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Bexley Pearlesse


BarryLee

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My first pen review, so be gentle. Also, I am probably the only person in the USA without a digital camera, so no personal photos.

 

 

Introduction

 

I was immediately taken by the white Bexley Pearlessse fountain pen when I first saw it on Richard Binder’s WEB site. I loved the appearance of the white pearlescent material and the overall timeless beauty of the pen. However, I had never handled this pen and had no idea how it would feel in my hand. Also, I was not really familiar with the Bexley Company and what to expect from their product. However, I was familiar with Richard Binder and had heard good review after review of his customer service, so I felt comfortable making the purchase. The pen was ordered on a Wednesday night and was in my mail box the next Monday morning and I only paid seven dollars for shipping. While the pen was shipped to me with a standard Bexley nib it was inspected and tweaked as necessary by the good folks at Richards Pens.

 

 

Appearance & Design 9/10

 

Well as I have already mentioned it was the overall appearance of the pen that attracted me in the first place and once the pen arrived I was not disappointed. The Bexley WEB site says the pen is reminiscent of the “1930s, Carter Pearltex” and the pen does have a decidedly retro look to it. The material the pen is made of is very attractive, but the translucent nature does allow the end caps, threaded portion of the nib and converter to show through ever so slightly.

 

 

Construction & Quality 9/10

 

Well, to be honest I cannot find anything negative to say about the construction of this pen. The quality appears good, but I have only had it for a short time.

 

 

Weight & Dimensions 8/10

 

The only real criticism of this pen that I do have is the weight of the overall pen – it is light. At an advertised weight on 0.68 oz it is noticeably lighter than the Mont Blancs or Pelikans I normally use. Obviously the fact that the Bexley utilizes a converter instead of a piston fill accounts for the difference. While this may not be a fair criticism it does detract ever so slightly from the feel of the pen. For reference the pen is approximately the same size as a Pelikan M600. The pen has silver rhodium plated trim which complements the white color perfectly. The pen also features a roller ball style clip. The cap post securely and adds to the comfortable use of the pen.

 

 

Nib & Performance 10/10

 

Well, this is the only fountain pen I have ever purchased that wrote beautifully from the very first stroke. I suppose some of this can be attributed to the fact that it was tested and tweaked as needed by Richard Binder and/or staff. However, I believe a lot of credit has to go to the beautiful Bexley 18K two tone nib. I ordered mine in medium and believe it to be a pretty true medium. I first filled the pen with Waterman Florida Blue and then later Waterman Green and the pen functioned perfectly. I have used the pen on assorted paper including, Clairefontaine, Moleskine, Cranes, HP with no problem.

 

 

Filling System & Maintenance 7/10

 

The pen utilizes either cartridges or a converter. When I received the pen it already had the converter installed and I had no problem filling from Waterman bottles. I have no idea what the actual capacity is, but obviously it is significantly less than my piston fillers. However, having said this, I do not really feel like I have to worry about running out of ink. I have written several pages in journals and notebooks without running low on ink. As for maintenance the pen is very basic and easy to clean. Any problems in the future would most likely be with the converter which is cheap and easy to change.

 

 

Cost & Value 9/10

 

As mentioned earlier I purchased this pen from Richard Binder at Richard’s Pens. The cost of the pen including shipping was $207 which I felt was a decent price considering the fact the pen was inspected and adjusted as necessary before shipment. The Binders also supplied return information just in case it is needed. How many post on this site do we read where someone complains about the poor performance of a new pen. So, the extra peace of mind provided by purchasing from Richard Binder added to the overall value of this pen. I have several more expensive pens, which I like in their own way, but I do not have a pen that all around performs any better than this pen.

 

 

Conclusion & Final Score 8.7/10

 

In conclusion I very much like this pen and use it as a daily writer in my limited rotation of pens. I will admit I have more expensive pens that I simply do not want to fuss with on a daily basis, but this pen functions flawlessly.

Edited by BarryLee

A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.

- Milton Friedman

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Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for some reviews of this pen to pop up. What do you think of the short section? Any issues with the threads interfering with your grip?

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Thanks for the thoughtful review! I've never had a pearl pen, but the Bexley caught my eye. Maybe one day I'll indulge. After I get a Milord Arco ... and that's going to be awhile. :D

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Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for some reviews of this pen to pop up. What do you think of the short section? Any issues with the threads interfering with your grip?

 

Well, to be blunt I never really noticed this until you mentioned it. In my opinion the threads are not an issue and actual aid with my grip.

A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.

- Milton Friedman

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Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for some reviews of this pen to pop up. What do you think of the short section? Any issues with the threads interfering with your grip?

 

Well, to be blunt I never really noticed this until you mentioned it. In my opinion the threads are not an issue and actual aid with my grip.

 

Good to know. Thanks.

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For those not familiar with this pen, I thought I add my photo of the three available colors.

 

http://www.parkvillepen.com/images/bexley/pearlesse.jpg

 

Yellow Pearl, Red Pearl, White Pearl. All available from your favorite Bexley retailer.

 

Dennis Bowden

Parkville Pen

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