Heritage Rouge et Noire-Any Thoughts?

[bunnspecial]

For some reason this pen had sort of flown under my radar, but after seeing some photos and some brief discussion, I have to admit to being intrigued.

 

I know this release is a few years old, but new stock is still out there(although before buying I'd certainly check the second hand market, something I haven't really done). Even on the basic black one, though, the red cap/ivory snowflake combined with the snake clip and whole package having the look/proportions of a vintage safety has me hooked.

 

I've not found a ton of concrete hands-on reviews of it, although one of the better ones I found did mention being surprised at how slim the pen is. I'm someone who generally likes fatter pens, but weirdly enough I can usually make my peace with skinnier ones if they long, and especially heavier ones where I'm more guiding the nib over the paper as opposed to having to apply pressure(even though there is a point where I'll call a weight too much). Although I no longer have it, I did have a Noblesse for a while that I actually found fairly comfortable, and have also run into the same thing with a few other pens as long as they're not skinny Cross BPs that want a lot of pressure.

 

Also, again the best review I've found mentioned the size of the nib. It's hard to tell for me since it looks nicely proportioned to the body, but this review called it small. A lot of the LEs/SEs use a 146/#6 sized nib. Is this one smaller-say more along the lines of the 144/145?

 

For those of you who have used it, how is the section feel also? I'm mixed on smooth/shiny sections. They work for me on some pens-like some of the more recent MB LEs-but I've found the ones on the Lamy Studio very uncomfortable(the Studio Palladium with the grippier matte section is a different story).

So, any thoughts on this pen?

[Uncial]

I've a love hate relationship with mine. The piston feels horrible (same on the Egyptomania). It's very slim and the section is a bit slippery. I love how it looks (not so keen on the coral with mis-matching cap and barrel or the tropic) and the small nib suits what theywere trying to do. In fact I think the black is the best out of all of them. The book swirl one is a tad headache inducing. 

The Egyptomania in this heritage range should be considered too. Its more successful, I think,  than any of the others due to the faceted barrel. I can hold it up the barrel and avoid the slippery section and the nib feels a little more responsive.

[bunnspecial]

Thanks!

 

I hadn't realized the Egyptyomania was part of the same Heritage series, but I do see the resemblance. I'm not as wild about the appearance of it, though, but I wish there was a good way for me to hold them in-hand.

 

Looking at the Rouge et Noir range, the only one that honestly really appeals to me is the black one. Even the ebonite...I don't know what it is but I'm not wild about the dull look of the ebonite in the photos I've seen. I like glassy black pens in that material, and 100 year old ones can be found that way. The tropic-why would I want a pen that looks like ebonite gone bad?

[Uncial]

I wasn't wild about the Egyptomania to begin with, but when I had it in my hand with a responsive fine nib I became a bit smitten. It feels like a more substantial pen due to the difference in the barrel.

The REN has a medium nib, which while very wet, is kind of boring. It's getting re-ground to a stub one of these days.

[encremental]

They all share the same gloriously springy nob as the Heritage 1912 I have the 1912 in Fine, and the Coral Rouge et Noir in Medium.  If the section is OK for you, go for it - I find the Fine  nib the best of my MB nibs by a long way. 

 

John

[Arcadian]

The Rouge et Noir is definitely a small pen, the nib, too. But the whole package, small though it is, is well made, and the nib writes wonderfully. It feels heavy, and therefore feels more substantial than the size would imply. I haven't weighed them, but it feels heavier than the Egyptomania. All that being said, I prefer the Egyptomania because the faceted barrel fills out my hand better than the really very slim Rouge et Noir does. But I have big hands, so YMMV. 

 

 - P. 

[GOTO10]

The only issue I’ve had with my Rouge et Noir is the nib drying out because of the cap seal. They seemed to have solved this problem on the Egyptomania as they appear to share much of the same internals.

[Toll]

I bought one when they were first released and I have absolutely no regrets. True, it is very slim and the nib dries out without use, but I love the color and overall design aesthetic. I am glad to have one in my collection. And, I also bought the ballpoint version!

[como]

@bunnspecial I bought the Coral one end of last year. I went in with an open mind to look at all there: black, coral and tropical brown. In person I liked the Coral immediately because it just seems a vibrant yet very vintage color. 
 

I was aware of the coral cap and barrel mismatch issue, so I looked at it in the store very carefully. Under artificial lighting, I don’t see the difference. Under natural sunlight, I can see the subtle difference. It doesn’t bother me as most of the time I don’t see it.

 

Heritage small nibs are bouncy, one of my favorite modern nibs. No flex but soft and bouncy, nice to write with.

 

I went in wanting to buy a B but ended with an EF. As I tried different nib sizes, EF just seems right for this skinny pen. It feels like a hefty pencil. EF would be very nice for sketching (and of course for those who like EF nibs). Due to the thin section diameter, I hold this pen higher up the section than I normally would. It feels quite comfortable this way. Another reason that I picked EF is due to the small ink capacity. A juicy B will exhaust ink rather quickly.

 

When I tried the piston in the store, it felt fragile compared to the 146/149 pistons. Now I’ve used it for a while, I don’t feel that it’s fragile any more. I got used to it and nothing broke.

[bunnspecial]

Thanks for the further thoughts and information.

 

The only stock I'm seeing now is fine, and as I don't currently have a recent-ish MB fine(just some EFs and M on up) I'd had pretty well decided if I bought one that's what I'd go with.

 

Just...decisions...decisions...I think I can get one delivered here for $850, although considering that they can still be found NOS a few years old I was hoping one might turn up on Ebay gently used. I'm tempted to be patient and hope one does, although of course if I wait too long they'll all be gone.

[masterguns]

I agree with everything posted thus far.

I think they are great pens. I have three: black (M ground to F), coral (F ground to architect), and tropic brown (M). 

I also have two ballpoints (black, coral), as well as the black metamorphosis roller ball.

 

I have really come to like the ergonomics and beauty of the Rouge et Noir. Coming from larger pens, it did present some concern to me if I'd get along with such a slim pen; however, I've found that these slim pens actually improve my writing (and I have large hands).

 

For reference, I have had Pelikan M800s, M1000s, various 149s, Delta oversize, etc., all noticeably thicker than a ReN. The rest of my FP stable currently includes a 149, 146, 1912, and M. I almost always have one of my ReN inked, usually the coral because the nib is dialed in just right for me. 

 

I want to like the black/coral mottled version, but the finial just seems so out of place to me (and lazy on MB's part, TBH). If I could find one at a good price, I'd like to add a Broad nib at some point.

 

If I was in the market for just one example (and having had the good fortune to use a variety of different nibs/colors), I suspect I'd go with the black version in either EF or F. 

 

Good luck with your search.