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Review: ST Dupont 2006 Opus X

jar

By jar
in Fountain Pen Reviews

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jar Ancient Artifact

jar

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ST Dupont was making lighters long before they were making fountain pens and in fact, they made the first gas filled lighters. The ST Dupont lighters have long been recognized as one of the finest makes available, unbelievably reliable, long lasting and showing the characteristic attention to detail at even the most mundane features.

 

Over the years ST Dupont made several brand specific lighters, quite a few for the Fuente family.

 

This review is about the 2006 Fuente Opus X.

 

The basics:

 

The basic pen is the X-Large Olympio/Orpheo model. It has the characteristic ST Dupont curved and scalloped 18K nib with a Palladium overlay and a gold plated ribbed section. The body is a bright red Chinese Lacquer while the cap is about as close to pure white as any I have ever found. It was created to match the white of the finest Limouges Porcelain and the Fuente crest appears on the reverse of the cap.

 

http://www.fototime.com/98E0D738267CD78/standard.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/17EB5D5303D7517/standard.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/F23980A5FA7AA36/standard.jpg

As with all ST Dupont pens this one is a marvel, the more you live with it the more you come to appreciate their attention to detail. There were a total of 400 made and this particular pen is 133/400.

 

Like all ST Dupont pens since the Montparnasse, it is a cartridge/converter pen and uses the standard international cartridges. The nib is smooth with great feedback, moderately wet with all inks and can sit unused and uncapped for extended periods yet start immediately.

 

Conclusion:

 

This is certainly not a pen that goes unnoticed and I imagine that even in a pitch black room with no light at all it would stand out, but it is certainly a joy to own and use. The balance is perfect, posted or unposted and the size, weight and overall warmth make it enjoyable during extended writing sessions. The metal section would not have been my first choice, but surprisingly the ribs make it both secure and controllable.

Edited by jar

 

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hari317 Museum Piece

hari317

Posted
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Very beautiful pen Jar, I had missed some of your previous Dupont reviews, very informative. Thanks for sharing!

In case you wish to write to me, pls use ONLY email by clicking here. I do not check PMs. Thank you.

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jar Ancient Artifact

jar

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Very beautiful pen Jar, I had missed some of your previous Dupont reviews, very informative. Thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks.

 

One of the things I like about the ST Dupont pens is that they have such a broad range of designs yet almost all are meant to be used, to be everyday workhorses. You can dress up like the Opus X or the Shaman...

 

http://www.fototime.com/BF26C9681B19B55/standard.jpg

or Vertigo...

 

http://www.fototime.com/833F8EB2BD606FB/standard.jpg

or dress down like the Montparnasse...

 

http://www.fototime.com/09829E827B6610D/standard.jpg

or a simple Fidelio...

 

http://www.fototime.com/D7D9434895F20C3/standard.jpg

or a black Chinese Lacquer and Palladium Olympio/Orpheo.

 

http://www.fototime.com/261432B9693A880/standard.jpg

 

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Ed Ronax Collectors Item

Ed Ronax

Posted
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Nice review and a very attractive pen, it certainly is an eye catcher.

And how can this be, because he is the Kwisatz Haderach.

 

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Shalori Rare

Shalori

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Hi Jar.

 

Thanks for the review. As you mentioned the range of pens, I think I might take a couple pictures of my collection to help show off a bit of the range. It is definitely not just a boardroom pen. I only have Olympios, not the various models like your collection.

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jar Ancient Artifact

jar

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Hi Jar.

 

Thanks for the review. As you mentioned the range of pens, I think I might take a couple pictures of my collection to help show off a bit of the range. It is definitely not just a boardroom pen. I only have Olympios, not the various models like your collection.

 

There are about ten different body styles so far...

 

http://www.fototime.com/FB19E08F336F692/standard.jpg

From left to right: the very slim Classique, slightly wider standard Gatsby, the standard and large size Montparnasse, the Ellipsis, Fidelio and the standard large and X-Large Olympio/Orpheo

 

as well as the large sized Gatsby as seen at the bottom in this picture:

 

http://www.fototime.com/51BEF61F7943D3A/standard.jpg

 

and the newest Neo-Classique:


 

that is a monster, with the width and heft of the X-Large Olympio but in the classic cylinder form.

http://www.fototime.com/0BEE23C66840591/standard.jpg

 

My Website

 

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tanburi Rare

tanburi

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Hats off to the art of lacquering.

 

By the way, do all St. Duponts have a snap-on capping system?

Cogitamus non ideam sed per ideam.

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