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I've come across this pen in a supposedly Leonardo box, with a nib with a picture of Leonardo (as I remember him), and a rather different clip from the usual Leonardo quality item. Can I assume it is a fake?

This pen was ordered for me by my family as a gift. This is my 3rd pen from the Leonardo workshop (I already had the Momento Zero Green Alga and the Momento Magico Anima Nera) and is the biggest of the line-up. This is a limited edition of 50 pieces and exclusively available at Fontoplumo in Delft, The Netherlands. So, the facts: Manufacturer: Leonardo Officina Italiana Model: Momento Zero Grande Edition: Art Deco 2021 - Limited to 50 pieces for Fontoplumo the Netherlands Material: Green Japanese Ebonite Nib: Jowo #6 14k gold (EF) Filling system: Piston Capped: 159 mm Uncapped: 141 mm Posted: 175 mm Section: 12 - 13 mm ______________________________________________________________________ Appearance & Design – Beautiful detailed design The appearance of the pen is typical for Leonardo with superb details. The pen is made from green Japanese ebonite with geometric Guilloche engravings on the cap, barrel, and gold bands. The gold trims give the green ebonite a warm look. The clip is the typical MZG clip with wheel and on a big pen like this the clip looks tiny. The engraving on the cap band as well as the piston band are crisp and fit the theme of this pen. The engravings are unintrusive and give the pen a slight textured feeling in the hand. The only lettering on the cap band is “Italy” and on the barrel it says, “N. 29/50”. The cap and barrel have the classic pointed finials. The ebonite isn’t even in colour but contains micro dots which are darker (looks black), the are described as micro minerals. This gives some depth to the material, alas I can’t show you that more clearly as I don’t own a microscope camera. The (arguably) one disappointment on the design is a lack of an ink window. There is simply no way to know how much ink you have left in the pen. But on the other hand, an ink window also might disturb the Art Deco design of this pen, I don’t know. There is room just above the cap threads where you could fit one without disturbing the overall looks, IMHO. Construction & Quality – Well build The threading on this pen is smooth. The pen posts very securely and is not back weighted, but I don’t tend to post this pen as it makes it overly long and posting it also might damage the ebonite. The cap comes off with just 1¼ turns, which is ok for me. The pen feels sturdy and well build. Weight & Dimensions – Lightweight and good ergonomics. As I don’t own a scale, I can’t weight the pen (it is advertised as 36 gram capped and 23 gram uncapped) but it feels great in my hands. The length of the pen fits my hand very well. The ergonomics of the section is great as it has the same design but with a bit more girt than the Momento Magico. Nib & Performance – well tuned As I had a bad experience with my other two Leonardo’s with a Jowo nib (misalignment and flow problems) I asked Fontoplumo to tune and smoothen the nib before sending it to me. They did a great job! The 14k nib is well tuned and with its ebonite feed lays down a rich wet line that just stay’s withing the extra fine realm (on the right paper, that is). It has subtle feedback that is best compared to a soft (3B-ish) pencil. The nib design is nothing special, just the laser engraved Leonardo logo and standard Jowo stamps. Filling System & Maintenance – Classic piston filler The piston filling system works well and has a advertised capacity of 1,5 ml. It is difficult to know if you have a full fill as there is no ink window of any sort. As all piston fillers cleaning can be a bit of a challenge and is time consuming. But there is a tool provided with the pen to take the piston apart and that makes cleaning and maintenance easy. The Jowo nib can be removed easily. So, for those OCD cleaning freaks out there, you can get this pen as clean as it arrived in the box Cost & Value – Well, it’s expensive This pen retails for € 630,- (incl. 21% VAT) in the Netherlands. That is quite a hefty price for a writing instrument, but for that you get a limited-edition ebonite pen that has a lovely design and is well constructed, also it is user serviceable (which is a huge plus for me) . So, there is that. Is this pen overpriced? Well, in my opinion, yes. But as I’ve got this as a gift, I really can’t complain. Conclusion – Beautiful and well-designed pen Apart from the price, this is really a lovely designed and well writing pen that suits my hands very comfortably for long, long writing sessions. The ergonomics of the pen (especially the girth of the section) suits me very well.

I would like to introduce you my last Leonardo fountain pen: The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Golden Rule. This a collaboration with J.Brooks, who made this beatiful resin, where bronze and red are mixed to create a fusion of warm colors. Limited edition to only 70 pieces worldwide. The first time I saw this pen I fall in love due to the red parts among the bronze style resin. After seeing the feed, made out of red ebonite... that was the end of my piggy bank. I got it at "Fontana Penna" in Spain. Now that it has arrived to me, I have been deeply impressed by it and I could not be more happier. That cap, with so much red on it, makes this pen unique to my eyes. I have to admit it was definitely a great purchase. Thanks to Leonardo & Carolina pen company for making this beautiful fountain pen.

So, what do you like? I’d just like to know your opinion. I personally prefer flat ends, but tell me what you like!

Hi all, These two models have already been reviewed in the forum, much better than I would be able to do. However, after having acquired the Ensso Italia Aluminum recently I’ve realized that both are veeery similar and I wanted to make a short shootout (I’m borrowing the term from Stephen Brown, thanks sbrebrown for your great reviews, by the way”). I'll show you some pictures side by side: Which one is the “original” and which one is the “copy” is something I do not know, although I believe that the Leonardo was issued (2018?) before the Ensso (2019?). May be this answer the question? 😏 However, we all know that Salvatore Matrone did a kind of mix of the shape of a Delta The Journal plus the characteristic Omas clip and pointy barrel/cap ends to design the MZ. So I guess it makes no sense to use the words “original” and “copy” if there are so many fountain pens with this shape since a long time ago. Both pens share the exact shape, sizeand nib (steel Bock nibs, F in my MZ, M in my Ensso). Apart from the material (acrylic in the MZ, aluminum in the Ensso) and the corresponding weight, the main differences are: - The end of the MZ barrel unscrews to access the end of the converter while the barrel of the Italia is made in one piece. - The clip of the MZ is more elaborated and has a wheel and the clip of the Italia is simpler. - The MZ has metal rings and the Italia has two bands with Greek motives. - The MZ has Leonardo Officina Italiana and the number of the pen engraved in the barrel. - The cap of the MZ screws flawlessly while the Italia suffers from crossing threads and you must be very careful not to damage the pen when you close it. - I bought my MZ new for 120 Euro and the Italia used for 25 Euro (I think the price of a new Ensso Italia was about 65 Euro, now it is out of stock). My writing experience has been also different: the nib in my MZ worked perfectly from the beginning while my Ensso is very dry. Nothing too difficult to solve, but still. Is the MZ worth the price difference? Well, the material is nicer, and it feels more solid and pleasant. It writes better than the Italia, but I’ve heard of bad experiences with other MZs so it may depend on your specific pen. Bottomline, I really like the Leonardo Momento Zero so I’m very comfortable using the Ensso Italia and it can become a similar good writer at a lower cost, or a better alternative if you prefer metal pens (the aluminum has texture, so it is not slipery). My recommendation: try yourself both and make your own opinion… you will hardly be disappointed.

At the risk of sounding like SBRE Brown...I'm interested in a written Shootout of the Italians! I'd like to hear from people who have tried both the Montegrappa pens (especially the Elmo) and the Leonardo Officina Furore, both with steel nibs. I am keen to give myself incentive to finish a book proposal, and a lovely new pen awaiting my future might do the trick. https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/montegrappa-elmo-fountain-pens/products/montegrappa-elmo-fountain-pen-blue-cross-gentian?variant=30719087771691 https://goldspot.com/collections/leonardo-furore/products/leonardo-furore-fountain-pen-emerald-blue-rhodium-trim-medium-steel-nib https://pen-venture.com/products/leonardo-officina-italiana-furore-blue-emerald-blue-smeraldo-1?_pos=7&_sid=ef604aa17&_ss=r I've got an average sized woman's hand (a 7+), and a history of tendon issues, so I prefer thick grips, though not heavy pens, with wet nibs and lots of ink capacity. (Current favs are Ranga ebonite in the 3 (although my other Rangas are bone dry), Opus 88 demonstrator and any of my 6 TWSBI Ecos (if I could marry into the TWSBI family, I would). I do not like thin or heavy metal pens (ejected all Jinhao's.) I love italic nibs, but might opt for a bold. Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Leonardo Officina Italiana from time to time makes special limited editions of their pens. We all know this. But some of those editions are not just a known model in different material. They more unique and special, and one of them is Leonardo Tainan Pen Show 2019. Only 60 pieces, and in the ebonite version even rarer. Unique pen - ebonite, ebonite feed, gold nib, real piston filler - not "captured converter". A thick hand-made sterling silver ring on cap... A special pen, isn't it? And two of them (no 28 and 30 out of 60) are going to be even more rare (if i succeed). I am lacquering them with urushi. One is already in the process, the other one is waiting (inked )) Below - beauty shot, explosion pic and video of part of the lacquering process.

Today, You Know which video platform gave me the following suggestion: Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Tadeo

Well that was fast- browsing around Ebay a couple weeks ago I came across the first Chinese knock-off of the Leonardo Momento Zero! Which itself has only been in production for what, 2 years? I guess the Momento Zero must have some universal appeal to have been copied so quickly. It's a very true copy, too. I think the Leonardo folks might want to look into whether legal action might be necessary! The pen in question is the Moonman 800. It's virtually identical in size, shape, and weight to the Momento Zero. Right down to the odd little kink in the section. In fact, you can swap out the caps. They're even threaded alike. I actually like the color on the Moonman knock-off. It's a tiger eye material, PenBBS uses it and calls it 'Amber is a Cat'. I think I also have a Bexley in this stuff. As far as differences go, there are a couple. The roller clip doesn't have the same elegant taper of the Leonardo's, and there's a trim ring where it attaches to the cap. There's also an additional trim ring in the section. And the nib is labeled Bock. I don't know if it's legit or if that's a copy too. Doesn't look to be finished to quite the usual Bock standards. Oh, and the price. The Moonman came in at just under $50- pricey for a Chinese pen, but cheap for a Momento Zero. Below you can see some comparison pics. What does everyone think? I'm a little flattered for Leonardo, and a little perturbed as well...

Hi all, Here is a quick look at the Leonardo Momento Zero Hawaii. A shout out to Roy from Izod Ink for the quick delivery and beautiful packaging. (The pen came wrapped with a hand written note from Roy. Appreciate the personal touch!) This pen very beautifully captures the feeling of being on a beach, with the resin designed to look like water, sky and sand. I've lived close to a beach for most part of my life, before moving to London a few years back, and using this pen reminds me of all the wonderful years spent there. The Leonardo is also built with good precision and feels like a quality instrument. It is fitted with a M steel nib that is smooth with a hint of feedback. Disclaimer - I did face a few hard starts when using the Sailor Souten ink. But when using various J Herbin inks, the nib seems to flow much better and I haven't faced any hard starts either. Overall, I enjoy it more than many luxury pens that cost many times over. I'm really happy with this purchase and I would highly recommend it whether your budget for a new pen is $100 or $1000.

I’m having difficulty with the fit of refills in a Montblanc Leonardo ballpoint. An older “Pix” marked refill works, and allows the click mechanism to work perfectly, but when I fit a current production refill, the point barely protrudes from the nose of the pen. Maybe the recess in the refill end cap is deeper on the current product refill? Can anyone please suggest a fix for this? Any help will be appreciated

Some Leonardo Momento Zero fountain pens are being offered for as low as US$106.47 at Pen Chalet right now. (Remember to apply a discount code that gives you 10% off site-wide. More power to you if you have access to a discount code that does even better than that!)

Montblanc Leonardo Ballpoint Refill - Help Requested I’m having difficulty with the fit of refills in n MB Leonardo ballpoint. An older “Pix” marked refill allows the click mechanism to work perfectly, but when I fit a current production refill, the point barely protrudes from the nose of the pen. Maybe the recess in the refill end cap is deeper on the current product refill? Can anyone please suggest a fix for this? Any help will be appreciated

Leonardo Officina Italiana fountain pens are in stock ! Classic design, beautiful material and Italian craftmanschip. The nibs are astonishing ! They write at the minus side but they glide over the paper. The words 'japanese nib' even crossed our mind ... Definitely a winner this Leonardo brand ! https://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/boutique/new-leonardo-pen-schrijfwaren The latest colour Mediterranean Coral will join the collection end of June !! Order yours now. Cheers, Catherine

Endless Pens started putting Leonardo Officina Italiana pens in its (pre-order only) catalogue earlier this year, including a store-exclusive Bacio Del Diavolo ("The Devil's Kiss") limited edition of the Momento Zero model. There seemed to have been a lot of flux in its pricing of the Leonardo models since; first the prices dropped briefly for less than a week†, then went back up at the same time as free international shipping subject to a minimum spend threshold of US$149 was introduced, and then up and up again over the past couple of months (when I glanced at them occasionally; I haven't been watching and charting all the movements). During that time, the Bacio Del Diabolo was always priced at least the same as, and sometimes higher than, more commonly available models of the Momento Zero such as the Blue Hawaii. Right now Endless Pens has issued a special promotion code of 25% off that applies to pre-orders of The Devil's Kiss edition only. That brings the price of the steel-nibbed version to US$149.25, and that of the gold-nibbed version to US$267. (The text of the product listing seems to suggest that the 25%-off code will not work for the gold-nibbed version, but I tried it and it does work, at the time of writing.) For the first time, Endless Pens is offering its store-exclusive, 100-pieces-only limited edition for less than its contemporary pricing for the Momento Zero Blue Positino; I'm not going to speculate why here. However, I also note that the minimum spend threshold for free shipping has now been raised to US$250, so an order of the discounted steel-nibbed version alone will not qualify. I think it's an attractive-looking pen, and some fellow FPNers have had reported good experiences with Leonardo nibs. But then, some others have had problems with the nibs as delivered (and mostly sorted out with good customer service by European retailers from whom the pens were ordered). My own experience with the EF nib on a Leonardo Momento Zero was not great, so now I'm hesitant to buy another, especially when I either have to pay for shipping or top up the order with yet another US$100 worth of products I don't need.

Hello, first of all, I hope is the correct place to present a new italian fountain pen! Manufactured in a limited run of only 43 fountain pens, the “Momento Zero Ocean Wave” is the result of a close partnership between Leonardo Officina Italiana and Casa della Stilografica. At the beginning of the 1900’s, the Comune di Firenze decided to devise a method to distinguish street numbers corresponding to business entrances from those belonging to private homes. The first were allotted a red street number followed by an “r” after the number itself as an abbreviation of “rosso” “red”. Private home street numbers were simply allotted black numbers, without any letter following the number. Casa della Stilografica has always been in Florence at number 43/r in Via Cavour, so the Leonardo Ocean Wave is limited to only 43 pieces. Manufactured from precious turquoise resin with a steel or 14K gold nib available in Extrafine, fine, Medium, Broad and STUB. The filling system is cartridge/converter(included) , the “Ocean Wave” is presented in an elegant box custom designed for the occasion. Each pen is unique and numbered. The Momento Zero Ocean Wave collection is available exclusively at Casa della Stilografica and on the online shop www.stilografica.it Leonardo Momento Zero Ocean Wave is limited to only 43 fountain pens worldwide.

Hello everyone! We're delighted to announce a very special limited edition pen - we're the exclusive UK retailer for Leonardo and we've been working with Salvatore, Mariafrancesca and the team at Leonardo over the past few months to create a model from their Momento Zero resin collection that's unique to izods... the culmination of this is the izods dark Hawaii. Only 50 pens have been produced and each one is numbered - the unique cap ring has a fine, subtle engraving of the izods logo and as an added bonus the pen is a piston filler. The gold plated steel nibs are available in EF, F, M, B and Stub - split across the 50 pens as follows... 2-7 and 9-11 - Extra Fine 12-18 - Fine 19-33 - Medium 34 - 40 - Broad 41 - Stub Each pen comes in the usual Leonardo presentation box, but also included is a Leonardo leather pen sleeve (some blue, some brown) and a signed certificate of authenticity. We're absolutely thrilled and the depth of colour and quality has to be seen to be fully admired. The price is £239.99 + postage... they'll officially be available on our website next week, but if you're interested in the meantime then please send me a message or email roy@izods.ink - already 10 of the 50 have been sold, so they'll likely go quickly!

Hello All, We're absolutely thrilled to announce that izods are now the exclusive UK retailer (don't worry you can still order if you're further afield!) for the amazing Leonardo Officina Italiana! We've admired their pens for a long time and in agreement with Salvatore and the team we're delighted to be offering both the Momentum Zero Resin and Celluloid offerings. The detailing and quality of these pens has to be seen to be appreciated and they're incredibly keenly priced. For full details please visit http://www.izods.ink/leonardo We're going to have physical stock around the middle of September, so place your pre-orders now and you'll be amongst the first to receive your pen(s) once they've arrived. If you've any questions then please get in touch either via the messaging service or email at roy@izods.ink. If you need a really quick reply then send me a message on WhatsApp to 07464 637772. Thanks, Roy

Hello all! It's been a while since my last review, but I need to take some time now to review the fruits of a collaboration between my desire for a beautiful work and a FPN member! I have been writing, for over a year, a large scale piece of music dedicated to the life of Leonardo da Vinci. He is a great person hero of mine (and rightly so). It's near completion, and is a good 40 minutes long. I am excited for it's premiere this coming year in New York. I was fascinated with the "Leonardo" by Montblanc, but a hefty $3,600 price tag held me back. HOWEVER, When I emailed a gentleman by the name of Tim Self, of our own Fountain Pen Network, he explained to me that he could create a truly custom piece for me. I will explain details as we move along. (Before we begin, I will note that there is some degree of bias in my review. Tim and I discussed what would be on the pen, how it would look, etc.. I will not be offended should you disagree with my review, but I will defend this bad boy!) Appearance/Design: The pen is visually dazzling. The amount of care and craftsmanship are amazing. Every time I look at the pen, it's a new adventure. Due to my musical background, Tim had explained that he could take the "Flying" melody from my work (and from da Vinci's fascination with flight) and print it right onto the pen cap! The body says Leonardo da Vinci and has gold inlay over the metal. Opposite that there is a print of the wing Leonardo used to study flying, and a small backward inscription from the corresponding codex. I wish I could award a 11/10 for this exceptional work, but alas, I can only offer a 10/10. Function: This baby is heavy. But, the cap does not post which is good for balance. The pen sits quite comfortably between my index finger and thumb. As for the use of the pen, the ink is delivered evenly, precisely, and very cleanly. I have had no trouble with bleeding with even the lightest of manuscripts. Nib: Tim fitted her with a Bock nib. Stainless steel, very sturdy, yet still elegant. I'm very happy, indeed. Filling System: I was told that this pen will accept universal cartridges. Being a stickler for tradition, I enjoy bottled ink or a well. I use Waterman ink almost exclusively, unless a brand (i.e. my Parker) specifies using another. The converter Tim gave me was long and very easy to fill. It is quick to suck up ink and remains leak free. Converter leaks have been an issue lately, unfortunately, so this is nice. Not surprisingly, I will award 10/10. Though she is heavy, I could still use this pen on a daily basis. It is VERY comfortable. I'll just need an insurance plan, first . Below, you can see the "Wing" and the writing from the journal on flight. Below is the name of the hero honored by this pen! Here is the melody of flight from my piece "The Da Vinci Trail" expertly placed about the cap. And here, pay attention to the curvature and lines drawn out by the pens body and converter. It may just be me, but I particularly like the dynamics of width. It adds character Cost, Value and Cost/Value This beauty only cost me about $500, yet it is priceless due to the fact that it is MY pen, and it is the only one like it. I must say that I had VERY high expectations when receiving this pen, and they have still be far exceeded. In point, I should tell you directly that it obviously does not matter if the pen maker is a large company, or a small operation like Tim's. Having used a Montblanc on several occasions (executive series), I can safely say that there is no reason for a $3,600 cost, and works of art just as beautiful and just as well made (or better) are out there. I wouldn't trade MY pen for anything. Thanks for the many years of happy writing I will enjoy, Tim Self! Cost: $460 Value: Much more than that. Cost/Value ratio: Since this is a priceless possession of mine, the cost to value ratio isn't quite fair to say Overall Rating: Due to the wealth of beauty in my new piece, the unique qualities it shares, and the general excellence in it's writing, I award 10/10 for this pen. Again, I wish I could award more so I'm sure you see my point! Thanks for reading, and please, if I missed something, or you have questions, don't hesitate to ask! I have all good things to say! Sincerely, Kevin E. Phillips II

Hello! I have been desperately trying to obtain the Leonardo fountain pen, but I've been in an accident that has kept me from working for a while now. I'm a musician, and for a year I have been working on a piece of music dedicated to da Vinci and his work. Interestingly enough, the pen ties into the music perfectly. The piece will be premiered at the Boston Conservatory this year. All that aside, I'm in love with this pen and would like to know if anyone has any suggestions on how to make something similar, find a good deal, or anything at all. Thanks so much! Kevin

Here is my new pen with my newest ink! Enjoy and let me know what you think! Thanks, -M

Hi all, First, let my say my flickr photo-stream is a mess of photos from work trips, random street abstract things and ink reviews. I like it, but it must confuse people from 'the real world'. Packaging is the now standard 30ml bottles (same as Winterglow, ink of XXX, Hitchcock, Einstein and Diamond), I do like them, they are deep and quite nice to fill from. The box is grey with a da Vinci illustration of a wing on the front, with rose gold and silver embossing. Ident number 109357. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7070/6863503337_0770c4000a_z.jpgMontblanc ink bottles by Bigeddie100, on Flickr(2 of the 30ml bottles pictured on the left) http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7393/10680101854_3ea09959fe_z.jpgMontblanc Red Chalk by Bigeddie100, on Flickr The performance is good, it's a little on the dry side. There is no bleed even on the cheapest of paper, although it does spread on pulp as expected. Lubrication is a little below average, probably owing to the lower flow, this is only really noticeable on the more textured Conqueror Bamboo. The colour is a red brown, no chalky tones. It's very similar to Carlo Collodi with just a little more red. On the cream coloured paper there is very little visible difference. It remains a brown though, it lacks the punch of a red - to me this makes it a contender for writing as well as note making where I find reds too distracting for anything more than a sentence. Samples attached: Rhodia Bloc Pad http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3775/10680061535_f78538e5ba_z.jpgMontblanc Red Chalk by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Conqueror Bamboo http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/10680123914_90684f7eca_z.jpgMontblanc Red Chalk by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Copy paper (pulp) http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/10680117816_242197c671_z.jpgMontblanc Red Chalk by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Ink on a tissue after filling (the difference in colour is more evident here) Collodi on the left, Leonardo on the right. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5518/10680280335_169750db5a_z.jpgMontblanc Leonardo Red Chalk by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Comparison Swabs: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3738/10680943043_d250078ecc_z.jpgMB ink comparison - Red browns by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Looking at the blotches on the tissue it looks like the Leonardo has more saturation, but this seems to be compensated for with the reduced flow to achieve a similar appearance. Conclusion: I liked Collodi, and I regret not buying a couple more bottles, so this tweak is a good result for me. This ink is very similar to Collodi and I would be hard pressed to tell them apart on tinted paper. Performance is good and the colour is going to make it suitable for my drafting and personal writing, but also of use as an alternate to more established blues and blacks. I like it, although I would like something a little different from the quite recent offering. (Also, MB, please bring back Ink of Joy!)

Great news! We just got the much awaited bottle of the Montblanc Leonardo Red Chalk ink bottle. Limited Quantities are available and the ink took some time to come from Germany!!! The color is a great sepia color and has a dullness ( hence chalk) similar to JOnathan Swift Sea weed green ink bottle. If you have a broad point fountain pen then you are going to love to splash this ink on the paper and see it making beautiful letters on the paper..( did we sell it!!!!!!!) Cost of the ink bottle is $17/- To order: http://www.penboutique.com/p-11416-montblanc-leonardo-red-chalk-30-ml-ink-bottle-refill-category.aspx http://www.penboutique.com/images/product/large/11416_1_.jpg