Lamy Accent: Al And Palladium Finishes The Same?

June 20, 2018

The Lamy Accent has been around since 1998. Reading the design history page on the Lamy website, we can see that it was introduced in two finishes: Palladium and Matt Black.

Today, the Accent is sold in various configurations: lacquered aluminum (the AL KK with black rubber grip and AL KW with karelia wood grip), and brilliant black lacquer (the Brilliant LD with laser grip and the Brilliant BY with briarwood grip). Some retailers still seem to have old stock (I assume) of the Matt Black models (with pearwood grip, and with palladium grip).

The ever-informative kmpn blog has a page on the Lamy Accent that lists a number of other grip models (some of which are still for sale separately from outlets like fontoplumo.nl and lacouronneducomte.nl), and seems to confirm that the finish that used to be marketed as palladium finish is the same one that is now marketed as lacquered aluminum.

It just may be inconsistent product photography over the years, but to my eye the pen body had a slightly golden hue when it was originally sold in a palladium finish, whereas the finish of the new AL KK model I just bought is pretty much a neutral grey metal. I wonder, can anyone here confirm if the kmpn blog correct? Are palladium and aluminum the same finish, or is there a difference between the two (meaning there have actually been four finishes of the Accent)?

Edited June 20, 2018 by sentience

June 20, 2018

Your impressions are correct, the older palladium and newer aluminum finishes are distinctly different and in the way you describe. I would also describe the aluminum as a tiny bit smoother.