Aurora Style - Review

[faustulus]

Disclaimer: This is my first review. I am sure if I made any mistakes or screwed anything up FPN members will correct my ignorance. Pics from ebay.

 

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269558/90101132-2.jpg

 

1. First Impressions: I am always on the lookout for a good 'everday' pen. I was cruising through eBay listings looking for an Aurora Hastil when I happened upon the Style in gunmetal grey. Looking at the pictures the simplicity of design and striking nature of its color appealed to me. The next thing I know, I've clicked the buy now button (that finger gets me into so much trouble).

The Style arrived packaged in a plastic case with a simple 'Aurora' molded into the top. The case itself sat inside a cardboard sleeve of equal color with the Aurora badge and 'La Passione Italiana' written across the top.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269558/90101132-1.jpg

Inside the plastic case, the pen sat on a raised field of black felt, secured by a single elastic band. A slim, grey, three-panel card briefly explained the company's three-year warrenty in six languages.

Lifting the pen from the box revealed a single cartridge underneath. A converter was contained in the pen itself.

 

 

2. Appearance and Finish: As I said eariler, I was first drawn to the Style by its unique gunmetal finish. In the light it is but a few shades from black and polished to an almost mirror finish.

The band on the cap and the clip are crome plated as is the nib. These bright accents stand out nicely against the darker metal of the cap and barrel.

The highly polished nature of the pen does lead to one of its faults. It is almost impossible to keep the Style free of fingerprints. Althoug the pen wipes clean with a simple switpe of a cloth, simply picking it up again leaves oils which distract from its beauty. I will be curious to see how it resists scratches.

The pen seems well made -- at least to my untrained eye. The cap snaps on securely with an audible 'click.' The barrel screws tightly onto the body and does not tend to loosen when you roll it around in your hand. The clip fits firmly against the cap.

Despite the minor issue with the fingerprints, the pen met my expectations for fit and finish.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269558/90101132-3.jpg

 

3. Design/Size/Weight: One of the first things -- other than the color -- I noticed about the Style was its oblique cap design. The pen is shaped much like a bullet, tapering toward the top of the barrel. However, where most of my other pens feature a squared off or rounded tip to the cap, the Style's cap ends with a top that slopes at a 45 degree angle. It reminds me of several ballpoint pens I have seen.

The Style is a medium sized pen, maybe even a bit on the small side and light -- or at least light for me as I tend to favor heavier pens.

It balances nicely with the cap posted or unposted. I attribute this to the light weight of the pen. In my completely unscientific measurements, the balance seemed to be about 60/40 favoring the rear of the pen.

I almost never post my cap because it seems to make all of the pens I own top heavy. However, when I tried writing with the Style's cap posted, it did not bother me at all (I still don't think I would like it for any lenght of time).

I cannot be sure what the barrel and cap are made of. It feels like metal on the outside but looks like plastic on the inside. I suspect it is a metal shell over a palstic skeleton.

 

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269558/90101132-6.jpg

4. Nib Design and Performance: The Style sports a steel nib plated in chrome. This is my second Aurora pen (the first being a gold nib Marco Polo) and both have a rather toothy feel -- at times feeling scratchy. This doesn't seem to be from a lack of ink as the medium nibbed Style lays down a nice line with no skipping or heistation.

The medium seems to be about inline with my other American and European mediums. Thicker than my Namiki but not thick enough that it obsures the letters for those who write small.

With the exception of the toothy grip, the nib is a dream to write with. It lays down the ink evenly and writes well on every kind of paper I've tried.

 

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269558/90101132-4.jpg

5. The Filling System: The Style uses ink cartridges or a converter, both of which came with the pen. I tried the cartridge the first day but didn't like the way the ink tended to feather on the paper I use at work. I switched to Noodler's black -- which is the main ink I use in all my pens -- and have been much happier with the performance.

I believe the converter is just a standard European style. It doesn't hold a ton of ink, but enough to get me through a couple of days a work.

 

6. Cost/Value: The Style retails for $100. I purchesed mine on eBay for $65. Although I have only had it less than a week, I suspect it will quickly make its way toward the top of my rotation. It isn't what I would consider inexpensive, but it does a nice job and still looks cool -- not a must, but definatly a consideration.

 

7: Overall Opinion: I am pleased with the Style. Although it is a bit lighter than I prefer and its nib a bit toothier. It is still a good writer. If it can avoid scratching easily, it feels tough enough to survive the daily grind I put my pens through, yet sill retain that unusal look of elegance. Overall I am pleased with my purchese and would recommend this pen to my friends -- well I would if they didn't all write with cheap Bic ballpoints.

 

writing sample

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-7/1269558/stylesample.jpg

Edited July 22, 2007 by faustulus

[Wizergig]

Nice Review. Thanks for you time in doing it. I was wondering if you could post the actual measurements for this pen? I am thinking of getting one, and I need to get a grasp on how big it is.

[faustulus]

according to my trusty micrometer the Style is 5.40" capped; 5.79 with the cap posted and 4.725 sans cap. The barrel is .472" in diameter and the cap measures .492" in diameter.

[Abhik]

Its a lovely review!

[Shangas]

Now that looks like a FINE pen!!

 

The nib is a little plain for my liking, though.

[pvdiamon]

This pen caught my eye, as I just rotated back to my Aurora Ipsilon Deluxe and it remains just about my favorite. I have 2 questions about it:

 

1. The Ipsilon posts with a click, and the posting doesn't mar the pen's finish. Does the Style just post over the finish, thus potentially scratching it, or does it post over the back of the pen with a click and not really touching the barrel?

 

2. Is it reasonable to assume if I liked the Ipsilon's gold nib at XF, I'll like the Style at XF too?

 

Thanks.

John

[AndyHayes]

Nice review with excellent pictures - thanks

[Sakisaki6]

I was so excited to get this pen from Jetpens. I loved the colour and the style but had no place near me to try it out.

 

It arrived, I tested it dry in my Ciak and on printer paper and also with the ink cartridge in it last night in Stillman & Birn Gamma (like Alpha but ivory). All fine. Today, it's so scratchy in everything and the ink flow is so variable, especially in my Ciak (if I can't journal with it, why am I paying so much?), that I want it sent back.

 

So disappointed!