm (0.52in) Diameter Cap – 14.4mm (0.57in) Grip Diameter- 10.2mm (0.40in) Length (Body) -128.5mm (5.06in) Length (Cap) – 62.9mm (2.48in) Length(Nib) – 22.4mm (0.88in) Length Overall – 138.5mm (5.45in) Weight (body) – 28.0g (0.99oz) Weight (cap) – 18.0g (0.63oz) Weight Overall – 46.0g (1.62oz) Capacity of convertor- 1.17 ml Other Aspects – Packing- Great! you will like the presentation. It contains pen resting on Diplomat Satin Pillow, converter,cartridge & service guide. Design – The pen is perfectly balanced,with a very simple minimalistic branding. It’s aesthetically pleasing. There is a small stepdown from the body to the grip section.You won’t have any issue with grip section.It is not smooth & even people with large hands will love this. Nib Performance- It has amazing steel nib, one of the best steel nibs I have ever used (my favorite still is OPUS 88 nib). It is very smooth & on par with many gold nibs. It also comes with gold nib , you have to pay extra $130 for it. I have it too, it is equally nice. It writes very well too. But price goes too high with gold nib, their are many amazing pens available in that category. For anyone looking for heavy pen with a good nib, I will recommend it. Note – I have three of these, one with steel nib & other with gold nib. Two were purchased by me from Goulet Pens & third one from a local store. Full Review Link- https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/05/15/diplomat-excellence-a2-skyline-review-a-pen-you-can-consider-in-sub-250-category/

Hi! I am thinking about getting a Diplomat Traveller but I am unsure of what converters it would be compatible with. Does anyone here have any experience from this? Would international standards work? Friendly regards Gustav

Has anyone experienced with the Diplomat Trallver. Can the pen post? On Mr. Stephen Brown’s VDO review (Jan 2014), I saw the pen can post but on the VDO review of Best Fountain Pen (Nov 2016) shows the pen can not post on the barrel.

My favorite fountain pens are Waterman Carene (medium) and Sailor Pro Gear (broad). I find my Pineider Avatar (medium) and Estie (medium and broad) fountain pens to be pretty/beautiful but not exceptional writers. I enjoy the metal weight/solidity of the Carene and love the lines laid down by my two Watermans (both mediums) and my Sailors (Pro Gear and 1911). Are steel nibs by nature boring (will the Diplomat nib be the same Jowo as my Estie?) or will a Diplomat Excellence nib be both smooth and have character? Would a Diplomat Excellence (Evergreen with broad steel nib) be a good choice for me? Something else? I grew up with Parker but in recent years have expanded and would be grateful for guidance. I joined today because participants are so insightful and generous with their knowledge.

Normally I’m a fan of italian fountain pens. I started off with a Pelikan M800 though – the benchmark of a good, full-size piston filler. I was very satisfied with the Pelikan, it seemed to be everything I ever wanted from a fountain pen, I would never need another one. But later, after falling in love with the looks of it, I ordered a Delta Dolcevita and completely changed my point of view for what fountain pens are about. Handling the Dolcevita was like holding a Faberge egg in my hand, the Pelikan reminded of a free merchandise pen in comparison. The Italian culture has a profound feel for the exquisite, stemming from old tradition and masters like Bernini, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. The Germans have great composers and philosophers, but let’s face it; they have no one even close to the Italian masters of fine arts. For some time it seemed I would never buy any other pens but Italian. Then I happened to read this article on Diplomat pens: http://www.fieldnotesblog.com.au/search/label/diplomat. Until then I had always considered Diplomat pens a bit boring; traditional design, no nonsense, heavy and solid – in other words extremely German. But after reading the article in Field Notes, I couldn’t wait to order one. Now, after two weeks with my Diplomat Excellence A with a 14 Kt gold medium nib, it seems the Germans have turned the tables on fountain pens again. What a fantastic pen this is! Plain and modest in comparison to most Italians, yes, but what a performer it is, and some value for money! The pens come in several colours and finishes. Mine is a Marrakesh; a brown metallic lacquer – just one colour but thousands of nuances depending on light and environment. Fine pens are a lot about material and finish. Several makers of expensive pens can perform the same (high) level of finish as Diplomat, but this utmost feeling of everlasting quality I haven’t experienced in any other pen. The sense of solidness when unscrewing the barrel, the weight of the all-metal body, the smoothness of the beautiful in-house nib, all make a combination that is hard to describe – it’s not a feeling of luxury, but something more subtle, maybe what the Germans call “Ausgewogenheit”, a kind of fine balance, a balance between utility and beauty. If this pen was a car, it would be a Mercedes W123; the durable, yet slightly gilt-edged workhorse from the 70’s and 80’s. Writing with the Diplomat Excellence, the nib is quite “present” between your fingertips. In comparison, the Delta Dolcevita feels more like a unity of nib and barrel. With the Diplomat you really feel that you’re writing with a fairly large nib, fitted to a heavy, solid barrel. I haven’t yet decided which writing experience to prefer, I like them both. Guess it’s a matter of writing technique and personal preferences. The nib is wet and smooth, and I haven’t experienced even the slightest disturbance of ink flow. This is a first class writing instrument at all levels! I hope these pens will remain on the market for years to come. They are reminders of a time when people cared for their handwriting, and for accessories that would stay with them for a lifetime. (Sorry about the pics, I'm a lousy photographer...)

Our world is going through some difficult times, one of the consequences is that people have not been able to travel. Usually pens would be carried during travels; since traveling in person has become challenging, maybe we as a community let some of our pens travel ? I'm sure this idea has been tried before, but here goes. I'll call this FPN-Traveling Pen Initiative (very imaginative name, i know ) . The intention is simple, we let the pen travel and let others in this community try and enjoy them. Please read the rules and participate only if you agree to it. we'll receive a pen from an original donor - the person now sets the pen free and gives up ownership the person who receives the pen, gets to keep, use and enjoy the pen for 15 weeksthe receiver commits to ship the pen (at own cost) to the next randomly picked person from the list (People who have expressed their desire to do so on this thread by the date-time stated below)once the next person is picked, exchange the postal address in PM so that we don't fall foul of the GDPR/privacy regulationsyou may choose to select a person in the same country or continent if the shipping charges are significant and/or challenges with customsthe receiver commits to use FP specific inks, so that others can keep enjoying the pen. Avoid india-inks or shimmery inks that might clog the feedplease clean the nib unit thoroughly before shippingif in the 15 weeks you get a chance to travel to a different country, do take that opportunity to give/ship to a person in that country (from the list), as long as it is legal to do so (export/import regulations)if the pen gets lost / damaged in your custody, mention it on this thread and set another similar priced pen free on the FPN-TPIwhen you ship it to the next person, do consider writing a nice handwritten letterIf every one on the initial list has had a chance to enjoy the pen, call for another oneplease avoid sending the pen to the same person again, keep the spirit true as soon as you receive the pen, post a pic / msg on this thread Let me be the first donor - a mint set of Diplomat Marrakesh Raute FP with a 14K B nib and a matching mechanical pencil. I'll include the full package as well as a slightly used diplomat converter for ease. All entries on or before 7th Aug 2020 23:59CET will be considered for the list. I can ship within EU, the receiver may choose to widen the area, of course. -DanceOfLight P.S - this is works, I might consider setting more pens free on the FPN-TPI. let me know.

Hi, I have a 1,5 year old Diplomat A2, and recently discovered that the locking pin of the clip is not pushed all the way through. See attache picture. I did not notice before now, but I think it's always been this way. Has anyone else seen this problem? Anything I can do to fix myself? It's cumbersome to send back to retail/service since I purcased the pen abroad. Any tips what I should do? Best regards, Harald Antonsen

I'm a college student that got hooked or you could say got hit by the curiosity with fountain pens. The last several years I've been studying and since money was tight was satisfied with writing with the pens I already obtained. I already have a thread going on over in the nibs and tines section regarding my hunt for a flexy pen, but also am thinking about a different next pen as well. I should say I haven't decided which pen I will get first and there will be a significant amount of time in-between purchases. I will list the pens I already own as a jumping off point into a discussion of sorts I'm seeking surrounding my hunt for that "next" pen. Pens I own: Lamy 2000 - Fine Lamy Safari - Medium and 1.1 Stub Twsbi Eco - Broad and 1.1 Stub Pilot Metro - Medium, Fine, and 1.0 Stub Faber Castell Loom - Medium Jinhao x450 - Medium Goulet Churchmans Prescriptor - 1.1 Stub Conklin Crescent Filler Demo - 1.1 Stub My last pen purchase was the Lamy 2000 back in 2017. Actually the bulk of my pen purchases occurred at the start of my addiction to pens lol. Anyways the Lamy 2000 was my first big purchase and it really solidified how great it feels to write with a pen that truly speaks to you. I've learned as I grow in the hobby and learn more about pens that one pen isn't necessarily better than another pen; they just provide different experiences. I write with each one of my pens more so than others but nonetheless I reach for each one of my pens when I want to experience that unique experience that only that specific pen can offer. I'll admit my Lamy 2000 gets the most use, it's my favorite among all my pens. Time has passed and I'm starting to get that affinity again and looking at what else I can expose myself too. Here are some possibilities that I'm looking towards for my next possible pen in no particular order. Platinum 3776 Pelikan M200 / M400 Pilot Vanishing Point / Custom 823 / Custom 74 / Custom 912 Edison Collier Franklin Christoph Model 19, 20, 02, Parker 51 Waterman Caréne Diplomat Aero Sailor 1911 / Sailor Pro Gear I'll also admit price is a factor in that the ones I'm leaning towards seem to be easier to find deals, the Platinum's, Pilots, and Sailors especially. I think you can tell I'm honing in on sub $300 in terms of price. I'm leaning towards one of the pens listed with a gold nib, because I enjoyed the gold nib on my lamy 2000 and would like to experience other pens with gold nibs. At some point I probably will own all those pens listed, but for time being I'm leaning towards: Sailor 1911 or Pro Gear Platinum 3776 Pilot Vanishing Point / Custom 823 / Custom 74 / Custom 912 Pelkian m400 Waterman Caréne. Feel free to suggest other pens that you think I should definitely consider. So the discussion I'm hoping to generate is whats that gold nib pen that you think someone who hasn't experienced should definitely take a look at?

The Diplomat Aero is the third pen from the Diplomat range that I’ve added to my collection in recent times – and definitely the most interesting of the three, in terms of design! I wasn’t keen on it at first glance, but given my positive experiences with two of its stablemates – the Esteem (https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/271382-the-diplomat-esteem-conservative-german-styling-great-writing-experience/) and the Excellence A (https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/296585-the-diplomat-excellence-a-another-great-german-fountain-pen/) – I decided to take the plunge. So I contacted Kevin of JustWrite Pens (www.JustWrite.com.au), and asked if he had any left in stock. The answer came back in the affirmative – and in due course, yet another pen had made its way to my door. As with the Excellence A, the Aero is not an inexpensive pen – the recommended retail (with stainless steel nib) is up around US$195, though (once again) I was able to get a significant discount, with a site-wide 25% discount on offer during June 2015. The Diplomat Aero is not a perfect pen – it has a couple of drawbacks that I’ll outline in the review below – but it’s such a striking pen to look at, and writes so wonderfully smoothly, that I’m happy to overlook them. ______________________________________________________________________ 1. Appearance & Design (9.5/10)The Aero comes in exactly the same kind of box as the Excellence A – a generously-sized box with aluminium wrap-around lid. Inside the box I found the pen itself – a brown cigar-shaped object that tapers sharply at both ends. The barrel and cap are both deeply scored with “groove-like depressions” along their length that give the pen its distinctive look – according to Diplomat’s advertising materials, it’s designed to resemble a Zeppelin airship. http://i.imgur.com/Fp77kci.jpg http://i.imgur.com/mt6j03u.jpg I love the look of the pen when capped – the chocolate brown colour of the bulk of the pen, topped and tailed with brushed aluminium ‘finials’. It *does* look a bit like a(n elongated) Zeppelin airship – a very unusual shape, but it’s really grown on me! Uncapping the pen reveals a brushed aluminium grip section, with a fairly severe step-down from the barrel – but the length of the grip is sufficient to ensure this doesn’t create any issues in terms of comfort. 2. Construction & Quality (8/10)The Aero is a robust pen, very well made, with a full aluminium casing, and anodised surfaces – in this case, a matte brown finish. With two caveats (see below) this is a pen I’d expect to cop a lot of abuse without trouble (though if you want to retain the finish, you’ll need to take all due care!). The pen barrel appears to be quite thick, the cap a little less so – but both are extremely sturdy. The grip section threads securely into the barrel, and the cap snaps on to ensure an airtight seal, ensuring the ink won’t dry out in the nib. Be warned: at least initially, a bit of firm pressure is required to get the cap to fit snugly. http://i.imgur.com/aM7dn24.jpg http://i.imgur.com/3P4X3Wz.jpg I only have two real concerns with the quality of the construction: first, there’s the aluminium clip. I’ve read a couple of comments online that suggest it’s a little fragile. It’s certainly quite stiff and inflexible – like the rest of the pen, I believe it’s made of anodised (matte silver finish) aluminium, which I suspect may have a lower tolerance to bending and springing. The clip itself is also made of two parts – a smaller, bent section that attaches to the pen under the cap finial, and the ‘body’ of the clip itself, which runs the length of the cap. The two parts are either soldered or screwed together (or both – it’s hard to say which!). The consequence of this is that it feels a little flimsy to me – I can see how it might fairly easily snap off if it got snagged on something (at least one online review has reported this problem). http://i.imgur.com/d7Ul107.jpg http://i.imgur.com/EYwQUSU.jpg [Forgive the poor focus - my setup isn't the best!] A second, smaller concern is the ‘paintwork’ on the pen – the words ‘Diplomat’ and ‘Made in Germany’ are painted (in white) onto the anodised surface of the cap (near the base), while the logo is painted in black onto the finial. With extended usage about half the logos has worn away, and it looks likely the remainder will follow, leaving the finial a bare brushed aluminium dome. Similarly, the white text on the brown anodised aluminium has begun to wear off in places. Neither of these greatly concern me – they’re cosmetic details. What’s more, to be honest, I didn’t find the logo very attractive – if anything I think the pen looks better without it! 3. Weight & Dimensions (10/10)Like its more conservative ‘cousin’ (the Excellence A), the Aero is a substantial pen – if you prefer a lightweight pen, you should look elsewhere. It weighs 41.5g capped, and 30.5g uncapped – unlike the Excellence, the bulk of the weight is in the barrel, not the cap. http://i.imgur.com/XgmBDxs.jpg The pen is 140mm capped, and 129mm uncapped; ‘posted’ (i.e., with the cap sitting loosely on the back of the pen), it’s somewhere around the 160mm mark (my calipers max out at 155). At the join between cap and barrel (the widest point), the pen’s diameter is 15mm. The grip section is nearly 30mm long (from ‘step’ to nib), and tapers gently from a maxmimum diameter of ~12.3mm down to 10mm. http://i.imgur.com/UX9dHAM.jpg 4. Nib & Performance (9/10)The Aero takes exactly the same nib as the Excellence A –#6 size, made of stainless steel (though gold nib options are also available). Once again, I was only able to obtain the pen with a M nib – which I found to be a wonderfully smooth writer, laying down a generous amount of ink with hardly any feedback. These two pens (the Excellence A and the Aero) are among the smoothest writers in my collection – though the Esteem is not far behind (once I’d sorted out its skipping issues). The one thing that differentiates these two higher-end pens, in terms of writing experience, is the slight slipperiness of the aluminium grip section – at least in winter, when my hands are dry. I find I have to grip the pen just a little tighter than is ideal. I would have expected this to be a deal-breaker – but surprisingly, it isn’t. It takes a couple of minutes to adjust… then off I go. http://i.imgur.com/D3kH279.jpg I should also mention, for the sake of completeness: I don’t find these nibs to be very ‘flexible’. They’re not quite nails – you can gain some line variation by exerting pressure – but they’re at their best when they’re gliding across the page rather than being forced down into it. I haven’t tried the gold nibs – but my understanding is that for the additional price they’re not significantly softer. The stainless steel nibs are probably be the best value option for most users. http://i.imgur.com/BLfBikp.jpg 5. Filling System & Maintenance (9.5/10)Diplomat pens take standard international cartridges and converters. The lower-priced Esteem did not come with a converter included in the price; thankfully, both the Aero and the Excellence A do. The Diplomat-branded converters are well-made, sturdy… and will hold about 0.7-0.8mm of ink. This is not a particularly innovative system – but it makes refilling the pen as straightforward as can be. http://i.imgur.com/rjQaXaW.jpg 6. Cost & Value (9/10)The RRP of this pen is around US$195 – I’ve seen it for sale at AU$195 in various Australian stores, which is pretty good given the current exchange rate. This wasn’t available on the JustWrite website at the time I enquired about it, and still hasn’t been returned to his listings – but at my request he was happy to send it out. 7. Conclusion (Final score [sUM/6]: 9.17)I like the Aero almost as much as I like my Excellence A – they’re both wonderfully classy looking pens. The Aero is the more striking / interesting of the two in terms of appearance, but is shaded by the Excellence A because of (a) the writing experience (i.e. the slight slipperiness of the Aero’s grip), and ( concerns over the clip and the disappearing text and logo. Those are very small concerns, though – I’m really glad I invested in this pen. It won’t be everyone’s preference, aesthetically or practically – but it’s a real winner in my books.

I have noticed over the past year or so, a significant but growing number of fountain pens produced in the teal or turquoise family of colors. Here is a listing of entries that fall under this wave. Please add others that I have missed. My guess is that this color is selling well, otherwise, all these manufacturers would not have jumped on board. This a bit of a retro color event. I believe that the last time teal was popular may have been when Parker 51's were at their height in the 1950's and blue/green teal was a frequent color choice. Pelikan 205 Aquamarine Pelikan 600 Turquoise-White Pelikan 805 Ocean Swirl Pilot Custom 74 Teal Platinum 3776 Kumpoo Sailor Pro Gear Ocean Sailor 1911 Stormy Sea Diplomat Aero Turquoise Kaweco Sport Turquoise Pilot Vanishing Point LE Tropical Turquoise Montegrappa Elmo Turquoise