Omas Emotica

[Mike S.]

I love Omas pens. They are wonderful writers and rank among my all-time favorites, by a considerable margin.

 

I recently purchased the new Emotica from my local new pen dealer, Ink, located in the IDS Center in Minneapolis. When I first read about the pen, I thought "$395 for a rubberized pen with a titanium nib? Are they kidding?" Once you feel the pen in your hand, however, you begin to understand the price (and compared to the new Paragons, it's actually on the cheap end of their line). The rubber is soft and warm in the hand, and the metal section is satin-finished, so it's not the least bit slippery (unlike the big Paragon). Also, the cap snaps on, rather than being threaded, which makes it easy to get the cap off for taking notes (like when someone calls and you want to jot down their number). The build quality of the pen (the feel of the metal blind cap and the way the parts of the clip fit together) is extremely high. I think the flip-up clip is a bit gimmicky, but that's just me.

 

http://www.nibs.com/www/WEBSITE%20PICS/Omas%20website%20pics/EmoticaBlack.jpg

 

The nib and feed are killer on this pen. The titanium nib is slightly springy, and the feel on paper is not the slippery-smooth of the typical Omas nib. It almost feels like what you would imagine it might feel like to write on a teflon frying pan -- slick and fast, but with a bit of "feedback" from the paper. It's hard to describe, but it feels sort of like the nib looks -- satiny-smooth rather than silky-smooth. It is a completely unique and very enjoyable writing experience. My pen has a medium nib, and I think the Omas medium is just about right. Like Pelikans or Viscontis, Omas nibs tend to run a bit wider than Japanese or vintage American nibs.

 

In a way, the Emotica reminds me a bit of the Lamy 2000 -- sort of an anti-bling pen. There's nothing shiny on it, and nothing particularly eye-catching, but somehow it just seems right, like it's exactly the way it's supposed to be, and it knows it.

 

My only criticism of the Emotica is that it's a converter filler, so it doesn't hold a ton of ink. Except for that minor quibble, I'm glad I bought it and would happily buy it again.

[penmanila]

what, 395 for a pen without someone's DNA embedded in it?! nice pen, nice review. makes me wonder if titanium nibs are the wave of the future.

[Mike S.]

makes me wonder if titanium nibs are the wave of the future.

 

I was thinking about that. From the Omas literature about this pen, it seems they were aiming at both the pen crowd and the design crowd. Maybe they put a titanium nib in this pen because they figured that non-fountain pen users would use heavy pressure (like they're writing with a ballpoint) and that the slightly flexible titanium nib would stand up to it better.

 

Also, the satiny gray color matches the pen perfectly -- much better than a shiny gold nib.

 

Mike

[southpaw]

Very nice review. Shame they didn't put their wonderful piston filling system in it.

[brh]

From the Omas literature about this pen, it seems they were aiming at both the pen crowd and the design crowd.

Pen crowd and design crowd... I'm both.. And the Emotica definitely appeals to me more than any other pen in production does... Rats, they target-marketed me spot on! Too bad I can't afford it right now.

[Bernie0104]

From the Omas literature about this pen, it seems they were aiming at both the pen crowd and the design crowd.

Pen crowd and design crowd... I'm both.. And the Emotica definitely appeals to me more than any other pen in production does... Rats, they target-marketed me spot on! Too bad I can't afford it right now.

I'll second that! Gorgeous pen!

 

Bernie

[_EL_]

Hi Mike,

 

 

A very nice pen from the looks of it. How does it compare to other pens (say Omas 360 of Ogiva) in terms of size? As it is a CC filler I suspect it to be a bit smaller.

 

 

E.

[Mike S.]

It's a good-sized pen, but because it's tapered (the pen gets narrower from the grip section to the back end), it doesn't feel as large in the hand as my Ogiva. Compared to the Ogiva, I'd say the pen is a bit heavier. I generally don't post the cap on this pen, and it feels very nice in my hand.

 

It measures 5 5/8" capped, 5 1/4" uncapped (not posted), and 6 3/4" with the cap posted. The cap is 5/8" wide at the widest point, and the body is 1/2" wide at the top of the grip section, tapering to 3/8" at the end nearest the nib. It is also 1/2" wide at the back end (the blind cap).

 

Hope that helps.

 

Mike

[born t]

Have you tried using the clip as a pen-stand? Does it work? Any wobble?

[_EL_]

It measures 5 5/8" capped, 5 1/4" uncapped (not posted), and 6 3/4" with the cap posted. The cap is 5/8" wide at the widest point, and the body is 1/2" wide at the top of the grip section, tapering to 3/8" at the end nearest the nib. It is also 1/2" wide at the back end (the blind cap).

 

Hope that helps.

 

Mike

Another pen made it to the list of pens I need to try... thanks for the information Mike!

 

E.

[lecorbusier]

Since Mike has done a fabulously concise review of this pen already, I thought I might complement his efforts here with some thoughts on the overall experience of buying this pen, the packaging, and some reviews on the details.

 

 

First Impressions

 

5/5: The packaging of this pen blew me away.

 

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/8016/hpim0091oz0.jpg

 

The box is made of a matt black sturdy cardboard, and it is extremely well made. There is another sleeve that holds this box. The box is structured more like a pen chest than a box where a pen is placed.

 

On opening the box, one is greeted by a luxurious overlaid of a creamy leather lining everything (even the 'string-hinge' is made of a band of leather). In the picture, the Emotica sits on a single pen tray. The surprise hidden in this design is that when the pen tray is flipped to its underside, it becomes a pen tray for two pens!

 

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/4223/hpim0077kv5.jpg

 

The entire pen tray can be lifted up and under the tray in the depth of the box is a nice slot (cut with immaculate tolerances: I could bearly get the brochure out) is a nice brochure on all of Omas pens and a card that says what Emotica is and so on. The only criticism here is that the Emotica does not have its own manual or papers; rather, it is shared under the entire line of Omas pens. The pen also comes with its own leather pen holder in black leather, possibly lamb skin.

 

 

Fit and Finish

 

4/5: The fit and finish is very high as Mike noted. The cap snaps perfectly and there is never a tug of hesitancy even when you try to remove it with one hand. The metal and the rubber sections fit together-I would even say fuse-immaculately. The details are amazing. I am particularly struck by the beauty (and complexity) of the clip. Its beauty has to be seen, as a 2D picture simply cannot convey the flow of lines here. From a designer's perspective, this is not easy to visualize even with CAD.

 

I notice that the rubber surface is extremely resistant to staining. You can simply clean it by rubbing it gently and any wet spots are instantly wiped clean for those with a little sweating palms.

 

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6666/hpim0080az0.jpg

 

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/8589/hpim0084vb2.jpg

 

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/5296/hpim0085eb0.jpg

 

Lots of subtle cues everywhere. I am still trying to visualize some of the little shift in planes and geometric plays in this pen. It is not a pure cylinder, and the top plane tilts. The big metal "O" probably represents OMAS and a nice capping touch to an otherwise very abstract design. The clip reminds me of Frank Gehry quirky form. Not an easy pen to design and manufacture. There is simply too much details-however well integrated-that does not get noticed immediately.

 

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/8153/hpim0093vg1.jpg

 

This pen just won the Trophée du Stylographe 2007. It is also the most recent representative of Italian Design at large if you visit their website. The Italians should be proud!!!

 

Overall, the pen feels very 'weighty'. If you do not like heavier pens, stay away from this one. I find the pen to be very comfortable when unposted. When posted, the pen is not very balanced as it has a tendency to tip towards the top of the pen. You can almost feel as if the CG has shifted spot. I deduct one point for this, painfully.

 

Filling Mechanism

 

5/5: No leaks so far, no big advances here ! Normal cartridge or converter pen. The feed looks like ebonite.

 

 

Writing Experience

 

5/5: This is the AH part! See the picture:

 

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2328/hpim0079gp7.jpg

 

I tried to press down on the flex nib while using the macro function on the camera-no easy task so this is my best effort. There is truly line variations here if you use a little pressure. Even with F-which I found to be more flexi than the M nib-you can get a nice, wet and fat line.

 

Mike said this pen was teflon smooth. I don't think I can outdo his description as it is spot on. It is definitely not the Namiki sort of smoothness: there is a character to the smoothness and it is not toothy like a MB. The Orange Crush delineating the slit on the greyish nib is quite nice. When you press down, you really see a small river of orange flowing out onto the paper. You wish you can write till you run out of ink but in actuality, ideas deplete faster.

 

I did not get a chance to play with this yet as I was bogged down by 'proper' writing and business still this evening. So the Emotica has been a very faithful companion through the last 30 pages or so of brainstorming as a workhorse nib. But I would like to really try and open the nib up a little.

 

My only complaint? The little budge around the end of the barrel. But this is a complaint of subjective aesthetics. It is perfectly functional.

 

 

Overall Value and Purchasing Experience

 

4/5: The price is prohibitive in the abstract. But in reality, the entire packaging comes together and you really see the effort in this product from OMAS. So this pen is a worthy purchase. I thought I would add a brief recount of my purchasing experience since buying a pen is part of the experience of the pen!

 

I bought this pen from a brick and mortar establishment, Bittner at Carmel (no affiliations). It is a wonderfully beautiful store, small and very European like. It felt like a tiny country store in a small Tuscan town. I was invited to look around and when I felt the need to test the pens, Mr Bittner invited me to sit down at a small desk where he retrieved the Emoticas in yellow and grey with both sizes of nibs, and ink-dipped these pens for me to try.

 

Mr Bittner was extremely patient with me, and took time to explain all the little details with the nib and so on, as well as commenting on my writing posture. It was an education! He was able to do wonder with the flex nib, and this showed skills complementing a well-made instrument. We used the PR Tarzanite for all test writing.

 

As far as the test pens go, I felt that the M nib did not exhibit that much flex. The test F nib was probably 'well-seasoned', and it felt really springy and opened up generously. The yellow Emotica was too luminous, and you have to see it to believe it is not a matt yellow on pictures. Initially, I wanted the yellow but went with the grey instead. Anti-Bling won the day. I also played with a special 360 made for Bittner with the music nib there. Couldn't handle that one.

 

I took a while to write in three languages to feel the pen. Through it all, there was no rush, and I must admit it was a very relaxing purchasing experience that was consistent with the feel of Carmel!

Edited January 12, 2007 by lecorbusier

[Titivillus]

On opening the box, one is greeted by a luxurious overlaid of a creamy leather lining everything (even the 'string-hinge' is made of a band of leather). In the picture, the Emotica sits on a single pen tray. The surprise hidden in this design is that when the pen tray is flipped to its underside, it becomes a pen tray for two pens!

 

 

Just as a little information I've a few other pen that the box has the 1 pen/ two pen holder in it. I remember seeing it in Cross & Faber Castell boxes. Nothing special really just means that they can purchase one type of box from their supplier and ship out the single or set of pens in the same box.

[maryannemoll]

i am fascinated by the clip. do we really need a clip that can do that? and for what?

[lecorbusier]

I am completely fascinated by the mergence of a cost based approach and a marvellous design approach as far as the dual pen tray goes. Why waste the underside?

 

I think there was a question on the standing pen clip before. It does not wobble at all. I don't think there is a specific need for a clip to do just that. That said, the designers are trying to reassess what a clip does and questioning if clipping to the pocket is what it should only do. I think this is commendable. A little like Duchamp sort of out of place art, don't you think?

[maryannemoll]

even if it doesn't wobble, why expose the nib that way on standby? isn't it the rule to keep our fountain pens capped when not in use?

Edited January 12, 2007 by maryannemoll

[Titivillus]

That said, the designers are trying to reassess what a clip does and questioning if clipping to the pocket is what it should only do. I think this is commendable. A little like Duchamp sort of out of place art, don't you think?

Maybe more of the form follows function rather than a tip to Duchamp

[lecorbusier]

That's fascinating: why do you think it is form follows function than a case of saying, "hey, the clip is a pen stand??"

[Titivillus]

That's fascinating: why do you think it is form follows function than a case of saying, "hey, the clip is a pen stand??"

If you cound use the clip as a stand without changing it then I'd say it was Duchamp vis a readymade.

 

Unfortunately I don't think that by looking at a clip it would be obvious that it could be used as a pen stand but by modifying the shape of the clip slightly, that is releasing the secondary function, you have a clip who's form (shape) has become based totally upon it's dual functions. As the design of the clip has been changed so to has the basic idea of the clip to not only hold in a verticle sense but to support upon horizontals. It is has provided something that can be viewed in two ways but hopefully it is not as many multi-task items are in the sum being less than the actual. Making it less of a clip as well as less of a stand by trying to combine the two.

 

In the end I expect that this will be a one shot in OMAS's lineup as more of a design flourish than something integral to their manufacturing. As is the roller clip on many of their other pens.

 

 

K

[Dan Carmell]

The cap, with the clip extended, acts as pen holder, like the stand of a desk pen, thus the nib is in the cap in this position. What the extended clip gives you, then, is a mobile desk pen!

 

Dan

[kazoolaw]

I think this is commendable. A little like Duchamp sort of out of place art, don't you think?

Actually, I was thinking it was rather Ronson-like.

 

http://www.prestoimages.net/graphics03/8933_pd124208full.jpg

 

Sorry, just not a favorite of mine.

gary