Platinum 3776 Century Nice, Fine Nib: Review

[tinysnail]

I've attached a picture of the plastic blob in the section I mentioned in my first post. I exchanged emails with someone who also has a 3776 Nice. He wrote that the section on his has the same blob in the same spot. His pen also has the 'weirdness' at the bottom of the barrel. He agreed with me that the bottom of the barrel stuff looks like dried glue.

 

I also have Chartres and Bourgogne 3776 pens and both have some odd imperfections inside the barrels. I'm sensing a trend.

 

Nice Flaw.JPG

 

Okay, yeah, I have the same blob– I think I misunderstood what you said before, thinking that it was on the outside. It looks like these little manufacturing flaws are consistent across all 3776 Nice :/

[Kugelschreiber]

 

Okay, yeah, I have the same blob– I think I misunderstood what you said before, thinking that it was on the outside. It looks like these little manufacturing flaws are consistent across all 3776 Nice :/

 

Sorry for the confusion. I think the flaw is on the part in the section for the slip and seal mechanism. I assume, of course, they were created in the manufacturing process and Platinum just didn't consider them something that needed to be polished away. With demonstrators, you get to see the good and the bad.

 

What do you make of the stuff at the bottom? Glue?

[tinysnail]

 

Sorry for the confusion. I think the flaw is on the part in the section for the slip and seal mechanism. I assume, of course, they were created in the manufacturing process and Platinum just didn't consider them something that needed to be polished away. With demonstrators, you get to see the good and the bad.

 

What do you make of the stuff at the bottom? Glue?

Yeah, I am not too concerned with it, but it's still not ideal. I don't know! It definitely has a dried liquid kind of look to it. I'll take a closer look when I get home tonight and maybe take some pictures.

[axtang]

great review pal :]

[tinysnail]

heeheee you found me. Thank you!!

[Drone]

@tinysnail, The pink polka-dots are perfect. Nicely done.

 

I want to want this pen soooo bad... But I'm seeing common issues pop-up that should not be there at this $200 price point:

 

1. Too top heavy when posted (I always post).

 

2. Some molding and finish issues (will trigger my pen OCD).

 

3. Do you think it would have killed Platinum to plate the converter matching Rose Gold? After all, this IS a demonstrator!

 

Sigh

[tinysnail]

Hee, thank you! I figured it would be a good match.

 

Yeah, I can see how those could be real deal-breakers for some. I do like the general look of this pen and the actual writing experience that I don't mind. I was compelled to buy this for the really neat esthetic and the 3776 reputation, and I wasn't let down there! I'd be interested in comparing this to other pens at that price point, since this IS my most expensive pen to date by quite a bit.

[Drone]

Hee, thank you! I figured it would be a good match.

 

...I'd be interested in comparing this to other pens at that price point, since this IS my most expensive pen to date by quite a bit.

 

I bought a TWSBI 580 Rose Gold not too long ago. The 580RG might be considered "similar" to the Platinum Nice in that it is a Rose Gold demonstrator pen.

 

Where the TWSBI 580RG differs from the Platinum Nice most is in the price ($70 vs. $200). Also the 580RG is a piston filler and the nib is Rose Gold plated steel (made by Bock in Germany) instead of solid gold.

 

In comparing the two pens, what surprised me most was the molding and finish issues being reported for the Platinum Nice. With one exception, the fit and finish on my TWSBI 580RG is superb. There are no detectable molding marks or flash remnants anywhere on the pen. I think the TWSBI fit and finish is quite impressive especially for the price.

 

But the one exception to the great finish on my TWSBI 580RG is a BIG one: The Rose Gold finish on the nib stained and corroded. Also, others are reporting corroded spots on the Rose Gold cap band and/or clip plating. TWSBI sent me a replacement nib - after installing it I've been watching it closely.

 

Anyway, if TWSBI can get the plastic work right on one of their 580 pens, it makes me wonder why Platinum can't get the plastic just as good on the $200 Nice pen. Hmmm...

 

I wonder how well the Rose Gold color on the Platinum Nice matches that on the TWSBI 580RG? It might be possible to buy a "spare" Platinum Nice nib and stick it in the 580RG The 580RG Bock nib is a #5 size.

[Kugelschreiber]

@tinysnail, The pink polka-dots are perfect. Nicely done.

 

I want to want this pen soooo bad... But I'm seeing common issues pop-up that should not be there at this $200 price point:

 

1. Too top heavy when posted (I always post).

 

2. Some molding and finish issues (will trigger my pen OCD).

 

3. Do you think it would have killed Platinum to plate the converter matching Rose Gold? After all, this IS a demonstrator!

 

Sigh

 

I think the Chartres 3776 started out as a limited edition. If the Nice follows suit and is kept around beyond the initial run, perhaps a lower price point might make the various issues you listed easier to accept.

 

I post, but don't have an issue with the top-heaviness. I feel it, but it isn't bad at all for me. And I kind of like the silver tone converter, though I do see your point.

 

I'm definitely pen OCD, but I'm mostly able to control that frustration with the Nice. Overall, it is still a very nice looking pen that writes wonderfully well. And the slip and seal mechanism gives me the highest level of confidence that the pen will always write immediately. The only time I've had a Platinum with a slip and seal fail was when I inked a Balance with Noodler's El Lawrence. It was okay for about two weeks, but after that it was like Aqaba with the Platinum playing the Turks.

[Drone]

 

I think the Chartres 3776 started out as a limited edition. If the Nice follows suit and is kept around beyond the initial run, perhaps a lower price point might make the various issues you listed easier to accept.

 

I post, but don't have an issue with the top-heaviness. I feel it, but it isn't bad at all for me. And I kind of like the silver tone converter, though I do see your point.

 

I'm definitely pen OCD, but I'm mostly able to control that frustration with the Nice. Overall, it is still a very nice looking pen that writes wonderfully well. And the slip and seal mechanism gives me the highest level of confidence that the pen will always write immediately. The only time I've had a Platinum with a slip and seal fail was when I inked a Balance with Noodler's El Lawrence. It was okay for about two weeks, but after that it was like Aqaba with the Platinum playing the Turks.

 

I didn't think about the possibility of a price drop if the Nice goes from limited edition to regular production. It would be a welcome development.

 

I'd like to see a regular production version of the nice in regular gold tone with a matching gold converter (there's my pen OCD again!) Generally, I prefer regular gold tone to rose gold.

 

In my comparison with the TWSBI 580 Rose Gold, I forgot to mention that the 580RG pen suffers enormously from top-heaviness. From the sound of it, the Nice is much better than the 580RG in this respect.

 

Forgive me if I'm being thick, but I don't quite understand your Allusion to the Battle of Aqaba. If my whiskey-soaked memory serves, in the Battle of Aqaba the remnants of the Ottoman Empire (Turks) lost to the Arabs (who were led in-part by Lawrence) and were forced to retreat.

 

So... If the Platinum played the Turks; it failed? Retreated? Just how did the slip-and-seal fail in your Balance, if that is in-fact what happened?

 

One reason I ask is because the Nice uses the slip-and-seal liner and I too own a Platinum Balance (a black & gold-tone version bought from Engeika). I have never had a problem with the cap seal in the Balance.

 

It is interesting to note my Balance came with a Platinum converter that was plated gold to match the rest of the pen. So that shows Platinum can pay attention to detail - sometimes.

 

The Platinum converter quality is quite good in my opinion, and it fully disassembles for cleaning. Also, it was good that my Balance came with a little plastic adapter that allows the use of standard international cartridges instead of the proprietary Platinum cartridges.

 

I find it odd that the cartridge adapter would be included with the Platinum pen. Doing so seems to be a self-defeating act on the part of Platinum! Or maybe Engeika supplied the adapter with my pen? Hmmm...

 

Is the Platinum converter that came with your Nice the same as the converter that came with the Balance? Did your Nice come with the international cartridge adapter thingy that came with my Balance?

 

How does the nib and feed design on the Nice compare with that of the Balance? I suspect that except for the Nice's nib being solid gold, the nib and feed are functionally identical. If so, that would bring out another Platinum issue I have found: If (carefully) pushing the nib a bit to get some line variation (flex), the feed is too long and it hits the paper straight-away. The feed scraping the paper is too bad as even the Balance exhibits some useful nib flexibility.

 

Edited August 23, 2014 by Drone

[Aschecte]

I am a newer fountain pen user so please everyone take this with a grain of salt, but here is my little history with at least the contemplation of the 3776 Nice pen. I love demonstrators, and actually own a few from different mfg's. I was a keystroke away from buying this pen though truth told I preferred the Music... but wanted the frosted clear look. After watching many video's on the Platinum Nice I decided against it. Not because the pen was bad or, any negative reviews , but that for about half the price as well as me being in the fountain pen world for only appx. 3 months; I bought the TWSBI 580 in rose gold. Most video's I have seen actually compare these two pens side by side many times which to me says multiple people are seeing similarities both in looks and functionality. All this said I think I will be buying the Platinum 3776 I am just not sure if it will be the "Music" or, the "Nice". Not to derail but the TWSBI 580 actually is a beautiful pen, and writes amazingly well straight out of the box using Noodler's Apache Sunset. Great review despite my off topic rant; I've been further enabled to go out and grab a 3776 ! hopefully if I get the "Nice" they are still being serial numbered (under 2K) that is a huge selling point to me. If not I will be buying the"Music" Again GREAT review !

[Kugelschreiber]

Forgive me if I'm being thick, but I don't quite understand your Allusion to the Battle of Aqaba. If my whiskey-soaked memory serves, in the Battle of Aqaba the remnants of the Ottoman Empire (Turks) lost to the Arabs (who were led in-part by Lawrence) and were forced to retreat.

 

So... If the Platinum played the Turks; it failed? Retreated? Just how did the slip-and-seal fail in your Balance, if that is in-fact what happened?

 

One reason I ask is because the Nice uses the slip-and-seal liner and I too own a Platinum Balance (a black & gold-tone version bought from Engeika). I have never had a problem with the cap seal in the Balance.

 

It is interesting to note my Balance came with a Platinum converter that was plated gold to match the rest of the pen. So that shows Platinum can pay attention to detail - sometimes.

 

The Platinum converter quality is quite good in my opinion, and it fully disassembles for cleaning. Also, it was good that my Balance came with a little plastic adapter that allows the use of standard international cartridges instead of the proprietary Platinum cartridges.

 

I find it odd that the cartridge adapter would be included with the Platinum pen. Doing so seems to be a self-defeating act on the part of Platinum! Or maybe Engeika supplied the adapter with my pen? Hmmm...

 

Is the Platinum converter that came with your Nice the same as the converter that came with the Balance? Did your Nice come with the international cartridge adapter thingy that came with my Balance?

 

How does the nib and feed design on the Nice compare with that of the Balance? I suspect that except for the Nice's nib being solid gold, the nib and feed are functionally identical. If so, that would bring out another Platinum issue I have found: If (carefully) pushing the nib a bit to get some line variation (flex), the feed is too long and it hits the paper straight-away. The feed scraping the paper is too bad as even the Balance exhibits some useful nib flexibility.

 

Sorry for the confusion on my Lawrence joke. The slip and seal is designed to prevent dry-out, but El Lawrence did dry out in my Balance. It wrote well for about two week, but after that I got significant hard starts and a lot of skipping. There was still ink enough in the converter; I don't know what else to call it but dry out.

 

I got one of the converter adaptors from Engeika as well. I suspect that is just his doing, but I'm not positive. No adaptor came with my Nice. All my other Platinum converters have gold metal; the Nice is the first one I've seen in silver. I guess Platinum thought it looked better with rose gold than their usual converters with gold.

 

The 3776 Centuries have larger nibs/feeds than the Balance/Cool pens. And the feeds on the 3776 Centuries are combed to a greater degree; the exposed part of the B/C feed is flat. I've had the same issue when flexing my Balance. The feed on the 3776 ends further away from the tip than the feed on the B/C pens. But except for the 3776 I have with a soft fine nib, I don't ever try to flex them.

[tinysnail]

 

I bought a TWSBI 580 Rose Gold not too long ago. The 580RG might be considered "similar" to the Platinum Nice in that it is a Rose Gold demonstrator pen.

 

Where the TWSBI 580RG differs from the Platinum Nice most is in the price ($70 vs. $200). Also the 580RG is a piston filler and the nib is Rose Gold plated steel (made by Bock in Germany) instead of solid gold.

 

In comparing the two pens, what surprised me most was the molding and finish issues being reported for the Platinum Nice. With one exception, the fit and finish on my TWSBI 580RG is superb. There are no detectable molding marks or flash remnants anywhere on the pen. I think the TWSBI fit and finish is quite impressive especially for the price.

 

But the one exception to the great finish on my TWSBI 580RG is a BIG one: The Rose Gold finish on the nib stained and corroded. Also, others are reporting corroded spots on the Rose Gold cap band and/or clip plating. TWSBI sent me a replacement nib - after installing it I've been watching it closely.

 

I paid quite close attention to the posts by you and others reporting corrosion on the TWSBI 580RG! When I fell in love with the Nice, I briefly considered getting the 580RG instead as a sort of compromise, but those posts spooked me just enough that I went for the pen I actually wanted in the first place.

 

Still, if I ever find myself itching to spend some money on a TWSBI, I might get the TWSBI (or the new white/rose gold mini) for comparison's sake. I also don't own a TWSBI yet.

 

I did some extended writing with the 3776 Nice last night, by the way, and tried writing with it posted for a bit. I do hold my pen pretty far down the section/close to the nib, which makes me more sensitive to back-weighted-ness in pens. I tried holding the pen further up than I'm used to and found it much more well-balanced. So, that's something to take into consideration.

[tinysnail]

I am a newer fountain pen user so please everyone take this with a grain of salt, but here is my little history with at least the contemplation of the 3776 Nice pen. I love demonstrators, and actually own a few from different mfg's. I was a keystroke away from buying this pen though truth told I preferred the Music... but wanted the frosted clear look. After watching many video's on the Platinum Nice I decided against it. Not because the pen was bad or, any negative reviews , but that for about half the price as well as me being in the fountain pen world for only appx. 3 months; I bought the TWSBI 580 in rose gold. Most video's I have seen actually compare these two pens side by side many times which to me says multiple people are seeing similarities both in looks and functionality. All this said I think I will be buying the Platinum 3776 I am just not sure if it will be the "Music" or, the "Nice". Not to derail but the TWSBI 580 actually is a beautiful pen, and writes amazingly well straight out of the box using Noodler's Apache Sunset. Great review despite my off topic rant; I've been further enabled to go out and grab a 3776 ! hopefully if I get the "Nice" they are still being serial numbered (under 2K) that is a huge selling point to me. If not I will be buying the"Music" Again GREAT review !

 

Cool, it sounds like we were in a similar dilemma but made the opposite decisions. I'm a pretty new pen user as well, but decided to spring for the 3776. I've been super impressed with it in the few weeks I've had it now: the fine nib is wonderful and perfect for what I got it for (doing math), which also means that I like its relative stiffness.

 

Great to hear that you've been happy with the TWSBI, too. And those Platinum music nibs look wonderfully juicy! Not at the top of my list, but definitely tempting.

[Drone]

 

I paid quite close attention to the posts by you and others reporting corrosion on the TWSBI 580RG! When I fell in love with the Nice, I briefly considered getting the 580RG instead as a sort of compromise, but those posts spooked me just enough that I went for the pen I actually wanted in the first place.

 

Still, if I ever find myself itching to spend some money on a TWSBI, I might get the TWSBI (or the new white/rose gold mini) for comparison's sake. I also don't own a TWSBI yet.

 

I did some extended writing with the 3776 Nice last night, by the way, and tried writing with it posted for a bit. I do hold my pen pretty far down the section/close to the nib, which makes me more sensitive to back-weighted-ness in pens. I tried holding the pen further up than I'm used to and found it much more well-balanced. So, that's something to take into consideration.

 

I think you made the right decision. I don't trust the finish on the 580RG right now; plus it is way too top heavy to write with for any sort of long session - especially if you hold the pen close to the nib as you say you do.

 

The 580RG is a nice looking pen though and as I mentioned before, except for (possibly) the rose gold finish, the workmanship is great. The top-heaviness can be easily overlooked for casual use. I say wait a while and keep an eye on the forums for posts about the 580RG's plating. If it seems the pen's finish is stable - then go ahead and add one to your collection. After-all, the 580RG isn't exactly a bank-breaker.

 

Thanks for taking the time to do the Platinum Nice review - and answer my all my questions.

 

Regards, David

[tinysnail]

Thank you! I'm certainly happy with the 3776. Yeah, the way I see it, I can always pick up the 580RG if I'm ever convinced that it's worth it, even if just for curiousity's sake. My local B&M has them in stock and I might even just try one out to test out the top heaviness. Definitely going to keep an ear to the ground re: plating issues. I'm curious whether they've sorted it out in time for the white rose gold mini.

 

Thanks, and thank you for the questions, actually! It's great that people have been asking me more about the pen past my original review, especially since it was my first review and there were things I hadn't considered.

[Aschecte]

Thank you! I'm certainly happy with the 3776. Yeah, the way I see it, I can always pick up the 580RG if I'm ever convinced that it's worth it, even if just for curiousity's sake. My local B&M has them in stock and I might even just try one out to test out the top heaviness. Definitely going to keep an ear to the ground re: plating issues. I'm curious whether they've sorted it out in time for the white rose gold mini.

 

Thanks, and thank you for the questions, actually! It's great that people have been asking me more about the pen past my original review, especially since it was my first review and there were things I hadn't considered.

First I would like to say how lucky you are to have a B&M ! I rely on resources like this as well as Goulet's video's etc. to make my purchases as I am new to fountain pens. This site has been an amazing resource. I wanted to chime in on two things as you had bought Nice and I the 580RG first I wanted to say that it is a wonderful pen ! for the lower price I have used the Nice and I find them somewhat comparable though the Nice is a bit smoother. Keep in mind though the 580RG is half ..actually less than half the price. I also never mentioned I placed a 1.1 Italic stub on the 580RG.... that adds a entire different feel to the 580RG. Now it is not calligraphy but the Goulet #6 nibs are great and do offer that line width difference. I cannot comment on a standard fine, medium, broad nib but the 1.1 italic is a great addition and I can only imagine would make the Nice even "Nice"'er LOL ! I just felt compelled to let you know I you do ever consider the 580 in Rose Gold or, otherwise I do not think you would be disappointed.

[JonSzanto]

I had been looking for a demo with rose gold, and while I have a TWSBI 540 that I've always enjoyed, I wasn't going to go that route. The only one that piqued my curiosity was the Conklin "Mark Twain" in rose gold, but I was concerned about quality control. I didn't think that would be the issue with a Platinum, so when I saw it, I ordered it.

 

And I did so with a Broad nib, because I wanted to have one of the nib guys grind it. The pen came about three weeks ago, in advance of the SF Pen Show, so one of the first things I did was head to Mike Masuyama. I've covered this in a post about the Pen Show, but in short: had a great chat, showed him what I wanted, and he went to work:

 

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/20140822_093853_zpskvi62sxm.jpg

 

In no time at all, I had a beautifully smooth stub, leaning towards italic, with a bit of a roll inward (since I'm left handed). I couldn't ask for more!

 

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb204/EnvoyC/FP/20140822_101259_zpssxr2rkae.jpg

 

I've used it this evening for a bunch of correspondence, and it is just perfect to write with for long periods. You might note that I swapped Platinum convertors with one from a Nakaya; while it is not rose gold, it is a little less of a non-sequiter than chrome. All in all, I'm very pleased with this purchase, from "fit and finish" to final use.

 

I do want to make a bit of a comment on something said earlier. Please keep in mind that this falls in the category of "we are all individuals and quite different in our likes and needs"! The OP stated:

 

• Weights: 20g overall, 10g body, and 10g cap.

The cap is ridiculously heavy, as it is the same weight as the body, so the pen is weighted horribly when posted. Definitely don't post with this pal. I'm not a fan of the balance, at least. Perhaps that will help to prevent scratches/cap marks on the barrel? It's light unposted, same as an unposted Lamy Safari, but I quite like that.

 

Ok, the cap is only 10 grams, and it is ridiculously heavy? Weighted horribly when posted?

 

Gosh, not for me. It sounds like someone hasn't held pens with brass bodies, big pens, long pens, etc. I don't think I could use this pen for long without it being posted, as it would be a tad short, but more importantly, too light for me.

 

For ME. That's the important thing. And what I guess I'm objecting to, lightly, is such strong terms for what is, in the end, Completely Personal Preference. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a heavy pen by any stretch, and posted or not it falls easily onto the lighter end of the spectrum.

 

I just wanted to put in a counter thought on this, in case others saw the above and immediately wrote off the pen. They shouldn't - while it may not be the pen for everyone, it certainly isn't an outlier on the comfort continuum.

 

I hope the OP enjoys the pen, as I know I am!

[tinysnail]

First I would like to say how lucky you are to have a B&M ! I rely on resources like this as well as Goulet's video's etc. to make my purchases as I am new to fountain pens. This site has been an amazing resource. I wanted to chime in on two things as you had bought Nice and I the 580RG first I wanted to say that it is a wonderful pen ! for the lower price I have used the Nice and I find them somewhat comparable though the Nice is a bit smoother. Keep in mind though the 580RG is half ..actually less than half the price. I also never mentioned I placed a 1.1 Italic stub on the 580RG.... that adds a entire different feel to the 580RG. Now it is not calligraphy but the Goulet #6 nibs are great and do offer that line width difference. I cannot comment on a standard fine, medium, broad nib but the 1.1 italic is a great addition and I can only imagine would make the Nice even "Nice"'er LOL ! I just felt compelled to let you know I you do ever consider the 580 in Rose Gold or, otherwise I do not think you would be disappointed.

I really am quite lucky! Getting to actually see, feel, and try out pens in real life before purchasing is a delight, not to mention the fact that the staff are great. They've been asking their distributors about all my annoying new product questions, which rules!

 

And thank you for your take on that! I've heard of enough issues with TWSBI quality, and particularly with the rose gold nibs, that I think I will stay away for now, but that's good to know for sure. And, AWESOME. I'm thinking of picking up one of those 1.1 italics for my Konrad

 

 

In no time at all, I had a beautifully smooth stub, leaning towards italic, with a bit of a roll inward (since I'm left handed). I couldn't ask for more!

 

WOW, that's some amazing work! Really nicely done. I like the way that converter matches a little bit better, too.

 

I do want to make a bit of a comment on something said earlier. Please keep in mind that this falls in the category of "we are all individuals and quite different in our likes and needs"! The OP stated:

 

Ok, the cap is only 10 grams, and it is ridiculously heavy? Weighted horribly when posted?

 

Gosh, not for me. It sounds like someone hasn't held pens with brass bodies, big pens, long pens, etc. I don't think I could use this pen for long without it being posted, as it would be a tad short, but more importantly, too light for me.

 

For ME. That's the important thing. And what I guess I'm objecting to, lightly, is such strong terms for what is, in the end, Completely Personal Preference. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a heavy pen by any stretch, and posted or not it falls easily onto the lighter end of the spectrum.

 

I just wanted to put in a counter thought on this, in case others saw the above and immediately wrote off the pen. They shouldn't - while it may not be the pen for everyone, it certainly isn't an outlier on the comfort continuum.

 

I hope the OP enjoys the pen, as I know I am!

 

That's a very fair comment to make! Thanks for pointing this out, actually. This really speaks to how personal each user's experience with a pen can be. I do find that I am more sensitive than most to pens being too back-weighted, since I do have smaller hands and hold the pen relatively close to the nib. A cap that weighs as much as the rest of the pen and that doesn't post too deeply is going to feel way "off" to me, just due to the relative weights. It looks like most of the other 3776 pens have the same body/cap weight ratios, and still seem to be well liked, so perhaps I should have made some sort of YMMV disclaimer. I will make sure to do this in the future for any pen reviews I may do. It really is a wonderful pen so it would be a shame if this alone is what made someone write it off!

[JonSzanto]

WOW, that's some amazing work! Really nicely done. I like the way that converter matches a little bit better, too.

 

That's a very fair comment to make! Thanks for pointing this out, actually. This really speaks to how personal each user's experience with a pen can be. I do find that I am more sensitive than most to pens being too back-weighted, since I do have smaller hands and hold the pen relatively close to the nib. A cap that weighs as much as the rest of the pen and that doesn't post too deeply is going to feel way "off" to me, just due to the relative weights. It looks like most of the other 3776 pens have the same body/cap weight ratios, and still seem to be well liked, so perhaps I should have made some sort of YMMV disclaimer. I will make sure to do this in the future for any pen reviews I may do. It really is a wonderful pen so it would be a shame if this alone is what made someone write it off!

 

I think it took MIke all of 10 minutes, max, to have it done. And the first time, no back-and-forth between us. He completely nailed how wide I wanted it, and there was no need for iterative smoothing or anything.

 

And he's so calm and cool, too! BTW: he mentioned that on many pens, the rose gold plating is thinner and, correspondingly, a bit more fragile than traditional GP. As such, he is hesitant to grind rose gold plated nibs, but he did some preliminary checking on the Platinum and determined it was ok to go ahead (with my ok). It turned out well.

 

As to the other, yes: classic YMMV. I wonder if you might have small hands? Mine are medium sized; when I hold this pen posted, only about half the cap is protruding back off the top of my hand. With most of the weight in the band area, that puts the majority of the weight of the pen squarely on my hand, not pulling off the back. It seems comfortable to me. In a perfect world, every person could walk into a store and try them out, but we know that isn't the case. It is good to have measurements (like you provided) to see how they compare to pens one uses on a regular basis. My Waterman Carene Deluxe weight 36 grams, yet it is just as comfortable.

 

As in life, it is all in the balance.