In The Carène Club

[Tseg]

Three days ago I did not know this pen existed. For the past month+ I have considered various integrated nib pens so my purchase decision was not completely out of the blue. I stumbled upon a review of this pen and the comment was it is fantastic to write with, very stylish and comfortable to hold, all to the shock of the reviewer... and they went on to say it became an every day pen for them. I thought that integrated nib looked super cool. I then read another review, and another, and another, and all were coming to the same conclusion... had really never considered this pen but once they tried it they were smitten. Of course today there are unbelievable price bargains for such a fine pen with 18K gold nib as well. I stumbled upon such a discount and pulled the trigger. I can now say I am a firm believer in the Carène. It really is my most enjoyable pen to write with. The nib is amazing and I think the look is so classy. Unlike some reports, my Fine nib really is a fine nib, which is fine with me. Money well spent with this one.

 

[Bluey]

It's truly a modern classic with it's unique shape and nib, plus it has the advantage that it isn't hampered with a German nib. The cartridge has a huge ink capacity, but to me it was let down by the tiny nozzle. The large feed can be a plus or a minus depending on how you see things.

Tons of varying finishes and a great balance completes the equation.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Bluey

[Left FPN]

Welcome to the ever expanding team of CareneHolics.

 

Prices for this model are all over the place especially on the BIG auction site. High street shops, as for most things, are now just viewing platforms and buyers head home to search for cheaper options on line. There you have to cast your net further afield, look towards the smaller auction/sales sites and possibly gamble. Unlike ebay/Paypal buying may be risky because most sellers at these places want bank transfer or pay a friend methods of payment. It can be very risky as I have found out in the past but just this week a very nice Marine Amber landed for just £50 which included the delivery. Yes, it has a few very tiny marks but when you consider £77 is the going rate for sections alone, anything under that is a bonus.

[Chrissy]

Bear in mind also that Amazon often has deals on Waterman Carene pens, usually only black with gold trim though.

[Tseg]

Bear in mind also that Amazon often has deals on Waterman Carene pens, usually only black with gold trim though.

That is what I'm talking about. I saw a crazy price and bought. The next day the same pen was listed for $80 more. Actually the Rhodium trimmed one was even less, but I happen to like this pen style more with the GT.

[RocketRyan]

Great pens, a lot of bang for your buck I think.

[Tseg]

I'm now about 24 hours into having The Carène in my possession... with a Pilot Custom 823 arriving the same day, by coincidence, so interesting to compare/contrast first impressions. Both Fine nibbed. There is no doubt the Carène fine is not quite as fine as the Japanese pen, but I probably would not call it Japanese Medium.

 

The 823 has a very crisp feel on paper, writing with a fast-paced ball-bearing feeling, quickly leading me to the next letter. While not scratchy at all, does make a very audible pen-on-paper sound. The Carène, on the other hand, has a slight laggy molasses feel, forcing me to savor every letter. Overall the Carène writes more smoothly with just a whisper of sound emanating from the paper. Writing with the 823 is a clinical, mechanical experience of a very precise, high quality machine. Writing with the Carène feels much for expressive and emotional... somehow I write cursive better with this French pen because of its feel.

 

My final observation is my Custom 823 ink flow is perfect... a bit juicy and the flow is constant at all times. Not a single hard start or skipping issue. Whether the 1st word in a day or the 8th page in a row that Custom 823 ink flow will be identical... it's a machine. The Carène, on the other hand, ebbs and flows with ink delivery. It's been drier, its been juicy... maybe this aspect creates more emotion since I'm not sure what I'll be getting. In many pages of writing I've had maybe 3-4 1/2 stroke skips... not bad or even annoying at this point, and not sure if it was a true skip or a nib positioning issue. For the most part it does seem to gravitate to more juicy once I get in the writing rhythm. Also, (knock on wood) I've not experienced any of the leaking nib or section issues that some have observed.

 

It is very interesting to feel the differences between these two pens. I really like them both and I like that they are as different as they are. No regrets about getting the Carène. It is a keeper.

[Bluey]

The Carène, on the other hand, ebbs and flows with ink delivery. It's been drier, its been juicy... maybe this aspect creates more emotion since I'm not sure what I'll be getting. In many pages of writing I've had maybe 3-4 1/2 stroke skips... not bad or even annoying at this point, and not sure if it was a true skip or a nib positioning issue. For the most part it does seem to gravitate to more juicy once I get in the writing rhythm. Also, (knock on wood) I've not experienced any of the leaking nib or section issues that some have observed.

 

That could be because the feed isn't fully saturated.

With the cartridge I used to give it a few squeezes so that on each squeeze it gets to the point of ink almost dripping out of the nib, before release and then squeeze again. Repeat about 5 times. With a converter, draw ink up from the bottle and then release the ink back to the bottle, and repeat about 4 or 5 times.

Edited March 18, 2018 by Bluey