Help Me Choosing My First Really Expensive Pen

[Xozzen]

After being interested in fountain pens for a longer time now and having a few ones in my collection, I decided I want to get my first "really expensive" fountain pen. I checked many pens and did a lot of research for ones which excited me, and it basically boils down to the Andy Warhol and the new Rouge et Noir.

Before I had some other pens in the race aswell, from Chopard, Cartier, Sailor and others, but the two from Montblanc were the most exciting to me now.

 

I will be listing what are cons and pros for me, aswell as some general preferences of mine, and I hope you can give me some advice which pen you would pick or some points which I didn't think about yet.

Keep in mind that I didn't try them out in person yet and will not have the chance to do so either, no shops in my area carry them.

 

So, without further ado:

http://www.fahrneyspens.com/Galleria/1/114724-Large.jpg
Montblanc Rouge et noir (the new one)

Pro:
-I like the design of the pen. It's kind of classic but has an edge to it, it's not just plain "elegance" like the Meisterstück range are. I like that is has a bit more pizzazz, that's more of my style.

-The pen is not that big. To me, I prefer my pens smaller. It has many advantages: It's easier to clip and fit in a shirt pocket, it's not overly flashy and doesn't feel like you're trying really hard (that's how I feel about the 149) and often it's also more light. The possibly reduced ink capacity doesn't bother me very much. Smaller things are also just more aesthetically pleasing to me.

-The price. I know, it's a seriously expensive pen, but compared to the Andy Warhol, the price is a positive. It's about 200 bucks difference.
- I really like the clip with the snake, I wish it had the green eyes on the non-LE though. For clarification, I am interested in the non-LE even though the picture shows the LE, I don't have that much to spend on it. The clip is still really cool though, even though some might not like it, I really really like it.

-It's rumored to be only sold this year, so after this year this might be kind of an "exclusive", which is an idea that I would enjoy. I love rare things.

-I find it interesting to match this with some snake leather goods (fake or real) for some outfits, I think you can pull an interesting look with that.

Con:
- While I like the fact that the star is on red ground on the top, I am not so sure about the size. The oversized logo is maybe a bit too much of offensive branding for me.

-Without the cap on, the pen almost looks a bit bland to me. The nib has some cool snake design on it, but that's about it, most of the interesting design is captured in the cap.

-There is no ink window. This hardly counts though, because afaik both of them don't have one unfortunately.

 

 

http://s2.glbimg.com/LODD7jml86Zy7g5quE-KNh1lAOc=/smart/e.glbimg.com/og/ed/f/original/2015/12/03/andy-warhol-caneta-montblan.jpg

Montblanc Andy Warhol

Pro:
-The design is fantastic. The oversized cap gives it a bit of a stocky look, it makes it cute and awesome at the same time. The color scheme is great and there are many great design elements to it.

-Andy Warhol as an inspiration is good, and I love that they chose the tomato soup artwork for the cap, as that is the one I know and love the best. I love tomato soup in general, lol. The dollar on the nib is really nice aswell.

-The montblanc branding on this pen is fairly minimal without being invisible, and it's probably one of those pens which not everyone who knows about montblanc will recognize.

-Just want to mention the cap again, the cap is just amazing with everything about it. Although I believe that when clipped to a shirt, it might not look as flashy as the Rouge et Noir.

-Definitely a Limited Edition, which will probably be worth something at some time in the future. I have no intention to sell it ever probably, but just knowing that I have something sought after feels good to me (yes, I know it sounds superficial).

 

Con:

-The price. They are both very expensive pens, but this is the more expensive one, with a sizable difference, not just peanuts.

-The pen (especially the cap) is very heavy. When carrying it in a bag or something, that will be no issue, but I imagine that to be more uncomfortable and less secure when it's clipped to a shirt pocket.

-The size. It is bigger, and I like smaller things. It's not exactly a huge pen, but a few more milimeters (I think 7 more in length when capped) can make it stick out from a pocket more and would make me a bit uneasier to carry it that way. Although I think the size will not be a big problem when writing with it, unfortunately I can't try it.

 

 

Thanks for reading my wall of text and I hope you can help me decide!

Edited April 20, 2016 by Xozzen

[Pravda]

May I suggest my favorite MBs of all time? Despite owning much more expensive ones, the two that really make me feel special holding each and every time?

 

The Heritage 1912

146 Solitaire Geometric Dimension

 

I have the 1906 and really enjoy it. Nice pen, comfortable to hold and write with. One thing to also consider is the 'robustness' of the nib? The 1906 is a bit more fragile than the Warhol. And ink capacity too.

 

I personally would pass on the Any Warhol.. I would take the Leo Tolstoy over it, and I didn't even like that all that much.

 

But as you said, there are literally hundreds of beautiful MBs. Good luck with whatever you choose

[SE1980]

What is your range of "really expensive"? I have the Heritage 1912 and Meisterstück 161 Le Grand ballpoint in which the 161 was bought first and is very expensive to me, until I bought the 1912 which is really expensive to me. So it really boils down to your budget.

 

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w185/Snoweagle80/731B6D49-D1AF-467A-859A-CC62FE11AFF3_zpserfxr3q0.jpg

 

Anyway the new Rouge et Noir is really classy but a little too thin, the Andy Warhol is broader pen and holds better, but depending on your hand size. So I presume you only want a fountain pen and just stick with one. You could consider the Andy Warhol as you mentioned, or perhaps Daniel Defoe, else will be other Meisterstücks such as the Tribute to MB or even the 146/149.

 

These are just personal suggestions but it ultimately boils down to your own liking. One man's meat may be another's poison, but you can't go wrong with any MB. I apologise if I've over/underlooked anything.

 

Cheers.

[lemonde]

From reading your post it seems to me that you're perhaps leaning toward the Rouge et Noir already. I believe once you examine both in person, one will jump out as the one that feels right in the hand.

 

I've handled both and I'd choose the Rouge et Noir because the Warhol is a bit wonky in size for me (and I love large pens normally). I can't imagine clipping the Warhol to a shirt. The Rouge et Noir is small but good, and more refined, in my opinion.

 

Best of luck!

[Xozzen]

May I suggest my favorite MBs of all time? Despite owning much more expensive ones, the two that really make me feel special holding each and every time?

 

The Heritage 1912

146 Solitaire Geometric Dimension

 

I have the 1906 and really enjoy it. Nice pen, comfortable to hold and write with. One thing to also consider is the 'robustness' of the nib? The 1906 is a bit more fragile than the Warhol. And ink capacity too.

 

I personally would pass on the Any Warhol.. I would take the Leo Tolstoy over it, and I didn't even like that all that much.

 

But as you said, there are literally hundreds of beautiful MBs. Good luck with whatever you choose

I like the 1906 more than the usual Heritage collection, so I would pick that over the 1912. The Solitaire GD is probably too expensive for me.

As in robustness, do you mean line variation or hardness? I don't have any experiences with those things on these pens, but I would be happy to hear more about it!

Ink capacity is not a big deal for me, I don't write excessive amounts, I probably have to refill a CC pen about every other week, so any piston filler will do totally fine for me.

The Tolstoy is not my favourite, I think next in line would be Honore de Balzac maybe, but for now it's between the Rouge et noir and Andy Warhol.

 

What is your range of "really expensive"? I have the Heritage 1912 and Meisterstück 161 Le Grand ballpoint in which the 161 was bought first and is very expensive to me, until I bought the 1912 which is really expensive to me. So it really boils down to your budget.

 

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w185/Snoweagle80/731B6D49-D1AF-467A-859A-CC62FE11AFF3_zpserfxr3q0.jpg

 

Anyway the new Rouge et Noir is really classy but a little too thin, the Andy Warhol is broader pen and holds better, but depending on your hand size. So I presume you only want a fountain pen and just stick with one. You could consider the Andy Warhol as you mentioned, or perhaps Daniel Defoe, else will be other Meisterstücks such as the Tribute to MB or even the 146/149.

 

These are just personal suggestions but it ultimately boils down to your own liking. One man's meat may be another's poison, but you can't go wrong with any MB. I apologise if I've over/underlooked anything.

 

Cheers.

My budget is maybe up to about 800€, not much more than that. I don't have large or small hands, in glove sizes I'm an M. I don't want to get something from the regular Meisterstück line, they don't seem so special to me. The Tribute to the MB are nice but not as good as the two I mentioned, they just have that edge that is commonly only found on others from the Great Characters line (or other brands). The Great Characters are great anyway, there are many beautiful ones.

 

From reading your post it seems to me that you're perhaps leaning toward the Rouge et Noir already. I believe once you examine both in person, one will jump out as the one that feels right in the hand.

 

I've handled both and I'd choose the Rouge et Noir because the Warhol is a bit wonky in size for me (and I love large pens normally). I can't imagine clipping the Warhol to a shirt. The Rouge et Noir is small but good, and more refined, in my opinion.

 

Best of luck!

Honestly, some days I am leaning towards the Rouge et Noir, some days I feel I am leaning towards the Andy Warhol, so that's why I posted to get some other opinions on it.

I wish I could compare them in person but it's impossible, I had a Montblanc Boutique nearby but it closed last year and now I just have some big malls which only carry Starwalkers and Meisterstücks basically.

 

Is the Warhol impractical to handle with its size? I know it's a lot thicker than the Rouge et Noir. And how much of a factor is the weight? I'm happy to hear more from someone who knows both of them!

 

Thanks for all the answers already!

[SE1980]

Well I understand, to each his own. I don't have a lot of info on the Great Characters series, but some of them really looked very nice!

[Pravda]

The Warhol is not heavy per say at all, it is the 1906 that is very light (although not as light as it looks because it's made of metal not resin).

 

What I mean by robustness, I feel usually the 145/1906 nib size delicate to the hand don't like to put down any pressure when writing with it. The 146/Warhol I tend to not worry too much about heavy handedness or broader strokes.

 

Have you considered nib sizes?

[Mastiff]

+1 vote for Rouge et noir (although mine has not arrived just yet!), unless you would consider 1912.

 

It would be difficult to handle that gigantic cap on the Andy pen, whereas I would think that the R.e.N cap would fit more comfortably in your left hand while your right hand is doing the writing. I am also not from the Andy Warhol generation and I know very little about him, but the whole tomato can idea and the resemblance to a tin can doesn't sell it for me. Dollar sign on the nib also is a bit too much. Strangely it reminds me of new money.

[FOUR X FOUR]

I'd go with the classics. Heritage 1912 or 149.

[thygreyt]

My suggestion is simple... I dont know you, despite what you write its hard to recommend something as personal as a pen.

 

So go to a store and feel both in your hand. Write with them (even ink-less you can write on paper just to feel them), put it in your pocket...

 

AND: Dont limit yourself to these two. What if you try something you thought you wouldnt like, but once in your hand it just begs to be bought?

 

Have fun and let us know what you pick.

[crod]

The Andy Warhol is a really nice pen and very comfortable to write with it, mostly because the cap is not supposed to be posted. The cap is beautiful and a very interesting design from Montblanc, however it almost makes it a desk pen (or at least it makes it easier to carry in a pen case, but I found it a bit heavy for a shirt pocket). The Rouge et Noir is very well balanced and also very pretty, although I agree is too thin compared to the fountain pens that Montblanc normally makes, still a great pen.

If you want something really original, probably the Warhol pen is a good choice, but the rouge et noir is a very elegant, and even more versatile option.

[Raif79]

My vote is for the Rouge et Noir. I love mine. I played with a AW at Montblanc and just didn't like it. I wanted to like it.

[Xozzen]

My suggestion is simple... I dont know you, despite what you write its hard to recommend something as personal as a pen.

 

So go to a store and feel both in your hand. Write with them (even ink-less you can write on paper just to feel them), put it in your pocket...

 

AND: Dont limit yourself to these two. What if you try something you thought you wouldnt like, but once in your hand it just begs to be bought?

 

Have fun and let us know what you pick.

 

I don't intend to limit myself to these two, but after a long time of "research" it came down to these two. If I gave 10 different pens everyone would choose a different one and no one would be helping me. I might still find another one which I really like, but these are it for now.

 

And I would love to try them out, but I can't try them out anywhere. There is one more shop where I can try,a specialized fountain pen shop, but I don't think they carry Montblanc. If I found a shop where they have a nice choice I would try everything lol.

 

The Andy Warhol is a really nice pen and very comfortable to write with it, mostly because the cap is not supposed to be posted. The cap is beautiful and a very interesting design from Montblanc, however it almost makes it a desk pen (or at least it makes it easier to carry in a pen case, but I found it a bit heavy for a shirt pocket). The Rouge et Noir is very well balanced and also very pretty, although I agree is too thin compared to the fountain pens that Montblanc normally makes, still a great pen.

If you want something really original, probably the Warhol pen is a good choice, but the rouge et noir is a very elegant, and even more versatile option.

 

I don't post any of my pens, it might in theory be practical but I just find it ridiculous and it mostly sets off the balance when writing. I would probably not carry it around outside as much, mostly for writing at home. Do you have a AW? How is the nib? I really like the design of the cap aswell, it has to be one of the most impressive caps out there.

 

My vote is for the Rouge et Noir. I love mine. I played with a AW at Montblanc and just didn't like it. I wanted to like it.

 

What were the problems with it?

 

So far it seems many people prefer the Rouge et Noir. I'm thinking if it will be possible to get the AW at some later point, maybe start of the next year, do you think it will still be available then or will it be one of those 1500$ secondary market pens?

I still haven't decided yet though, so looking forward to more responses, thank you everyone.

[Raif79]

 

What were the problems with it?

 

So far it seems many people prefer the Rouge et Noir. I'm thinking if it will be possible to get the AW at some later point, maybe start of the next year, do you think it will still be available then or will it be one of those 1500$ secondary market pens?

I still haven't decided yet though, so looking forward to more responses, thank you everyone.

 

It's more personal tastes than anything else. There were a lot of cool ideas that went into the pen, but I don't feel as if they mixed well.

[888007888]

I would go for the AW. I feel the Rouge will always be available, even discounted on the secondary markets. Also, the snake part in the Rouge doesn't seem refined for my tastes. The cap of the AW is stand out. Definitely a talking point. The girth of the AW section is also more comfortable to me. I too have standard size hands. The Rouge is simply too thin for me. Just MHO.

[Xozzen]

I heard there is a new William Shakespeare pen coming out this year, but I can't find much information about it. If someone could pm me some information (pictures) about it I would be very happy, maybe it will be more exciting than these two! I know it's not really allowed to post something about these pens, but you catch my drift.

Otherwise still torn between the two pens, but pending towards the R.e.N. right now (also because of the price).

[bubba818]

I can understand your dilemma as I was in the same position two weeks ago.

In my case, no matter what I pick now, eventually I will have to get the other one. That and the William Shakespeare WE. This year will be an exPENsive year. Btw, I got the Andy Warhol, still mesmerized by the cap after a week of looking at it every day. Search online, you can find a bigger discount on the AW than the ReN.

[Xozzen]

I can understand your dilemma as I was in the same position two weeks ago.

In my case, no matter what I pick now, eventually I will have to get the other one. That and the William Shakespeare WE. This year will be an exPENsive year. Btw, I got the Andy Warhol, still mesmerized by the cap after a week of looking at it every day. Search online, you can find a bigger discount on the AW than the ReN.

Yes, I found some discount on the AW (less than 10% though) and didn't find any on the ReN.

 

I will probably have to get the other one aswell some time, whichever I pick. But I will not be able to afford both this year, I need to get a new laptop some time aswell.

I actually looked at some of the older Writer's editions aswell and like the Faulker and Shaw. I still didn't make a final decision, it's really tough for me lol.

[bubba818]

If you know what nib you want and willing to gamble on the warranty, you can find bigger discount on ebay. Maybe I am lucky or my sample size of 6 is not big enough, but I haven't bought one with factory defect, grey or at the boutique. I think AW is harder to fake, if you know what to look for you can easily spot a forgery. There are some that sells it less than the coral ReN.

[mongrelnomad]

Buy a new Omas before stocks are depleted. As long a history as Montblanc, and those celluloids are of incomparable beauty and tactility. We will never see their likes again - a tragic loss.