Waterman Hemisphere (in fine point) Review

[dogpoet]

I’d thought there’d be reviews of the Waterman Hemisphere already, but as one’s been requested, and I have a Hemisphere to hand, why not? First, a couple of photos:

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/1fb1641e67c637740271c71a8e412b7a22659256.JPG

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/396361741ff16eb1cda3386c73010a92a499324a.JPG

It should be noted that the Hemisphere comes in a typically nice Waterman box, though sadly it comes without a converter. It should also be obvious that it’s the same length as the Expert II (shown above the Hemisphere in the second picture), but is a bit skinnier. In fact, it's rather thinner by contrast than the photo shows, and if you’re taken with the Expert’s fat body, that might prove a sticking point, but otherwise the two are pretty similar. Most of the differences are down to my Expert having a medium nib, and my Hemisphere having a fine. (There’s more on this below.) If you find the slimmer design attractive, this is a pen that matches most of the Expert II’s good points, despite being a little cheaper. I find the fatter body of the Expert II a little more comfortable, I have to admit, but that’s a very long way from finding the Hemisphere uncomfortable. It’s a pen you can write with for a fair few hours without feeling your fingers cramp or a twinge in your wrist.

 

Before taking this any further, it should be first be noted that I’ve retired my own Hemisphere. This shouldn’t be taken as a criticism of the pen, it’s just that the fine nib isn’t quite as smooth as I’d like, and I have a couple of other fine points (including a much smoother Cross ATX) to hand. It’s more that despite the Hemisphere being a very good pen, I have more of the things to hand than I can write with at present. My problem with the nib is more likely down to the fact that medium nibs are generally smoother than fine points, than the result of there being anything wrong with it, and the Hemisphere writes perfectly well, without any sticking or skipping. A nice, even flow of ink is provided, and I’m sure a Hemisphere with a medium nib would be every bit as smooth as the fatter nib on the Expert II.

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/d8d26611c16c9cd334f7c90f6eb6c18179ae0b53.JPG

As the sample of writing above shows, the nib lays down a fairly generic fine line. There’s a sample of the Expert II’s typically plump medium line line, and a few other fine points for comparison. I apologise for my godawful handwriting, which doesn’t show any off to their best advantage, but the samples should at least show the line differs between the examples on show. The Waterman’s fine seems a little thinner than the Rotring 600 or the Parker 51, though there isn’t much in it. This might account for the nib seeming a tad less smooth than you’d hope, though there isn’t much in that either, and as I say, I doubt I’d even notice that if I hadn’t been spoiled by smoother nibs in pricier pens.

 

Where the Hemisphere does score over my Expert II is in its very attractive finish. Possibly you can get the fatter and more expensive Waterman in this dark metallic burgundy (Waterman describe the colour as “cognac”), but I couldn’t find one. Of course, it’s a long way from the gorgeous lacquer finishes you get on a Carene, but for a cheapish pen (my own cost under twenty quid off ebay as NOS) it’s a very handsome piece of work. As anybody who’s read any of my previous reviews on here knows, I have an unfortunate tendency to overvalue aesthetics, so it shouldn’t really surprise anyone that this was part of the reason I bought this pen in the first place. While this is a comparatively cheap pen, it certainly doesn’t look or feel the part.

 

So on balance, the pen has a perfectly good nib, is comfortable in the hand, looks nice, and is pretty cheap for a Waterman. The only thing that really marks it down, is that it isn’t quite as good as the more expensive Waterman I have to hand, but that’s hardly a criticism. I’m not besotted with the nib, but so far I’ve only found one pen with a fine nib that writes as smoothly as a medium (if anybody can recommend a pen where the fine point is buttery smooth, I’m keen to hear about it), so that’s hardly a fair criticism, and besides, given that a lot of the posters on here obviously favour fine, or even extra fines, I doubt that it bothers others as much as it bothers me. There are definitely better pens out there, but for what it is, this is a very nice piece of work, and there’s nothing seriously (or even more than slightly) wrong with it. You could get a rather better pen by spending a bit more, but for what it is, the Hemisphere is great. It holds its own well against the Expert, I’d have said. As a skinny pen, this presumably in competition with the Parker Vector, which while it’s inarguably cheaper, is also far nastier. Next to one of those buggers, this a very comfortable pen indeed.

 

In the light of this, my rating probably seem overly harsh, but I’ve decided that my three reviews to date have probably been overrating things a little. This pen is a very solid seven and a half. (It’s actually a shame to start cutting down on the ratings I’m giving stuff while discussing this little beauty, but there it is.)

7.5

[hari317]

Nice review, Thanks! From the photos, the section of the Hemisphere looks more comfortable to hold than the Expert, would like to know your opinion.

 

Best,

Hari

 

[dogpoet]

It depends what you're after from the section, Hari. The curve behind the rim at the end of the section is more pronounced on the Expert II, so I actually prefer that, but I'm sure somebody with slimmer fingers might find the subtler shaping of the Hemisphere preferable. Personally, I find them both very comfortable in the hand, but slightly prefer the Expert II, so there isn't really a lot in it. If you don't like a pen with the section designed to encourage you to grip it in a certain way, or prefer to hold a pen higher up on the section, you could well find the Hemisphere more comfortable.

[xena]

I have a fine point hemisphere that I used as my daily carry before I acquired a taste for piston fillers. I still carry it with me, but it gets a bit less writing time than it did. I love rotating though, so someday that may change. The finish on this is beautiful, deep and glossy (mine is a dark green), and the cap's metal end point is a beautiful modern touch.

 

I thought that I should add to the review that the nib has a slightly "springy" feel- not quite a flex point, but as far as you can go from it being a stiff nail without it being a flex point. It behaves well with most inks, but I have mostly kept with Waterman Florida Blue (though I'm acquiring some J. Herbin Vert Empire in the v. near future, so that could very well change.

 

I bought this pen because it is more slender than the Experts, and thus would fit in planners and pen loops far more easily- though my taste has changed in that as well.

 

It is a great deal for the money, and anyone considering it certainly shouldn't hesitate.

[dogpoet]

Oh the finish on mine is definitely very good, Xena. It's a pity it hasn't photographed very well: it's a much warmer colour than the picture shows.

Edited October 26, 2008 by dogpoet

[xena]

The Cognac looked lovely, but my deal on the green was awesome. I am considering getting my dad the Mars black or Comet red matte for Christmas.

[asimplemaestro]

Careful of the Hemisphere though. This in the Mars Black is my daily carry but the finish chips rather easily. Could I send it back to Waterman to get repaired for free or it this to be expected?

[dogpoet]

I honestly have no idea, maestro. Given the way Xena and I have been foaming over our Hemispheres' finishes, that's quite a blow against the pen, I suspect. Does anybody else have anything to add on this?

[xena]

Mine has a small nick, and figure it's to be expected. I just love the springy nib.

[The penner]

  dogpoet said:

I’d thought there’d be reviews of the Waterman Hemisphere already, but as one’s been requested, and I have a Hemisphere to hand, why not? First, a couple of photos:

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/1fb1641e67c637740271c71a8e412b7a22659256.JPG

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/396361741ff16eb1cda3386c73010a92a499324a.JPG

It should be noted that the Hemisphere comes in a typically nice Waterman box, though sadly it comes without a converter. It should also be obvious that it’s the same length as the Expert II (shown above the Hemisphere in the second picture), but is a bit skinnier. In fact, it's rather thinner by contrast than the photo shows, and if you’re taken with the Expert’s fat body, that might prove a sticking point, but otherwise the two are pretty similar. Most of the differences are down to my Expert having a medium nib, and my Hemisphere having a fine. (There’s more on this below.) If you find the slimmer design attractive, this is a pen that matches most of the Expert II’s good points, despite being a little cheaper. I find the fatter body of the Expert II a little more comfortable, I have to admit, but that’s a very long way from finding the Hemisphere uncomfortable. It’s a pen you can write with for a fair few hours without feeling your fingers cramp or a twinge in your wrist.

 

Before taking this any further, it should be first be noted that I’ve retired my own Hemisphere. This shouldn’t be taken as a criticism of the pen, it’s just that the fine nib isn’t quite as smooth as I’d like, and I have a couple of other fine points (including a much smoother Cross ATX) to hand. It’s more that despite the Hemisphere being a very good pen, I have more of the things to hand than I can write with at present. My problem with the nib is more likely down to the fact that medium nibs are generally smoother than fine points, than the result of there being anything wrong with it, and the Hemisphere writes perfectly well, without any sticking or skipping. A nice, even flow of ink is provided, and I’m sure a Hemisphere with a medium nib would be every bit as smooth as the fatter nib on the Expert II.

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/d8d26611c16c9cd334f7c90f6eb6c18179ae0b53.JPG

As the sample of writing above shows, the nib lays down a fairly generic fine line. There’s a sample of the Expert II’s typically plump medium line line, and a few other fine points for comparison. I apologise for my godawful handwriting, which doesn’t show any off to their best advantage, but the samples should at least show the line differs between the examples on show. The Waterman’s fine seems a little thinner than the Rotring 600 or the Parker 51, though there isn’t much in it. This might account for the nib seeming a tad less smooth than you’d hope, though there isn’t much in that either, and as I say, I doubt I’d even notice that if I hadn’t been spoiled by smoother nibs in pricier pens.

 

Where the Hemisphere does score over my Expert II is in its very attractive finish. Possibly you can get the fatter and more expensive Waterman in this dark metallic burgundy (Waterman describe the colour as “cognac”), but I couldn’t find one. Of course, it’s a long way from the gorgeous lacquer finishes you get on a Carene, but for a cheapish pen (my own cost under twenty quid off ebay as NOS) it’s a very handsome piece of work. As anybody who’s read any of my previous reviews on here knows, I have an unfortunate tendency to overvalue aesthetics, so it shouldn’t really surprise anyone that this was part of the reason I bought this pen in the first place. While this is a comparatively cheap pen, it certainly doesn’t look or feel the part.

 

So on balance, the pen has a perfectly good nib, is comfortable in the hand, looks nice, and is pretty cheap for a Waterman. The only thing that really marks it down, is that it isn’t quite as good as the more expensive Waterman I have to hand, but that’s hardly a criticism. I’m not besotted with the nib, but so far I’ve only found one pen with a fine nib that writes as smoothly as a medium (if anybody can recommend a pen where the fine point is buttery smooth, I’m keen to hear about it), so that’s hardly a fair criticism, and besides, given that a lot of the posters on here obviously favour fine, or even extra fines, I doubt that it bothers others as much as it bothers me. There are definitely better pens out there, but for what it is, this is a very nice piece of work, and there’s nothing seriously (or even more than slightly) wrong with it. You could get a rather better pen by spending a bit more, but for what it is, the Hemisphere is great. It holds its own well against the Expert, I’d have said. As a skinny pen, this presumably in competition with the Parker Vector, which while it’s inarguably cheaper, is also far nastier. Next to one of those buggers, this a very comfortable pen indeed.

 

In the light of this, my rating probably seem overly harsh, but I’ve decided that my three reviews to date have probably been overrating things a little. This pen is a very solid seven and a half. (It’s actually a shame to start cutting down on the ratings I’m giving stuff while discussing this little beauty, but there it is.)

7.5

Hey! I got mine with a converter.

 

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Thank you for the review. From the sound of it, there is no need to retire my Expert II in favour of the Hemisphere.

[dogpoet]

  Peter from Sherwood Park said:

Thank you for the review. From the sound of it, there is no need to retire my Expert II in favour of the Hemisphere.

A good point. I'll knock it off with the comparisons.

[kubalai]

  dogpoet said:

I’d thought there’d be reviews of the Waterman Hemisphere already, but as one’s been requested, and I have a Hemisphere to hand, why not? First, a couple of photos:

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/1fb1641e67c637740271c71a8e412b7a22659256.JPG

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/396361741ff16eb1cda3386c73010a92a499324a.JPG

It should be noted that the Hemisphere comes in a typically nice Waterman box, though sadly it comes without a converter. It should also be obvious that it’s the same length as the Expert II (shown above the Hemisphere in the second picture), but is a bit skinnier. In fact, it's rather thinner by contrast than the photo shows, and if you’re taken with the Expert’s fat body, that might prove a sticking point, but otherwise the two are pretty similar. Most of the differences are down to my Expert having a medium nib, and my Hemisphere having a fine. (There’s more on this below.) If you find the slimmer design attractive, this is a pen that matches most of the Expert II’s good points, despite being a little cheaper. I find the fatter body of the Expert II a little more comfortable, I have to admit, but that’s a very long way from finding the Hemisphere uncomfortable. It’s a pen you can write with for a fair few hours without feeling your fingers cramp or a twinge in your wrist.

 

Before taking this any further, it should be first be noted that I’ve retired my own Hemisphere. This shouldn’t be taken as a criticism of the pen, it’s just that the fine nib isn’t quite as smooth as I’d like, and I have a couple of other fine points (including a much smoother Cross ATX) to hand. It’s more that despite the Hemisphere being a very good pen, I have more of the things to hand than I can write with at present. My problem with the nib is more likely down to the fact that medium nibs are generally smoother than fine points, than the result of there being anything wrong with it, and the Hemisphere writes perfectly well, without any sticking or skipping. A nice, even flow of ink is provided, and I’m sure a Hemisphere with a medium nib would be every bit as smooth as the fatter nib on the Expert II.

http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/d8d26611c16c9cd334f7c90f6eb6c18179ae0b53.JPG

As the sample of writing above shows, the nib lays down a fairly generic fine line. There’s a sample of the Expert II’s typically plump medium line line, and a few other fine points for comparison. I apologise for my godawful handwriting, which doesn’t show any off to their best advantage, but the samples should at least show the line differs between the examples on show. The Waterman’s fine seems a little thinner than the Rotring 600 or the Parker 51, though there isn’t much in it. This might account for the nib seeming a tad less smooth than you’d hope, though there isn’t much in that either, and as I say, I doubt I’d even notice that if I hadn’t been spoiled by smoother nibs in pricier pens.

 

Where the Hemisphere does score over my Expert II is in its very attractive finish. Possibly you can get the fatter and more expensive Waterman in this dark metallic burgundy (Waterman describe the colour as “cognac”), but I couldn’t find one. Of course, it’s a long way from the gorgeous lacquer finishes you get on a Carene, but for a cheapish pen (my own cost under twenty quid off ebay as NOS) it’s a very handsome piece of work. As anybody who’s read any of my previous reviews on here knows, I have an unfortunate tendency to overvalue aesthetics, so it shouldn’t really surprise anyone that this was part of the reason I bought this pen in the first place. While this is a comparatively cheap pen, it certainly doesn’t look or feel the part.

 

So on balance, the pen has a perfectly good nib, is comfortable in the hand, looks nice, and is pretty cheap for a Waterman. The only thing that really marks it down, is that it isn’t quite as good as the more expensive Waterman I have to hand, but that’s hardly a criticism. I’m not besotted with the nib, but so far I’ve only found one pen with a fine nib that writes as smoothly as a medium (if anybody can recommend a pen where the fine point is buttery smooth, I’m keen to hear about it), so that’s hardly a fair criticism, and besides, given that a lot of the posters on here obviously favour fine, or even extra fines, I doubt that it bothers others as much as it bothers me. There are definitely better pens out there, but for what it is, this is a very nice piece of work, and there’s nothing seriously (or even more than slightly) wrong with it. You could get a rather better pen by spending a bit more, but for what it is, the Hemisphere is great. It holds its own well against the Expert, I’d have said. As a skinny pen, this presumably in competition with the Parker Vector, which while it’s inarguably cheaper, is also far nastier. Next to one of those buggers, this a very comfortable pen indeed.

 

In the light of this, my rating probably seem overly harsh, but I’ve decided that my three reviews to date have probably been overrating things a little. This pen is a very solid seven and a half. (It’s actually a shame to start cutting down on the ratings I’m giving stuff while discussing this little beauty, but there it is.)

7.5

 

Many thanks for the review. Apologies as I just noticed it now.. very helpful information for me. Cheers!

[dogpoet]

No worries, Kubalai. You're welcome.

[CharlieB]

I read in another thread recently that Waterman was planning to discontinue several pen models. Was the Hemisphere one of them?

[dogpoet]

No idea, CharlieB. I'd hope not as they're great things, but then so was the Phileas...

[Agricola2301]

  CharlieB said:

I read in another thread recently that Waterman was planning to discontinue several pen models. Was the Hemisphere one of them?

 

No, CharlieB,

 

the Hemisphére seems to be continued (thanks God.. ), but as an entry model in the Waterman product range instead of the lower mid-class it's been up to now. IMHO, Waterman just plans to become a more sifignicant brand in future. And the Hemisphére, unless the Phileas, Graduate and Kultur, does the balancing act between being rather noble and affordable though..

Edited January 13, 2009 by Agricola2301

[dogpoet]

Because it has a lacquer finish rather than plastic?

[Agricola2301]

  dogpoet said:

Because it has a lacquer finish rather than plastic?

 

Hello, dogpoet;

 

IMHO that's one reason, although the main parts of my Aurora Ipsilon (grip section, barrel and cap) are made of plastic (Resin, I suppose) and that pen looks (and feels) noble, too. O. k., the second pen has been much more expensive than the Waterman, so you can expect a touch of higher value.

 

Another reason is it's fine finish and good workmanship over all, for a pen in it's price range both are just formidable. The Hemisphére looks more costly than it is indeed. And his sheer elegance, it has a cool, timeless design, just a sort of Bauhaus style . In particular, when this pen's trim is CC, a little bit less in GC. But that may cause in my personal fondness for chrome and silver, other people might like it more with GC accents.

 

Greetings, Otto

Edited January 15, 2009 by Agricola2301

[dogpoet]

  Agricola2301 said:

Another reason is it's fine finish and good workmanship over all, for a pen in it's price range both are just formidable. The Hemisphére looks more costly than it is indeed. And his sheer elegance, it has a cool, timeless design, just a sort of Bauhaus style . In particular, when this pen's trim is CC, a little bit less in GC. But that may cause in my personal fondness for chrome and silver, other people might like it more with GC accents.

Very true. It is an extremely good looking pen for the money.