Omas Ogiva Vision Turquoise Le

[nicholasyeo]

INTRODUCTION: The Omas Ogiva Vision Turquoise LE is my fifth Omas pen - a collaboration between local retailer Fook Hing Trading Co and Italian manufacturer Omas SRL.

 

This installation of the Ogiva is exceptionally special because the pen is one in a limited edition of no more than 20 pieces. The new Omas Ogiva Vision Turquoise is only available locally and I consider myself fortunate to be able to own one of these beautiful specimens.

The Ogiva Vision demonstrator was also available in another limited edition of Blue (with rose gold trims) and Green (with High Tech rhodium trims). The pens were a revival of the Ogiva Vision seen in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The pen comes in an understated hard cardboard box lined with velvet. It is wrapped in plastic and placed into a velvety sheath. Below the pen, there is an information and warranty booklet.

 

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva8Custom.jpg

 

1. Appearance & Design (10/10) – The Omas Ogiva Vision was born in the year 1927. It was one of the foremost pens designed by OMAS founder Armando Simoni, a prelude to some remarkable achievements which were to follow.

 

The significance of the Ogiva in Omas’ history is clear - although the Ogiva is now discontinued as part of Omas’ regular production, it is still seen on commemorative editions.

Like its name suggests, the Omas Ogiva Vision is a translucent demonstrator pen made with turquoise cotton resin. The turquoise coloured barrel is really attractive, with just the right amount of transparency.

It is accented by luxurious rose gold trims and black piston parts, and a matching genuine agate cap rolling wheel. The rolling wheel matches the pen perfectly because it is semi-translucent.

 

The appearance of the Ogiva Vision Turquoise is inspired by its creator’s love for Greek culture and architecture. The trademark Greek key etching is found on the central ring, while the pen's overall design is certainly a timeless statement of elegance.

 

The Ogiva Vision Turquoise is more refined than its relative, The Paragon. The barrel is rounded, unlike The Paragon, which is faceted. This makes the pen very comfortable to hold and write with, no matter what your writing angle.

Finally, the details of the pen are etched onto the cap in an understated way. If you weren’t looking closely, you may not notice the words "XX/20", which tell of the exclusive collaboration.

2. Construction & Quality (10/10) – The Omas Ogiva Vision Turquoise is a really well made pen. It is constructed from thick translucide “Cotton Resin”.

The Ogiva Vision’s clear turquoise design reveals the innards of an Omas pen, and the innards of an Omas demonstrator offers no less than absolute perfection.

Looking at the pen under a loupe, I could tell that the greatest efforts were taken to create the pen. It is free from imperfections and the translucent resin shows off the innards and piston mechanism.

Apart from that, there were also no remnants from the factory and manufacturing line. Even the Flessible nib was free from any micro scratches and was polished to a perfect shine.

The piston mechanism can be seen at work, something really enjoyable to watch. I have seen piston pens from other brands held together by some kind of epoxy, but here I can tell the Ogiva Vision Turquoise is held together by technical ingenuity.

On a whole, I could find no flaw with the construction and quality, and I do believe that the pen will last a lifetime if used carefully.

3. Weight & Dimensions (8/10) – The Omas Ogiva Vision Turquoise is made of cotton resin, and therefore the pen is not very heavy. It is not light to the extent it feels cheap, and if it is filled it has considerable weight. The cap is also rather light so posting it is not a problem.

The weight and dimensions of the Ogiva Vision Turquoise makes for long, comfortable writing and the almost standard sized body will suit almost any hand.

Here are some technical specifications for those who’d like to know:

Weight : 28 grams

Length with cap closed : 14.7cm

Diameter : 1.5 cm

4. Nib & Performance (10/10) – This is where everything gets exciting. The Omas Ogiva Vision Limited Edition Turquoise Demonstrator comes with a 14 karat gold Extra Flessible nib plated in rose gold.

The nib can be regarded as semi-flex, and it gives a very nice soft feel to your writing. The 14k Extra Flessible is (in the words of a friend) unquestionably one of the closest things to a vintage flex (excluding the vintage flex itself).

I opted for the Extra Fine version because I know that it gives the greatest line variation, and I really enjoy writing with this nib. If you do push it ever so slightly, you will see that the nib responds to your writing pressure. It is not as soft as a Pilot FA nib but not as hard as a Pilot Falcon either. Such a nib gives great shading when inked with the right inks.

(Refer to attached writing scan.)

If you write normally, you will get really comfortable writing with little effort, and the wonderful ebonite feed certainly keeps up with the nib in terms of flow. Some specialty nibs are also fitted on pens with a rather small ink capacity, which is a letdown - thankfully, that is not the case here. The generous piston system on the Ogiva Vision will provide hours and more of great writing.

I continue to be impressed by the great nibs that Omas pens are fitted with. Omas nibs certainly hold up to the smoothness of Japanese nibs, yet they aren't as stiff. It seems their quality control systems are also very strict because I have yet to find any serious issues or misaligned tines out of the box.

Overall, I would highly recommend Omas pens for their nibs. The nib is somewhat semi-flex but I do think it'd make a great daily writer especially in Extra Fine!

5. Filling System & Maintenance (8/10) - Specialty nibs consume a lot of ink just as a performance car consumes fuel. Fortunately, as I briefly mentioned above, the Ogiva Vision has a capacious filling system that will provide hours of continuous writing.

The Omas piston system is not as easy to dismantle, and I'm unlikely to want to attempt that myself. However, I do trust that it will operate smoothly for years to come. The double-lipped plunger is unlikely to leak and will not need grease for a long time because it operates very smoothly.

 

6. Cost & Value (9/10) – Although the Omas Ogiva Vision Turquoise is a limited edition pen, retail price is indeed priced competitively in comparison to similar models. The fact that all models are equipped with an Extra Flessible nib is a big plus.

The value of the pen is therefore tremendous, whether for use or for collection. The Extra Flessible nib will provide years of writing pleasure while the exclusivity and rareness of the pen means that you probably will never see a turquoise coloured, rose gold accented Ogiva Vision in the near future.

 

7.Conclusion (Final score, 9.16666666667/10) - I eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Ogiva Turquoise, and once it arrived my expectations were exceeded. Three things really made this a special pen for me -

 

a. Turquoise demo

b. Flexible nib

c. 20-piece Limited Edition

It is on this positive note that I end my review. I must say Omas truly deserves its listing by Foundazione Altagamma as one of the premium brands encapsulating the principles of Italian design and craftsmanship.

I must also commend the good folks at Fook Hing Trading Co for their impeccable taste in creating this stunning demonstrator pen which balances luxury with writing performance. I can only wish them the best in their future collaborations.

Background Information:

You may be interested in the kinds of pens I like - I've long been an advocate of Japanese pens. I started out with my first pen, a Lamy Vista, many years ago. Eventually I progressed to the Lamy 2000 and a Sailor Professional Gear which I still write with daily today.

I like wooden pens and demonstrator pens, and recently I started to appreciate Omas pens for their great nibs and construction quality. I acquired the Arte Italiana Art Deco and 360 in Vintage Turquoise, both of which are wonderful pens I am glad to have in my collection.

This is my ninth review on FPN. You may have read my reviews of the Sailor Professional Gear here, Pilot Custom Heritage 92 here, Namiki Origami Crane here, Sailor Chizusugi Cedar Wood Sapporo here, Omas 360 Vintage Turquoise LE here, Pelikan Souveran M800 Tortoiseshell Brown here, Sailor 1911 Profit Hakone Yosegi-Zaiku here, Sailor Precious Wood of the World Sapporo pens here, Stipula Etruria Rainbow Yellow LE here.

If you'd like to know more about my pens and collection you can find out more about me here at my profile. This review contains high-resolution photographs which you can view below the post. Till my next review, here are some photographs of this exceptional pen for your viewing pleasure! I’ve also included links to my previous reviews in the above paragraph for your convenience.

 

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva1Custom.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva2Custom.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva3Custom.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva4Custom.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva5Custom.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva6Custom.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w143/nicholasyzh/Ogiva7Custom.jpg

Edited May 11, 2013 by nicholasyeo

[TMLee]

Congrats Nicholas !!!!

 

BEAUTIFUL pen ...

Just beautiful...

My favourite FP is my OMAS MoMA , I just love the classic cigar shape.

I am guessing is the same shape right?

The proportions are just perfect....

 

Your sample above is Rose gold right?

Cos the pic of the cap rim doesn't look rose enough.

 

What's is this collaboration with Fook Hing, I am curious?

Sounds interesting.

 

Must cost quite a bit too ?!

 

The nib sizes , what options are there?

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Great pictures.

[nicholasyeo]

  On 5/11/2013 at 1:22 PM, TMLee said:

Congrats Nicholas !!!!

 

BEAUTIFUL pen ...

Just beautiful...

My favourite FP is my OMAS MoMA , I just love the classic cigar shape.

I am guessing is the same shape right?

The proportions are just perfect....

 

Your sample above is Rose gold right?

Cos the pic of the cap rim doesn't look rose enough.

 

What's is this collaboration with Fook Hing, I am curious?

Sounds interesting.

 

Must cost quite a bit too ?!

 

The nib sizes , what options are there?

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Great pictures.

Hi TMLee!

 

The pens are all rose-gold plated, and I do believe the MoMA is the same shape.

Omas recently collaborated to produce Limited Edition pens with Fook Hing.

The first was an Arte Italiana in Pearl-Grey Celluloid and accented with rose-gold.

The second is this beautiful Ogiva in Turquoise... I'm happy to have snapped up one.

Nib sizes are EF,F and M Extra Flessible. Do check it out if you happen to pass by Fook Hing!

 

Nicholas

Edited May 11, 2013 by nicholasyeo

[da vinci]

That is a great looking pen Nicholas, a keeper I am sure.

[ce5a12]

Another great looking pen in your keep!

[nicholasyeo]

Thanks guys!

[Simius]

Fantastic pictures!

 

BTW, I have this very pen (the nib is F). I couldn't get the line variations shown above, but probably because I'm leery about applying pressure. I agree with everything else in the review.

Edited May 12, 2013 by Simius

[nicholasyeo]

  On 5/12/2013 at 6:48 AM, Simius said:

Fantastic pictures!

 

BTW, I have this very pen (the nib is F). I couldn't get the line variations shown above, but probably because I'm leery about applying pressure. I agree with everything else in the review.

Wow, what number did you buy ??/20 ? Mine is an auspicious number. Haha...

[Simius]

  On 5/12/2013 at 6:57 AM, nicholasyeo said:

 

  On 5/12/2013 at 6:48 AM, Simius said:

Fantastic pictures!

 

BTW, I have this very pen (the nib is F). I couldn't get the line variations shown above, but probably because I'm leery about applying pressure. I agree with everything else in the review.

Wow, what number did you buy ??/20 ? Mine is an auspicious number. Haha...

 

 

Mine is a number which is perhaps the most inauspicious in Chinese tradition (rhymes with death, at least in Cantonese). Probably why it was still around as of last Friday. I'm not into these things, so couldn't care less.

 

My compliments once again on the pictures. But why does Fook Hing share copyright? Just curious...

 

Anyway, the pen is really nice, as is the store. Thanks to y'all for pointing me that way in another thread.

Edited May 12, 2013 by Simius

[Simius]

Double post, sorry

Edited May 12, 2013 by Simius

[georges zaslavsky]

congrats on your Omas and happy writing

[nicholasyeo]

Haha, mine is probably the most auspicious then...

[The Good Captain]

I got an Emerald Green version this morning, stamped 126/150 with the Medium Extra Flessible and it writes like a dream. There wasn't a choice of nib but having already got an Omas Art Deco Fine Titanium nib I thought the M would be a nice change.

I was right!

[nicholasyeo]

  On 5/18/2013 at 11:20 PM, The Good Captain said:

I got an Emerald Green version this morning, stamped 126/150 with the Medium Extra Flessible and it writes like a dream. There wasn't a choice of nib but having already got an Omas Art Deco Fine Titanium nib I thought the M would be a nice change.

I was right!

Congratulations! The Ogiva is a nice pen, I am sure you'll enjoy the Flessible nib, even in M. From my experience, the Omas M nib is petty smooth for normal writing... I have a daily writer Old-style Milord with M nib and its black, smooth and holds lots of ink so I love it! Edited May 19, 2013 by nicholasyeo

[The Good Captain]

  On 5/19/2013 at 2:21 AM, nicholasyeo said:

Congratulations! The Ogiva is a nice pen, I am sure you'll enjoy the Flessible nib, even in M. From my experience, the Omas M nib is petty smooth for normal writing... I have a daily writer Old-style Milord with M nib and its black, smooth and holds lots of ink so I love it!

Thanks and it's going really well. I've R&K Verdigris in at present and am really pleased with it.

[alc3261]

  On 5/19/2013 at 8:24 AM, The Good Captain said:

Thanks and it's going really well. I've R&K Verdigris in at present and am really pleased with it.

So now I know what you bought from Write Here!!

[The Good Captain]

  On 5/19/2013 at 9:53 AM, alc3261 said:

So now I know what you bought from Write Here!!

Correct! You'll see the results in a day or two. John only had the one left so I was lucky with the nib as I've already mentioned.

[The Good Captain]

Bad news. After only one fill I noticed that ink (and then water I used to flush) had got past the first of the piston rings. I tried another flush and fluid actually got behind the second ring and into the 'mechanism' chamber itself. It's currently back with Omas but I hope it won't be long in getting back to me. I only had it a week!

However, I've asked that they change the nib for a Fine Extra Flessibile instead of the Medium, as this will be more in keeping with my writing preferences.

I'll keep you posted.

[gentlyom]

Thanks for the review and pictures. Definitely gorgeous Omas!! Just in my opinion these LEs should really be made into standard production, so much more people can enjoy it and at a more affordable price.

[The Good Captain]

I collected the Ogiva from the shop this morning and what a difference the Fine Extra Flessibile nib has made. Not to mention the repaired/replaced piston. Now a fantastic pen - writing just the way I like them. I'll try to put some pics on soon.