Waterman Prefàce Rouge

[Ondina]

First Impressions

I must say the looks of the pen called me from the first time I saw it. You open the box, and the pen glitters. The box is a cardboard box, with a plastic holder that I fear may in the long run scratch the lacquer, so I will have to find another house for this FP. I ignore if it is the original box as I got the pen from a business clearance company, looks like it does not belong to it.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2326/2283704138_6ea9b374dd_o.jpg

 

 

Appearance and Finish

The pen is a typical Waterman, slender, well finished, brass and deep red lacquer, cartridge or converter from Waterman Paris. It has a peculiar ending on the top of the cap, a black hexagon and the trimming is golden.

 

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http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2283704240_0b6da97abd.jpg

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2144/2283704018_3a656c056b_o.jpg

 

The finishing is very good, like most Waterman mid or high end products. Waterman logo on the golden clasp. The end of the barrel has a thick golden piece of brass that balances the pen quite nicely and adds the right weight to my taste. The color of the lacker is superb, Rouge, and is one of the main reason I decided to buy this piece, black is good, but some variation is too. Attracts the eye, believe me.

 

Design / Size / Weight

This is a slender pen, not a mid sized one nor a cigar. Length, 13.2 cm, girth diminishing from top to end from 4.3 to 2.6 cm. The grip is black with a gold trimming ring and a slight thickening that holds the pen quite nicely and feels smooth on the fingers. The weight is very balanced. Not too light, not too heavy. Brass barrel and cap insides are covered by a thin black plastic, that has carefully rounded edges. Nice detail, no brassing from closing the snap on system.

The design is elegant and sleek.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3114/2283703666_da420431d3.jpg

 

 

Nib, Performance and Filling System.

Takes cartridges and comes with an original converter, same than in the Le Man 200. If you use this pens in the long run may be a good idea to get an extra converter in case they break or get lost. Is a pity Waterman does not make piston fillers, but hey, nobody's perfect.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2283703542_e26c107099.jpg

 

The nib is quite balanced for the size of the pen, not big, not small. Shaped like the ones of the Parker Sonnet, or close to the Kultur/Phileas but not so big. I like the engraving of the 18K gold nib. An M in my case. The feed is the well known plastic horizontal feed, that funny enough, ends on a wavy, almost W on the upper inner part.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/2282916587_6c79f6e67a.jpg

 

Now the hour of the truth. First, dipping. True M sized to my taste, sweet, soft nib, glides on the paper surface without any trace of scratchiness. The converter takes ink easily from the Florida Blue Bottle, and flows without a problem, no sings of skipping or flow problems. Good!. I'm tired of expensive pens that are not up to the task,lately. This baby is a keeper.

 

Cost/Value

Regardless of the model, Waterman pens are always great pieces for the value. This particular piece is out of production, although you can still find a few of them on the bay or the Marketplace, in Rouge, Green Marble, and Brown Marble, even chrome or silver. It retailed close to 200 euros when first hit the market, I got this NOS for a fourth of that at a clearance business on the bay that does not ship outside France, with the invaluable help of a french fellow Fp'ner that reshipped to me and is a true gentleman (Merci beaucoup, Marcel).

 

Overall Opinion.

I like many things about FP'ns. A very important one is that they do what they are meant for; write flawlessly and give pleasure to the senses for many years, for a reasonable price. This FP meets all requirements to be a keeper. One to enjoy when you grab it on the hand and when it must be opened to write with. The design and the quality for the value are trademarks of Waterman. You have to like the looks, but their pens work out of the box most times. I have cheap plastic made pieces I've paid a fortune for, and they do not work. All my Waterman's have performed well, I must say. Recommended.

 

 

I must ask for the mercy of readers, this is my first review and the light was awful today, so the pics are just so-so.

Edited June 9, 2009 by MYU

[theblackpen]

I think the review is great and so are the photos.Enjoy your pen!

Mihai

[manolo]

Very good and detailed review, Ondina! I like the nib engraving, too.

[rgarciasandoval]

Hey Ondina, very nice review! With lots of picts, and writing sample in Spanish great!

 

I really like lots of photos in reviews

 

Felicidades y disfruta tu Waterman!

 

Ricardo

[flow]

Very nice review and great handwriting too

[manolo]

When I read this review some time ago, I thought I had to try one of these. Well, I have purchased a Préface from ebay last week. Mine is the black one, gold trim, fine nib. I must say I am not used to this kind of fp, metallic, slender (for my taste). It is now the thinnest pen I have, while being maybe the heaviest.

 

The pen is quite smart, not flashy, the grip section is plastic (or seems plastic) which I prefer to plain metal. The writing experience, I must say, is very satisfactory, smooth for a fine, flow is perfect with an Inoxcrom black cartridge. I still have to try a converter.

 

The nib is small compared to the pens I use (Pelikans mostly), and at first sight this looked a bit strange to me.

 

I got it for around 30 dollars, shipped, which can be seen as a bargain, but maybe because it has an advertisement logo on the cap (Renault V.I.), but this I don't mind much at the moment. I was lucky as the pen is apparently mint.

[ArPharazon]

Ondina,

 

Very nice review, you sound quite happy with your selection. That's great!

 

I also own a Waterman Preface, though mine is silver. Looks just like your pics, only the barrel and cap are fluted instead of smooth.

 

The one I now own is a replacement. My very first fountain pen was an identical silver Preface, though. I had just left a job I hated and got a new job I liked, and I saw my new boss signing papers with a silver fountain pen. I really admired him, and it struck me as a cool item, and I felt I needed a reward for escaping a terrible job, so I went online and searched until I found a silver pen that was reasonably affordable (the Preface). I knew absolutely nothing about pens, but I really loved it.

 

Unfortunately something happened that caused the cap to become rather loose, and one day the body of the pen slipped from my leather portfolio while the cap remained clipped in place. After owning it for nearly four years, it was gone forever.

 

A few years later I again got the FP bug and eventually found this site. After about a year here, I finally got nostalgic and hunted down another Silver Preface on eBay (though this one had a bold nib). It's really nice to have this great pen back in my collection!

 

Thanks for a great review!

[Ondina]

Thanks to all for your replies. Yes, the truth is that I am very happy with this pen. Never skips, had a lovely shape and the M nib lays down a line that suits my tastes very well. Very confortable writer. I'm very happy indeed.

 

Manolo, you're the king of bargains, what a price!. Black lacker looks really elegant on this pen, and probably not so girly lipstick as mine does. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

[georges zaslavsky]

quite a nice pen ,enjoy it.

[loyalarcher]

This is a great pen! I have one myself in blue, and it's never failed me.

[MWHITE]

I just purchased what I believe is a Preface tonight. Paid 25 plus shipping and I am thrilled. I saw just the nib and feed section currently bid on up to 137.00

[alexwi]

I just purchased what I believe is a Preface tonight. Paid 25 plus shipping and I am thrilled. I saw just the nib and feed section currently bid on up to 137.00

 

Wow! $25 is a steal for such a great pen.

 

Congratulations!

 

Alex