Parker Duofold Prestige Centennial - Ruthenium

[Eric2018]

Parker Duofold Prestige Centennial - Ruthenium plated

Medium nib, C/C

Recently, I hope to get a decent flagship pen and I keep choosing from a few big-name models. Definitely a hard fight, and tie-break all the time. M1000/5, 149, big red, Urushi, GvFB, Aurora, Homo S, sterling stuff, etc. Few months passed and I can’t make up my mind. I treat heavy pens to be more serious, so I decided to give the resin stuff on the next try, and I finally choose the Prestige Duofold. Well, the last battle falls on the black chevron and the ruthenium...

Until I read from the web that ruthenium is a very hard and rare metal from the platinum group and it does not tarnish over time, (it will only be oxidized in the air at the temperature of 800c…) even does not attack by many acids, OMG wowwowow… a pen won't tarnish..., obviously it knocks out the chevron then.

Packaging:

I'm not a fancy packaging guy, so I won't be moved by luxury packaging.

Anyway, the fabric wrapped cardboard box is good looking, rigid, protective, and the pen comes with 2 cartridges, a converter, and a handbook.

Weight:

I assume the pen is real heavy that could not be an EDC. "Nope, I’m wrong." The first second on hand is not heavy but really comfortable. I can't tell exactly by words, maybe it's just personal, I love the weight and feels that writing with. Compare to the Lamy 2000 stainless steel, it won by a landslide (although both uncapped weights are 35g). I don’t have many heavy pens, here are some figures: (surely this pen cannot be capped on writing, it would be too long and the center of weight goes up significantly...)

Capless Kasuri (carbonesque): 33g

Kaweco Brass Sports: 44g

Lamy 2000 Stainless Steel: 55g (uncapped 35g)

Ruthenium Duofold: 51g (uncapped 35g)

Finishing:

Breathtakingly well made, sturdy, reliable feeling, low profile. For the name “Duofold Prestige”, I treat it as "just normal", so not a surprise. Barrel: ruthenium plated; trim: palladium (not chrome).

Nib design:

I love it. I searched for some previous duofold nibs, and I like the latest one, you know, something made with a heart can't go wrong! (I like 3776 also, same reason) Dual tone - 18k - Ruthenium finish.

Overall size:

I thought the Prestige Centennial would be huge (imagining the size of M1000 or 149), I’m wrong again. Check the comparison below.

with Lamy 2K ss / Lamy AL / Capless / Duofold Centennial

Nib feeling:

I’m glad that Parker tested the pen before putting it into the sales counter. When I washed the pen before inking, there is some blue ink residue being flushed in the water jar. I appreciate it, truly. A decent nib may not come from a decent pen, so I am very very worried.

Firstly I put too hard for the nib, and it writes with too much feedback. And I start to write with no pressure, oh then it writes with pleasure. The more I write, the more I like. Comfortable, effortless, no hard start, and no skipping. This medium nib is not a hard nib, quite smooth when not pushing hard, but a bit on the fine side I may say, (glad I didn't take the fine nib) and you could get some line variation when pushing a little. The ink is my favorite blue-black, Pilot iroshizuku's Shin-Kai.

( Ummm, the best nib I owned before this duofold is the Sailor's 21k M from a Pro Gear.

And still, it is. This duofold nib is good, effortless, but I still love the Sailor's. )

Something I'm expecting, but nope:

[1] The nib size, as the flagship model, I thought the nib should be very big, I imagine the 149, M1000…etc. But nope, the nib is NOT that huge.

with 3776 & ECO

[2] The barrel and cap surface

I search from the web I quite sure the pen is in matt or brush surface. Yet turn up it is shiny, I accept that the shiny surface is also cool, but if it is in matt, I surely like it more. I go check the Parker shop nearby, and it’s the same. Only the section is brushed. But it is strange that the shiny surface doesn’t magnet fingerprints, another characteristic of ruthenium maybe?

[3] Nib option

If I could choose an Italic or a stub nib, that’d be a perfect score.

 

I love this pen, like a paladin's sword.

I can’t find a review on this ruthenium duofold, that’s really strange, or, is it a model that no one wants to own? LOL.

No matter what, France made, running duofold’s blood, top of the line, ruthenium plated, 18k duo-toned nib… to me, all these are exciting and appealing.

Thanks for watching...

(sorry for the big photos...)

Edited April 8, 2019 by TeeTee

[northstar]

Beautiful pen, congratulations.

[richardandtracy]

I think Parker still do their nib exchange. May not apply to the Prestige range though. It is worth asking customer services on http://www.parkerpens.com . They certainly used to offer an exchange for a large number of nib sizes. That's effectively how I got the BI on my P&B Centennial, though the vendor did it for me ( https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/134028-parker-duofold-centennial/ ).

 

Thank you for the review. Interesting. I have never seen one of the Prestige Duofolds in the flesh, yet have wondered what they are like. So, thank you for this informative review.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Eric2018]

i emailed parker cs before i get the pen, and they replied me with only the customer service address of the parker CS in Hong Kong, not saying i could enter the nib exchange program or not. Anyway, i'll go tomorrow and check it out...

[Eric2018]

I went to the repair centre hours ago, and they will order a medium italic for me (the nib exchange program for free).

 

Although I need to wait 2 months, it will be an extra good reason for me to buy another duofold again. Love it.

[Joane]

Thank you for the great review! I am a Duofold fan and it is a pleasure to read about this model.

[1nkulus]

Great choice, it is one of my favourite Parker pens. Simple and classic.

[Erik Dalton]

Beautiful Pen. Thanks for sharing the photos and a great review. May you have many years of happy writing with your new pen.

[richardandtracy]

Good to hear that the more exotic nibs are really available. The MI is a good choice.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[1nkulus]

Good to hear that the more exotic nibs are really available. The MI is a good choice.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

Does Parker still offer their extensive nib selection from yesteryear or is it a more muted offering?

Edited April 10, 2019 by 1nkulus

[Joane]

Does Parker still offer their extensive nib selection from yesteryear or is it a more muted offering?

When the Duofold was first reissued in the late 1980s, there were 24 choices. At some point the number was reduced to 14. I too would be very curious ro know what is offered today.

[encremental]

Congratulations on a fabulous pen! The Prestige Duofolds really are sumptuous things - on a par with S.T. Dupont, and classic Waterman pens of yore. I'm gradually trying to get a set of them, but it's an expensive business! As you say, the fit and finish is superb, and hard to describe until you actually hold one. Also, I have found that quality control on the nibs is greatly improved since the Newhaven days.

 

Just to let you know that it's the Black Chevron Centennial which is the one with the entirely ruthenium trim - single colour nib, cap, grip clip and barrel, but with a black chevron body (some sort of pvd enamel finish - I have no idea how it's done).

 

Your Ruthenium Centennial, on the other hand, has the ruthenium body, but contrasting platinum trim and the bi-colour rhodium / gold nib.

 

I think Martin of The Writing Desk says we are now down to 12 nib choices (they still sell 10), although I would imagine that the Black Chevron ruthenium is probably limited to F, M & B (if that).

 

Enjoy the pen,

 

John

Edited April 10, 2019 by encremental

[1nkulus]

I think Martin of The Writing Desk says we are now down to 12 nib choices (they still sell 10), although I would imagine that the Black Chevron ruthenium is probably limited to F, M & B (if that).

 

The pens with a black nib section are fine as that can be swapped, IIRC.

The gold/silver/ruthenium nib sections pose an issue.

 

For the black chevron you could, probably, swap the nib section for the black one and have access to all the nibs.

You would need to have access to additional nib sections.

 

I like the Ruthenium, Red and the Blue Black models all with CT.

[1nkulus]

When the Duofold was first reissued in the late 1980s, there were 24 choices. At some point the number was reduced to 14. I too would be very curious ro know what is offered today.

 

You are right, 14 variants are offered.

https://www.parkerpen.com/en-GB/nib-exchange-pgm

 

EEF: extra extra fine

EF: extra fine

F: fine

M: medium

B: broad

EB: extra broad

EEB: extra extra broad

FO: fine oblique

MO: medium oblique

RMO: medium reverse oblique

BO: broad oblique

FI: fine italic

MI: medium italic

BI: broad italic

[1nkulus]

The unposted length, weight and girth of the Duofold Centennial is the same as the M800, but it has the largest nib variety even though it is slightly more expensive than the Pelikan.

 

IMO, the Ruthenium model is the best of the range apart from the LE's.

 

OTOH, the present LE is 'The craft of traveling' which happens to coincide with the 130th anniversary.

[Joane]

You are right, 14 variants are offered.

https://www.parkerpen.com/en-GB/nib-exchange-pgm

 

EEF: extra extra fine

EF: extra fine

F: fine

M: medium

B: broad

EB: extra broad

EEB: extra extra broad

FO: fine oblique

MO: medium oblique

RMO: medium reverse oblique

BO: broad oblique

FI: fine italic

MI: medium italic

BI: broad italic

 

Thanks for the update.

[Honeybadgers]

Holy hell that thing is gorgeous. If it wasn't a C/C, it'd be damn near the top of my list.

[Eric2018]

From Parker, the trim of this is not chrome nor platinum, it is palladium plated. And the nib is, said, ruthenium finish.

[encremental]

So sorry Tee Tee, - you are quite right about the trim, it is palladium , not platinum. Probably wishful thinking on my part!

 

John

[Eric2018]

A friend asked me about the dry out issue of the Centennial. Some mentioned that the duofold nib tends to be dried out easily.

I have just ONE duofold (hope to have more for sure...) and I leave my pen for just nearly three days in a pen case untouched.

 

This morning I try to write... and OMG... the dry out issue of the duofold nib...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... is not true to my pen! ^_^

 

It writes immediately and I didn't notice any darker ink when comparing to my writings days before.

Ink used: Iroshizuku - Shin-Kai

 

 

BTW regarding the mentioned air hole below the clip... anyone could show me where it is located anyway?

Maybe the surface is too shinny... or my eyes are too tired.... I just can't find it.