Waterman Sérénité

[Keith with a capital K]

That really is an inspiring pen to look at and now I am thinking...

 

Cayenne?

 

Hmmm...

 

I usually just listen to and play the blues while my favourite colours are warm browns and greens with the occasional splash of lavendar and burgundy thrown in for a little extra colour.

 

Black and blue get used when they need to be used buit aren't anything I use for free writing, that is, the writing I do for myself.

[wimg]

Hi Keith,

 

I´ll post a sample later tonight, when back at home .

 

Everybody I´ve put onto this ink, seems to love it .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Elaine]

I'll second the cayenne. It's different enough, yet it doesn't scream "wild ink". It looks very orange when you first write with it. When it's thoroughly dry is mellows out. It also does some very nice shading.

[wimg]

Hi Elaine,

 

And don't forget the fun it is to watch it drying. Totally fascinating .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Keith,

 

Here is the promised sample of Cayenne:

http://fp.vandebilt.net/pics/ItaliStub-01.jpg

Warm regards, Wim

[Fulcanelli]

I remember when this pen hit the market a few years ago. I read about it in "Pen World." I drooled. It's a lovely pen, though I've never held one in my hands. Sigh...

[Elaine]

Keith, I think you have to see Cayenne in person. Wim's scan looks nothing like it - at least on my screen.

[wimg]

Hi Elaine,

 

Ok, I'll try to make a new sample, with different pens. It looks ok on my screen, just a bit unsharp .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Guest Denis Richard]

Just for reference here, to be modified if someone can find other models :

 

The Sérénité exists in 5 different versions :

• Polished black plastic, sterling silver trims : standard version, serially numbered.
  
• Cocobolo Wood, sterling silver trim of a different pattern : limited to 3000 pieces.
  
• Maki-e "White Tiger" : limited to 120 pieces.
  
• Maki-e "Rising Dragon" : limited to 120 pieces.
  
• Maki-e "Snake" : limited to 60 pieces.
  

The base pen for the Maki-e version is the standard model. It seems that the 3000 pieces of the Cocobolo version includes ballpoint pens.

[wimg]

Hi Denis,

 

I thought there were 2 wooden limited editions?

 

Not too sure anymore, now though. I thought one was a snakewood kinda pen, and the other more a nice brown with only little veining.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Guest Denis Richard]

Hi Wim,

 

I'll look at that. I remember seeing an auction on EBay for a wood version claiming that it was part of very limited edition for Waterman VIPs... but with bad pictures, so I could not tell if this was the usual EBay selling techniques

 

Denis.

[jwc]

I also seen one on ebay that was a blue plastic. The seller said it was only sold in France.

[Roger]

Reading your review, Denis, also clears up my puzzlement over your avatar. I just couldn't relate it to anything before.

 

Beautiful instrument!

[Flere-Imsaho]

Buying a Waterman Sérénité

About 3 years ago I bought a Waterman Sérénité (black), which came in a nice gift box complete with 2 sets of cartridges and a converter. But this converter (which was genuine Waterman with inscription) fitted into the section all right, but did not fit into the barrel. The barrel was too narrow. I went back to the shop and explained the problem. The shop people (who were very friendly and helpful) couldn’t understand how this problem could be, since the box was received complete from Waterman as it was. I saw they had also a box with a Sérénité roller ball, and on my request they disassembled the roller ball and tried the roller barrel for the fountain pen with converter. Alas, perfect fit. With converter installed. And the "fountain pen" barrel worked perfectly on the roller ball. So we concluded that /:) in http://home.planet.nl/~flere-imsaho/3couleur.jpg had probably on some early Monday morning switched the barrels after a heavy Pastis :blink: weekend. I left the shop with the "new" Sérénité, now in perfect working order.

 

Oblique-fine nib, what a joy to write with

Since then, I have switched the nib to an oblique fine version, and I’m very fond of the Sérénité. I almost always use the converter on it.

Although you have to write in the right way. When I’m taking quick notes I do not write in an oblique way, I just write with the OF nib as I would with any other nib. This then produces almost no line variation, the difference between OF and F is very minimal.

When I write a letter or a chapter in my journal I rotate the pen counter clockwise, so the oblique foot of the nib is parallel to the paper. This gives me the maximum line width variation which can be achieved with the nib. It gives a very nice fine oblique. You can write small text with character.

Writing with a OF nib is not easy, it takes practice. I’m still learning. But the reward is a very fine oblique script.

Of course the line width variation is proportional to the nib width. You do not get the excessive line width variation of the much easier to use OB nib. But then, you can write much finer than with the coarse B nib. This is all a matter of personal preferences.

 

The real treat, the Waterman Sérénité LE

About 6 month ago I bought the Sérénité LE, which is my most favourite pen since then. The tactile feel of the wood is exquisite, and the silver grip is very smooth compared to the rougher grip of the black Sérénité. Also the texture of the wood and the natural colour variations along the pen is marvellous.

 

Just for the fun of it, here are some picture of my Waterman Sérénité LE with medium nib.

 

Regards

- Hans.

 

http://home.kpn.nl/geele160/IMG_0131.JPG

 

http://home.kpn.nl/geele160/IMG_0138.JPG

 

http://home.kpn.nl/geele160/IMG_0139.JPG

 

http://home.kpn.nl/geele160/IMG_0140.JPG

 

http://home.kpn.nl/geele160/IMG_0142.JPG

 

http://home.kpn.nl/geele160/IMG_0144.JPG

Edited December 5, 2008 by MYU

[Guest Denis Richard]

Ooooooooo Beautiful Hans !

 

If I recall correctly, the engineering to build this LE was not as straightforward as it may seem, and Waterman did it in collaboration with "l'Ecole du Bois", a college specialized in wood engineering.

 

The result is just great

[Flere-Imsaho]

That is correct. I read an article about this once.

 

The school is L'Ecole Supérieure du Bois in Nantes.

 

Check out the page

3 years of training after Bac+2

 

Regards,

-Hans.

[Roger]

You are operating in a special world, Hans. I can only imagine how much patience is necessary to become adequate, much less proficient with an OF nib. It wouldn't enter my mind to attempt such a learning experience.

 

I doff my hat to you! Another one of these talented Dutchmen, I say!

[Elaine]

 

Both pens are on my "pens I want but will never be able to buy" list

[Thesaurus Rex]

Oooooh, Sérénité LE....if I am a good boy and go to Heaven when I die, Jesus will give me one of those with a medium nib.

 

Color me jealous.

[Mannenhitsu]

Hi Denis:

 

What a fantastic review you did on the Waterman Sérénité. Now I am thinking about buying one of these when I can save up some money. What I love about this pen is it's unique style, contours, and nib design. All in all, a fantastic design from start to finish.