Pilot Stargazer - Just Some Notes And Photos

[kiavonne]

I had my eye on the Pilot Stargazer for a while after they popped up on the Goulet Pens website. I decided it was a good parting gift to myself when I decided to end my 29-year career.

 

I chose the ruby red color, I love red. The finish is a pearly lacquer, similar perhaps the the Metropolitan White Tiger finish. It is very pretty, and draws me in.

 

The pen is not lightweight, but it isn't too heavy, by any means. It seems well balanced posted. My main surprise when I received the pen is that it is a mini or smaller pen. Fits better for me posted. The cap is a snap cap, but it is snug and secure, both capped and posted.

 

The nib is a 14k Rhodium, medium line, size 3 nib. At least, it appears to be a 3 stamped into the nib, it's so small I have difficulty making it out with my poor eyes (I have difficulty focusing on some things now due to a medication side affect). It is very smooth to write with, it requires no pressure at all, and ink from the Pilot blue cartridge that came with it flowed almost immediately after I popped it into the pen.

 

The pen is not inexpensive at just over the cost of a Pilot vanishing point, but it is well made and I very much like it. One will need to be comfortable with smaller pens, though, before jumping to acquire the Stargazer. It does make a wonderful purse/pocketbook pen.

 

Overall, I'm very happy with the Stargazer.

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/Stargazer01_zpsc937f0a9.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/Stargazer02_zpse19040a3.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/Stargazer03_zps836ec9cd.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/Stargazer04_zps5ccb81b3.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/Stargazer05_zpsa87f9014.jpg

 

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/Stargazer06_zpsff75272f.jpg

 

 

 

 

I've had some questions about how the Stargazer compares to some other pens, so I thought I would add a couple of photos and factory dimensions.

 

/sings "These are a few of my favorite pens!" (a little homage to Julie Andrews and the Sound of Music):

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/afewofmyfavoritepens_zps5d35d557.jpg

 

From left to right: Pilot Stargazer, Edison Pen custom Mini/Pocket Gem, Edison Pen production pen Beaumont, Edison Nouveau Encore, Pilot Metropolitan, Pilot Vanishing Point, Edison Pen signature pen #76, Edison Pen production pen Collier.

 

Look what happens, though, when the pens are uncapped and/or posted:

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j111/kiavonne/Pens/Z%20Other%20Stuff/afewofmyfavoritepens2_zpsaa36e87f.jpg

 

The longest pens become the shortest, but their girth and weight balance this out and they fit my hand nicely and the writing experience is with ease. The #76 and the Collier are the only pens of my stash which will not allow posting of their caps. (VP doesn't count - it doesn't have a cap. )

 

One of the shortest pens became the longest. Again the weight and balance make this pen very easy and nice to use. It becomes a full-size, posted pen, and I get a lot of "oohs and ahs" when I use it.

 

I won't be able to give the dimensions of the custom Mini/Pocket Gem, because they are custom and each one varies slightly. However, they are much smaller than the original Gem as envisioned by HennyPenny, and they use the #5 nib instead of the #6 of the original. I have half a dozen of these pens, and I really like them. If you are familiar with the Edison Mina, the barrel diameter is based off it.

 

I used the dimensions provided for the pens on the Goulet Pens website, as well as from the Edison Pen Co. website. I hope they don't mind I used them. I buy all my Edison pens through the Goulets or Brian Gray. These guys give you just about everything without having to hunt for it. I have trouble really picturing pen dimensions printed descriptions, so I often go by visual first and look around to see others' thoughts on the pens I want to try. No one had anything to say about the Stargazer, lol. Since I like the pen, though, I'm ok with how things turned out.

 

Pilot Stargazer

 

Weights:

 

Overall: 27g (0.95oz)
Body: 16g (0.56oz)
Cap: 11g (0.39oz)

 

Lengths:

 

Overall, closed: 120mm (4.72in)
Overall, posted: 134mm (5.28in)
Body: 107mm (4.21in)
Cap: 55mm (2.17in)
Nib: 18mm (0.71in)

 

Diameters:

 

Grip (at thinnest): 9mm (0.35in)
Body: 12mm (0.47in)
Cap (no clip): 13mm (0.51in)
Cap (w/ clip): 16mm (0.63in)

 

Edison Beaumont (production line)

 

Weights

 

Overall: 16g (0.56oz)
Body: 10g (0.35oz)
Cap: 6g (0.21oz)

 

Lengths

 

Overall, closed: 130mm (5.1in)
Overall, posted: 149mm (5.9in)
Body: 124mm (4.9in)
Cap: 61mm (2.4in)
Nib: 23.1mm (0.9in)

 

Diameters

 

Body: 11.7mm (0.46in)
Cap (no clip): 14.4mm (0.57in)
Cap (w/ clip): 18.7mm (0.74in)

 

Edison Nouveau Encore (Goulet exclusive)

 

Weights

 

Overall: 16g (0.56oz)
Body: 7g (0.25oz)
Cap: 9g (0.32oz)

 

Lengths

 

Overall, closed: 132mm (5.2in)
Overall, posted: 154mm (6.1in)
Body: 118.5mm (4.67in)
Cap: 61.75mm (2.43in)
Nib: 19mm (0.75in)

 

Diameters

 

Body: 11.3mm (0.44in)
Cap (no clip): 13.4mm (0.53in)
Cap (w/ clip): 17mm (0.67in)

 

Pilot Metropolitan

 

Weights

 

Overall: 26g (0.92oz)
Body: 17g (0.60oz)
Cap: 9g (0.32oz)

 

Lengths

 

Overall, closed: 138mm (5.43in)
Overall, posted: 153mm (6.02in)
Body: 126mm (4.44in)
Cap: 57mm (2.24in)
Nib: 18mm (0.71in)

 

Diameters

 

Body: 13mm (0.51in)
Cap (no clip): 13mm (0.51in)
Cap (w/ clip): 15.8mm (0.62in)

 

Pilot Vanishing Point (Capless)

 

Weights

 

Overall: 30g (1.06oz)
Body: 30g (1.06oz)
Cap: N/A

 

Lengths

 

Overall, closed: 140mm (5.5in)
Overall, extended: 138mm (5.43in)
Body: 140mm (5.5in)
Cap: N/A
Nib: 8mm (0.31in)

 

Diameters

 

Body: 13mm (0.51in)
Body (no clip): 13mm (0.51in)
Body (w/ clip): 16mm (0.63in)

 

Edison #76 (signature line)

 

Weight w/ Cap 22g
Weight w/o Cap 12g
Cap Diameter .650"
Body Diamater .585"
Length Capped 6"
Length Uncapped 5"

 

Edison Collier (production line)

 

Weights

 

Overall: 30g (1.06oz)
Body: 20g (0.71oz)
Cap: 10g (0.35oz)

 

Lengths

 

Overall, closed: 149mm (5.9in)
Overall, posted: N/A
Body: 130mm (5.1in)
Cap:

Nib: 23.5mm (0.9in)

 

Diameters

 

Body: 15.0mm (0.59in)
Cap (no clip): 16.5mm (0.65in)
Cap (w/ clip): 18.5mm (0.73in)

 

Just before I first went to using fountain pens exclusively in late 2007 (about the time I joined FPN), I was purchasing the Uni-Ball Rollerball pens to use at work and home. I always bought my own supplies at work so I could have what I liked and not what the no-budget supply cabinet would offer (at one time they did buy Uni-Ball Rollerballs, only to go to the cheaper, very poorly made Lexmark rollerballs). The only specs I could find on this pen were at Amazon here, and it's a pretty brief description:

 

Product Dimensions 2.9 x 1 x 5.7 inches. (and I think that is for the box!)

 

If I was looking to answer the questions on transitioning to fountain pens and recommending a pen close to "standard pens," I think I would be inclined to recommend the four middle pens in my photos. The Edison Beaumont and the Edison Nouveau Encore are probably the closest in feel to a "standard pen," as from my experiences. The Pilot Metropolitan is slightly larger, but the price is unbeatable for the quality. And, the Pilot Vanishing Point just can't be beat for an every day workhorse, click and go, no cap to worry for. The arguments against it are mostly the ink capacity, to which I say refill cartridges because the Pilot proprietary cartridges hold more ink than "standard international" cartridges as well as more ink than its own converter or "standard international" converters; and the clip placement, which really isn't so bad once you use it, in my experience.

 

Sorry for such a long addition, but this seemed a good place to put the "extra review."

Edited December 15, 2013 by kiavonne

[Edwaroth]

Nice ! Enjoy! Live long and write.

[migo984]

It's a beautiful pen & a perfect gift to yourself. I hope you get many years of pleasure from it.

 

I like smaller pens & have several. Do you know how it compares in size to a Prera?

[kiavonne]

I'm afraid I don't own a Prera, so I can't give you first hand information. However, the sizes are listed under the "Full Product Specs" tabs for the pens, so maybe you will have better luck than myself at deciphering them. It does look like the Stargazer is just a smidge smaller than the Prera, but not by much...

 

Stargazer

Prera

Edited December 15, 2013 by kiavonne

[migo984]

Thank you Kiavonne. I'll have a look at those dimensions.

[proton007]

It's sold as the Stella 90S in Japan. Length: 11.9cm, diameter: 13.1cm

 

The Prera has a length of 12.1cm and a diameter of 13.4cm.

 

About the same size.

 

An economical option to try out the 14k nib in the Prera form factor.

 

 

Thanks for the review kiavonne!

Edited December 15, 2013 by proton007

[inotrym]

I would consider this to be Pilot's answer to Sailor Sapporo.

 

It is definately in my watch list (which unfortunately keeps gettng longer and longer...)

Edited December 15, 2013 by inotrym

[kiavonne]

edit: I added it all to my original post.

Edited December 15, 2013 by kiavonne

[migo984]

kiavonne: thank you for taking the time & trouble to provide all that additional informaton. Like you I have difficulty visualising a pen from printed dimensions. It's much better to "see" the pen or compare it to another model.

I'm very drawn to the Stargazer. I love my Preras, which are a similar size, and would love to try the Prera-type 14ct nib. And I agree about the Pilot cartridges; my Preras are the smallest pens I own but hold lots of ink because of the size of Pilot cartridges. I also love Pilot black ink - it's an extremely rich dark black.

[kiavonne]

It sounds like you would enjoy the Stargazer, migo984. I'm going to say it is likely a little heavier than your Prera, but it (the Stargazer) does perform very well.

[ipinkgirl]

I may have to add this one to the Flight School of Pilot pens I have (I'm up to 10 so far). I like the Prera a lot (I have 4) and this would be a great addition.

[XiaoMG]

The Pilot Stella was on my short list of short pens to get...that or the Legno. In the end I didn't go with either since the clips didn't really appeal to me. Still, they are beautiful little pens.

[maverink]

i have the stella95s in blue and its an amazing compact purse pen aimed at the ladies i guess hence the name

[XiaoMG]

i have the stella95s in blue and its an amazing compact purse pen aimed at the ladies i guess hence the name

The glitter/Lamé effect is supposed to evoke shimmering stars in the night sky, hence the Italian name "Stella" (star). Nothing necessarily identifying it for ladies. Legno, the other offering in this range, means "wood".

[marie9999]

Thanks for detailed review - I have the White Stargazer with F nib and really like it despite its small size - not my usual pick… It is great for note taking.

 

Oddly even I love the Metropolitan but was seriously disappointed in the Prera and "Paying It Forward" Pen Posse member… don't know why but I am very hit or miss with Pilot… Love the Decimo but only OK with my Vanishing Point - nibs are the same but I just like the Decimo multiple times better...

[inotrym]

Got mine in Blue (F nib) yesterday.

 

The pen is absolutely gorgeous. The size, weight, nib engraving are superb.

 

But I had a little problem with the performance.

 

First of all the nib was super dry out of the box. It couldn't write under its own weight (this is my flow test)

I flossed the tines to open the gap and after quite a bit of effort I am confident that I fixed it (at least partially)

 

And there's the other problem, which is not really a problem of the nib but rather a personal preference.

 

The nib is ground in a way that it needs to be held in a specific angle to be as smooth as Pilot nibs are expected to be.

I tend to hold my pens at a steeper angle and most importantly I tend to change the way I hold my pens throughout the writing session.

So, I need a more forgiving and stiff nib. Perhaps gold nibs are not my thing..

 

Basically, I would love to have the looks of the Stargazer with the nib performance of the Prera.

 

 

Despite everything, this pen is definately a keeper!! I love the way it feels in my hand.

And if I find that I can't get used to this nib grinding, I will send it to a nibmeister to adjust it to my liking.

I am sure it is worth both the price and the time/effort.

Edited October 23, 2014 by inotrym