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Why would I bother to review a discontinued pen that isn't a vintage collectible? Because it's doing its job well, and they're still available--but with less frequency as the months go by.
I've not been able to discover the production dates of this well made pen, or even when it was discontinued. If anyone knows, please chime in! But despite the lack of solid historical info, the pen is a solid workhorse.
Appearance / Design - The classic appearance of the pen, along with the fact that my other Rotrings (art pens) have worked well, accounts for my initial attraction to the pen. The Esprit is a surprisingly long, lightweight pen made of anodized aluminum with a steel nib. It is 5 1/2" capped, 5" uncapped, and a whopping 6 3/4" posted. The slim girth (cap diameter 3/8") combined with the light weight allows folks with small hands, such as mine, to be able to handle the length comfortably. Grip section design is unusual but comfortable. Cap is friction fit and clip is strong, but not difficult to clip in a shirt pocket. Fingerprints don't show on the matte finished barrel and cap, and the polished chrome clip and trim offer an attractive contrast. If corrosion from bottle filling is a concern, the nib end of the section sports a plastic fitting. A most welcome design feature that makes this light pen nonetheless a sturdy one is the metal section and barrel threads. (See photo below.)
Performance - The pen starts every time, even if not used everyday. Of course the fact that it is reliable means that there aren't too many days that I don't reach for the pen!
Leaving the cap off for a few minutes does not result in a failure to write. The nib is firm and yields a nice, medium flow and the pen hasn't been picky about which ink it is fed. I have a medium nib which runs on the fine side. The line width is comparable to that of my Pelikan and Sheaffer fine nibs.Filling System - This is a c/c pen that uses a ROTRING or an international converter. If you prefer cartridges, it will easily hold a long international cartridge--which holds about twice as much ink as the shorter ones--another good design feature!
Value & Cost - I've seen differing figures as to what the Esprit sold for when it was in production. One reference said $60., another, $40. The going price today is (max) $20. - $25., though I've seen it on e-Bay for a low starting bid of $1.73 (but have never seen one won for under $12.) IMO it is easily worth $25. being well made and a good performer.
Overall - I've been very pleased. Would I buy another? I very well may!
