Montblanc Great Character - Da Vinci

[mrchan]

I do like some of the great character pens but after almost wanting to buy the recent one after seeing it at the boutique, it was simply too heavy. I always use all my pens as daily writers in rotation and found them too be much too heavy, pretty much renders it unusable for me. So no matter how much I like them, I don't think I'll be getting one anytime soon.

[rugby66de]

I had seen more pics from the new Da Vinci in my Boutique. The Corpus composed of aluminium but some details (mirror in the cap etc.) are interesting.

[mjchuang9]

 

The Da Vinci finally arrived today. Compared to the last three the Da Vinci is very light, and the staff said the barrel is made by aluminum alloy. There is a wing of bat itched on the section and also on the nib, which means lucky to Chinese people. There are lots of detailed designs and I have not yet decided to change the M nib or not.

[Chrissy]

My money is safe. It has a metal grip that is stepped down from the barrel, and it looks like the top is stepped down from the barrel too. Not for me, even if I won the lottery

[libran88]

Nice one mjchuang9.. Congrats on the new pen.. It looks nice.. Love everything made from aluminium..

[BrandonA]

My money is safe. It has a metal grip that is stepped down from the barrel, and it looks like the top is stepped down from the barrel too. Not for me, even if I won the lottery

I don't have an issue with the metal grip as my Einstein has one and i don't have a problem with it on that pen.

 

I agree with everything else you've stated. I think it is a good design in so much that I think it represents the Great Character well. I terms of a pen design it is way too busy and looks untypical to Montblanc, more reminiscent of some of the other brands which produce over the top designs.

 

In some ways I'm glad as having bought the Einstein I was looking for excuses not to add this range to my collection (including buying the older pens I don't have). My money is safe for another year.

[mjchuang9]

I think the great character series is more experimental than PoA and WE. I like the new development in this series and think MB also keep the high quality craftsmanship. The Da Vinci use the new material on the barrel and a mirror is placed insides the cap top to reflect the hidden MB emblem.

[mjchuang9]

 

The two faces of Da Vinci: one is a technician, the other is an artist, which one do you prefer?

[georges zaslavsky]

 

The two faces of Da Vinci: one is a technician, the other is an artist, which one do you prefer?

A little bit too blingy for me. Give me an older 149 from the 50's-60's for this amount of money

[rugby66de]

I like the black Sforza, POA

[mjchuang9]

I like the black Sforza too. As a collector and writer, I think I also prefer the older ones like Medici,Alexander the Great,etc. Yet I think the new great character series would like to transfer some more new modern design different from the classical WE and PoA. Now I am looking forward to seeing the next year's great character just like WE.

Edited October 20, 2013 by mjchuang9

[adelaidepen]

I managed to see and handle the Da Vinci RB pen at Harrods yesterday. Despite my previous comments in this thread it really grabbed me. The clip with the cog looks beautiful. the MB star is also reflected from a little chamber in the cap - you can't see it from the top, just through the holes in the sides of the pen. Very clever. Official launch is apparently november 1st. OK - off to sell my Hitchcock RB to raise the funds for the Da Vinci FP with a B nib...........

[libran88]

I managed to see and handle the Da Vinci RB pen at Harrods yesterday. Despite my previous comments in this thread it really grabbed me. The clip with the cog looks beautiful. the MB star is also reflected from a little chamber in the cap - you can't see it from the top, just through the holes in the sides of the pen. Very clever. Official launch is apparently november 1st. OK - off to sell my Hitchcock RB to raise the funds for the Da Vinci FP with a B nib...........

 

mjchuang9, any chance if you would take a picture on the MB star and the cap top?? Please..... seems like the placement of the star is quite unique on the Da Vinci.. Thank you

[rockspyder]

Like the Einstein, (3000 and 99) the Da Vinci will also be in 2 editions, a "bulk" version (3000) and a skeleton (74 pieces). At the time, I was hoping the Einstein skeleton would be a proper (149 size) but sadly it was based on 146, too thin and too small for my preferences.

 

I was equally disappointed when I heard the Da Vinci skeleton would also be 146-based, how sad, for such an influential character.

 

Until I saw it....

 

I recently looked at "the book" in our local boutique. The Da Vinci 74 is a masterpiece, it is really striking, a befitting tribute to the character. It is a proper skeleton with lots of contrast, in light and dark gold, and it does not have the annoying barrel-section step that MB has come to like so much, despite the outcry of despair from collectors and users alike.

This pen has a nearly level transition from barrel to section, so it looks perfectly in proportion. (except for the disappointment of a small 146 nib). It has far more small technical Da Vinci-esque details than the 3000 version, for example a little round gear inside a bracket mounted on the filler end. Very well executed, not at all cluttered. It could easily have looked like something from a Far Side cartoon but MB pulled this one off beautifully. In both versions, the mirror-reflected star is a nice touch, cleverly done.

 

I never thought I would ever say it of a 146 size skeleton, but I may even consider it.

It only launches in January 2014, pre-orders started 1 October.

 

The 3000 version is not bad, but yet another step-down barrel? No, really, it is just annoying and it is too bland and nondescript for my liking, and for a character as large as Da Vinci I would expect a little more detail. I am very happy with the 3000 Einstein, but will rather let this one go by.

 

Let's wait and see about the 74..

[Chrissy]

I don't have an issue with the metal grip as my Einstein has one and i don't have a problem with it on that pen.

 

I agree with everything else you've stated. I think it is a good design in so much that I think it represents the Great Character well. I terms of a pen design it is way too busy and looks untypical to Montblanc, more reminiscent of some of the other brands which produce over the top designs.

 

In some ways I'm glad as having bought the Einstein I was looking for excuses not to add this range to my collection (including buying the older pens I don't have). My money is safe for another year.

I think you hit the nail on the head there. It's just too busy, and that does seem atypical for Montblanc. The metal grip on it's own wouldn't put me off completely, but I don't like wide barrels that step down into narrower grips. To have a wider barrel that also steps down into the cone just seems a step too far.

 

I prefer the blue version

[mstrl]

Here i have two high res Pictures of the Da Vinci that i made on Saturday in the MB Shop in Hamburg

 

http://www.hanseaticlaw.de/1.jpg

 

http://www.hanseaticlaw.de/2.jpg

[bartl]

Hideous Sorry

[Laurel]

Being in The US, I have to wait for two more weeks for my pre-order to make it's way over to us. Although I have not had the opportunity to see it in person I really am looking forward to receiving it! I love the uniqueness of it!

 

Laurel

[Pen Nut]

A little bit too blingy for me. Give me an older 149 from the 50's-60's for this amount of money

 

In what colour ? .........oh hang on let me guess

[Pen Nut]

 

The two faces of Da Vinci: one is a technician, the other is an artist, which one do you prefer?

 

 

That lovely blue and gold one. Stunning combination.