A Worthy Successor To Omas?

[Uncial]

I read a few glowing reviews of the Leonardo Officina Momento Zero fountain pens, but I held out to see if there would be a little more feedback. There wasn't sadly, but there was feedback of another kind.

Not long ago Leonardo launched the Furore model; a somewhat shorter, stubbier version of an Omas Ogiva. Enough nods in the Omas direction and enough nods in a new direction to really peak my interest. There are, I think, three companies now vying for the vacuum left by Omas and I thought this crew might be the ones to do it. They aren't as stupidly expensive as their competitors and aren't making pens for Goliath, nor are they making somewhat dull pens with irritating steps. They seemed 'the one'. Seemed.

The finish is faultless: an Ogiva shaped model with a screw cap that posts, a cc filler with a blind cap that you can use for ease of filling, a section that has a weird shape that in theory shouldn't work but does (it pares down rather than flaring out or rather than having a ridge shape at the end). There are four gold bands in total and a clip in the Omas style with its little wheel, but really stiff (I'm not sure it can effectively be used as a clip). The converter is largely metal which provides the pen with a very nice bit of weight and directs it to the pen body when posted so as not to back-weight the pen. It comes in a nice enough cardboard box with lots of nice leaflets about pretty coves in Italy's coastline and their history, all covered in a lovely sleeve that looks like old majolica ware.

 

 

Leonardo is not entirely 'out of nowhere'. The people behind it have some experience, having worked (I think) with Delta, claiming 45 years of experience. The acrylic is beautiful, conjuring impressions of the Almalfi coast and its beautiful sea. This pen came with an extra fine gold nib (very sparsely engraved) which I think is made by Bock. I ordered the ef because I thought I might end up with a fine, and that is what I got. Not sure if that rule would extend up to their other nib sizes, but worth bearing in mind. The finish is called 'Emerald Sea' and is numbered but I don't think it's a limited edition or anything. The barrel is engraved with the model details and an issue number. The pen weighs 26g filled, 5.75 inches capped, 5.25 inches uncapped and 6.25 inches posted.

 

 

The finish is very precise and of an excellent quality. Their steel nibbed models strike me as very good value for money. The acrylic on this model has a lovely depth and quite reminiscent of the old Delta incarnation of the Markiaro Starfish acyrlics, but with a touch more swirl and translucence. The nib is firm but it doesn't feel like a nail, it writes wet without being a gusher, but oh boy does it have some serious feedback. I know some folk love that, but there is feedback and then there is feedback. I enjoy Sailor nibs and often hope I strike it lucky with a buttery one, but nine times out of ten I can cope with feedback on Sailor nibs if I get it. This is what I would class as a sticky nib. With a light hand it's simply a nuisance to write with and feels like it keeps wanting to firmly grip the paper. It's a very noisy writer too. For my preferences it just didn't quite work and with the comparison to Omas rattling around in my head I may have been expecting a little too much. I broke my golden rule of 'send it back' and micro-meshed it. It's now usable, but still has a very distinctive bit of tooth and there really isn't a lot of tipping to be playing with here.

 

It's worth noting as well that some people have noted that the pen barrel and cap don't always appear to be cut from the same rod, or if they are, the rod has a gradation of depth of colour. In this instance my pen was perfect, so no complaints there whatsoever, but with other models and finishes that may not always be the case. I haven't heard or read of anyone finding the steel nibs to be unpleasant or with excessive feedback. I kind of wish I'd gone with the steel option. A worthy successor to Omas? Absolutely. This manufacturer, more than any other, seems poised to be on the right track. The finish is flawless, the custom converter is a nice touch, the marketing seems well thought out and the price seems dead on point to me. It's such a shame that the only thing that lets this down is the one aspect they have someone else make and is the most important thing in any fountain pen - the nib. If they could change this aspect this company definitely has legs and could easily become quite a major player. I'd like to see them branch out a bit, maybe adding a piston filler to the standard line-up and possibly a model with that and an ink window and a few more interesting acrylics or finishes. I love the product but I loath the nib. To my mind if they were able to produce an even slightly more decorative nib with a significantly smoother feel, they'd fill the Omas vacuum very nicely and give the rest a real run for their money.

Edited November 20, 2018 by Uncial

[Uncial]

***Important note****

The pen looks very blue here in my pictures but in real life it is quite a distinctive bright and light teal with a strong green element - quite turquoise.

[dapprman]

Your belief about the staff coming from Delta is correct - they are one of the two companies to come out of the closing of Delta - the father of the chief was a founder of Delta and I believe all the staff comes from there.

 

While I don't own a Leonardo I've been fortunate to have tried three or four different ones and I do like them - plus cost wise (in the UK at least) they are a very good bargain.

[Uncial]

What is the other company?

Perhaps, more importantly, how did you find their nibs (steel or gold)?

[sansenri]

Thank you very much for the review, I have received my Furore, same colour as yours, but HT finish (i.e. chrome trim) a few days ago.

I went for an easy M steel nib at a very reasonable overall price. A lovely pen which reminds me of the Delta Journal (with exception of the tapering ends).

 

In my opinion Leonardo is the worthy successor to Delta, but of that original Delta company that brought out those lovely pens and resin finishes as in the Dolce Vita, the Journal, the Pompei, the Via Veneto, the Wé, the Black and White, the Passion, and few other models which were designed with style and buon gusto (and good quality) so far from the ugly and disrespectful Martemodena later modifications.

Edited November 21, 2018 by sansenri

[Uncial]

Is your nib smooth?

[dapprman]

What is the other company?

Perhaps, more importantly, how did you find their nibs (steel or gold)?

 

I've tried two early steel pens, which had to be fixed as there was a polishing problem resulting in baby's bottom, but they were smooth and very nice writers, as is a more recent one. The gold nib I tried was nice, though surprisingly felt stiffer than the steel nibs. I do like them and will pick up a Leonardo at some other point.

 

The other company that came out of Delta was Nettuno (founded by the former president of Delta). The other new company, who's staff used to be at OMAS, is ScriBo.

 

[sansenri]

Is your nib smooth?

my steel is reasonably smooth, but then it's an M, so very different from an EF.

[BaronWulfraed]

The other company that came out of Delta was Nettuno (founded by the former president of Delta).

 

 

Is that another resurrected name? I own a Nettuno Barracuda, which my records show I purchased in September 2005. In contrast, my Delta Italiana was purchased in July 2014.

[DrDebG]

This is a stunning pen! I love all of my Deltas - yes, even the fusion nibs! I have been looking at the Nettuno and Leonardo pens, hoping they might have some resemblance to Delta. I am glad to hear that they may be some of the same people.

[europen]

Nettuno is the oldest pen manufacturer in Italy, having opened in 1911. I cannot say for certain if the Nettuno mentioned in these posts is intended to be a new brand, or if the suggestion is that the original Nettuno (under contract with Aurora who manufacturers their designs) has now been embraced by remnants of Delta, as a new competitive brand borrowing and using the same name.

 

As of last year when I was in Bologna, Nettuno 1911 was still in business under its brand name. The Barracuda and the Shark are Nettuno models.

[dapprman]

This is the blurb I found on Nettuno-

"

Nettuno produced the first Italian fountain pens and this historic brand has now been reborn in spectacular fashion. Beautifully hand crafted pens, with intricate detailing, and all under the guidance of Italian pen supremo Nino Marino (former president of the Delta Pen Company)

"

[sansenri]

Is your nib smooth?

I was surprised you are not so happy about your nib, so I went to re-check mine.

I inked up the pen a few days ago when I received it, quickly tested it and then put it in my office bag, but have not used it yet, as I had other pens in rotation.

I had forgotten that it's actually a B not an M, and that's possibly why I recalled a very smooth writing impression.

here is a quick (and ugly) writing sample on (nasty) copy paper from which you can see the steel nib actually has some spring to it.

I confirm it writes very smooth, but as mentioned I expect the difference in nib size with your EF is too pronounced to compare

(the ink is Asa Gao)

[Uncial]

I've certainly heard from more than one source that the steel nibs are smooth with a chance of baby bottom. I'm wondering if the gold are smooth

[sansenri]

mine is smooth and no baby bottom fortunately, it writes straight away,

I've had nibs on some other pens plagued by baby bottom, but not this one

[Nikaa]

Nice review, but leaves me with more doubts than before. I saw these pens on instagram, I liked them so much. I could say, that I fall in love with them Esspecially Hawai Blue, Momento Zero line, looks so interesting and tempting. And I'm thinking about bying one....

But I don't know what to think about the nib, what to expect.... I also wanted EF. And I do not know if it will be fun to write with it for me or not. I do not like smooth nibs. I like a little sharp, I like nibs with little/less iridium (for example Pelikan's EF has too big ball of 'iridium'). I prefer Sailor's nibs, Falcon Sf...

 

Oh...

Edited December 12, 2018 by Nikaa

[Uncial]

Personally, if I was to buy from them again I would probably go for a steel nib.

[dms525]

I now have four Leonardo pens. One Momento Zero LE in ebonite which has a gold nib and is a piston filler. Two Momento Zero "Numbered edition" pens with steel nibs. And one Furore, also with a steel nib. All the nibs are stubs.

 

First, I have found the pens wonderful in materials, fit and finish. Second, I actually prefer the steel nibs to the gold one. The latter has just occasional skipping. The steel nibs are flawless and a joy to write with.

 

As for "value," I find the LE a bit over-priced, and the piston seems to have a remarkably small capacity. The Numbered editions, on the other hand, are one of the best bargains in the market currently, in my opinion.

 

David

[Nikaa]

Thanks for opinions.

I'm still tempted by Momento zero Hawaii with steel nib and now I know how it ends

Edited December 14, 2018 by Nikaa

[TassoBarbasso]

I am sooooo tempted to buy one of their pens but Im a bit conflicted on an ethical level: isnt this company run by the same people behind Delta? And didnt Deltas management close the factory without paying the remaining salaries to the employees? (There was smth along these lines in the forums). If that is the case, it would mean that the initial capital to create this new company comes probably from the money they refused to pay to the employees who had rightfully earned it. If you have more exact info feel free to chip in.