Hi all,

I'm considering purchasing my first Montegrappa, and my question is this: Many years ago I remember handling a few Symphony FPs and being very impressed with the thickness/weight of the celluloid. How does the celluloid in the Miya compare to that of the Symphony ... the same in terms of thickness/weight or thinner and lighter?

Many thanks in advance for any comments or observations,
Dan

Hi Dan,

From a professed lover of Montegrappa celluloid, I congratulate you on considering a Miya! I have a Symphony in Charcoal and at one time 6 Miya/Miya Argentos (I'm now down to 4 including the Midnight Blue celluloid I had up in the marketplace a few days ago).

The celluloid is very similar, the colours are slightly different but I think the celluoid is actually thicker on the Miya than the Symphony. The texture and pearlescent veins in the celluloid are in the same style. The Miya has the slightly rounded barrel that allows it to sit nicely in the hand and the cap design has been improved since the Symphony.

In the Miya, I find the yellow celluloid not as bright as the old Symphony but it does have more pearlescent, lighter, shiny bits (I apologise for my poor descriptions!). The red celluloid is identical as is the turquoise. The midnight blue is more subtle than the previous dark blue on the Symphony. The Symphony dark blue was more like a deep ocean blue whereas the Miya blue is a true midnight blue colour (reminds me of blue-black inks).

All Montegrappa celluloid is wonderful, I would make a mention of the Extra 1930 here as it's one of the most unique ones out there. In the Miya range though, I love the Turquoise the most - it's very vibrant, with Midnight Blue coming a close second because it's more subtly elegant.

Ahh, I've ranted a bit too much, sorry I get carried away when I talk about Montegrappa celluloid! Hope this was helpful at least

--Feiye

Editted to add link to some poor photos: Midnight Blue


Red Miya Argento

Wow! Feiye, thanks for the wonderful descriptions!

Actually, what you said about the Miya lineup was exactly what I was hoping to hear. I have a few Omas celluloids, and I was hoping to find a celluloid pen with a bit of a more substantial feel to it. Don't get me wrong, the lightness of the Omas celluloid is marvelous in its own way, but, I guess, lately I've been wanting more celluloid to "sink my teeth" (fingers?!) into. ... and it sounds like the Miya should fit the bill nicely.

Thanks also for the comparisons between the Symphony and Miya colors: I had never noticed the differences in the dark blue and yellow until you pointed them out; interesting that Montegrappa changed half the colors and left the other half alone. I completely agree with you on the Turquoise, and I have a feeling that'll be the color I go for. (I've also always had a soft spot for their Parchment celluloid. Someday I'll have to pick up a Symphony in that color...)

The Turquoise Miya ought to give me a good start with Montegrappa, though I have this sneaking suspicion that I won't stop until I also get my hands on an Extra 1930 in the Turtle Brown ...

Dan

I love their Parchment celluloid as well...not to make your life any harder, but the Extra came in the same parchment celluloid too however it is very old stock and much rarer.

The predecessor to the Miya, the Historia LE also came in the parchment - that is one gorgeous pen and one that I am seriously considering buying sometime soon.

The Symphony was a beautiful pen but, in my opinion, poorly put together. The celluloid is beyond words and marvelous, but the cap is a disaster waiting to happen. My Symphony is perhaps 3 years old and has been through two inner caps already (I recently had the inner cap changed again because it had cracked again...) and the screw that secures the clip is problematic as well (it falls out at times if the pen has not been assembled properly or with enough glue). However, all that aside, I love my charcoal Symphony as its beauty is undeniable.

The Miya solved a lot of the above problems and is a very reliable pen. The Extra 1930 is in a league of its own, the Turtle Brown in particular is a beauty, the celluloid on that one is so unique and the oversize nib is very drool worthy

The MONTEGRAPPA Extra 1930 fountain pen is an extremely beautiful pen due to its celluloid (turtle brown), BUT it has the BIG disadvantage of extremely poor ink capacity that makes it non-convenient. Therefore I am using the rollerball model.