The Pelikan M650 with green striped barrel
The Pelikan M650 is a discontinued model from Pelikan's Souveran family of fountain pens. It has been out of production for a few years already but once in a while new old stock may be found on offer. Such was my good fortune when I stumbled across the green striped M650 on sale at one of the pen retailers in Singapore. I was doubly lucky to have purchased it at a very substantial discount.
First Impressions:
From left to right: 1931 Yellow Gold LE, Tradition M100, Souveran M400, Souveran M650,Souveran M805,Souveran M1050
Being a member of the Souveran family, the M650 shares the same distinctive look which is the trademark of Pelikan's flagship range of fountain pens. As can be seen from the comparison photo above, the M650 is the midsize member of Pelikan's fountain pen range. It shares the same barrel size as the M600 pens and has the additional feature of a vermeil cap, ie gold plating over sterling silver.
Appearance and Finish:
The vermeil cap; gold over silver (Ag925)
The Pelikan logo on the cap
The distinctive double band at the end of the barrel.
The M650 was originally offered in a variety of barrel designs. Mine came with the green and black stripes. The barrel itself is translucent, which allows the ink level to be seen easily when held against the light. At the end of the barrel is the piston fill knob which is decorated with the distinctive double gold band. The cap itself is vermeil finish, ie gold plating on top of sterling silver (Ag925 to be exact). The silver content is indicated by the the number 925 on the cap which means silver content of 92.5%. The clip itself bears the trademark Pelikan beak design, and the Pelikan logo has been embossed (silk screen?) on the top of the cap.
Design/Size/Weight:
The pen has a total length of 134mm. It barrel is 103mm long while its cap has a length of 62mm. The barrel width is approximately 12mm. When posted the total length is approx 154mm. The pen weighs 22.5grams, slightly heavier than the M600 which tips the scale at approx 17.6grams. This is of course due to the heavier cap made of sterling silver. One of the hallmarks of Pelikan fountain pens is quadruple thread on the cap which allows the cap to be attached or removed with a single turn. A very convenient feature during daily use.
Nib design and performance:
The finely engraved and beautiful two tone 18K nib.
As with other members of the Pelikan Souveran line, the M650 is designed to take on interchangeable nibs (ie the nib is interchangeable amongst the M600 range of pens). My pen came with the 18K solid gold fine nib. It is two toned and beautifully hand engraved. The nib writes very well, laying down a fine wet line with the smoothness which is typical of Pelikan nibs.
Filling System:
As can be expected the M650 is equipped with Pelikan's excellent differential piston fill system. The barrel itself acts as the ink reservoir and the pen is able to hold a substantial amount of ink.
Cost/Value:
The M650 comes with the exquisite vermeil cap, Pelikan's famous differential piston filling system, and the very fine 18K solid gold nib. At the price which I paid for this pen, it definitely represents excellent value for money.
Overall Opinion/Conclusion:
To summarise: Being a Pelikan, the M650 is a fountain pen with a distinguished pedigree, has a well proven design, quality construction and impeccable finish. That alone is a good enough reason to get the pen. The fact that the pen is now out of production makes it all the more collectible. If you are a fan of Pelikan fountain pens, then the M650 is certainly worth adding to the collection.