My Edison Pearl

[IWantThat]

I've had my eye on an Edison Pearl for some time after reading all the rave reviews about Brian and the Edison Pen Co.

 

 

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http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa368/NeitherGoodNorBad/DSC00885.jpg

 

 

The pen arrived this week, and I promptly inked it and have been writing with it ever since.

 

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa368/NeitherGoodNorBad/DSC00880.jpg

 

 

My first impression of the Pearl is that it's much larger than I expected. Because it's my first Edison pen, I really had nothing to compare it to, but heard many refer to it as a small pen. The Pearl is smaller than some pen models, but it's actually quite robust overall and very comfortable in the hand.

 

The dimensions of the Pearl (taken from the Edison website):

 

Weight:

 

22g with cap

16g without cap

 

Length:

 

5 3/8" capped

5" uncapped

 

This is a light pen, and yes, a shorter pen than many. It is just a bit longer than my Pelikan 215, which is very much a small pen. The difference, to my mind, is the fact that the barrel of the Pearl is substantial, making it a more comfortable pen to hold, despite its shorter length. The diameter of the pen body and cap is 0.61, more than 1/2 an inch. I think that more than makes up for the shorter length. I don't post my pen, but find it comfortable to use without the extra length. The screw-cap is easy to open and close and very secure. I chose a c/c filler, though bulb fillers intrigue me. Maybe my next Edison will be a bulb fill

 

Here's one comparison shot, taken with a Pilot VP and the Pearl side-by-side:

 

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa368/NeitherGoodNorBad/DSC00892.jpg

 

 

The material I chose for my Pearl is the pearlized Chocolate acrylic. I worried a bit that the acrylic body would seem cheap. It does not. While it certainly contributes to the light weight of the pen, in no way does the pen feel cheaply made. Again, the body diameter is wide enough to give the pen a substantial feel in the hand. The acrylic is also quite thick. I think that gives the pen that robustness I mentioned before. This is not a flimsy pen, though there are heavier and more expensive materials than acrylic.

 

The barrel imprint reads:

EDISON PEN CO.

PEARL

Simple and classy. It's crisply printed in the darker bands of chocolate. Perfect

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa368/NeitherGoodNorBad/DSC00882.jpg

The nib I chose is the 18k Fine. It's quite a large nib, suited to the substantial girth of the pen. The length and width of all the parts balance, in my mind. The nib writes a smooth line every time, without skipping, and did so right out of the box. I chose a berry colored ink that suits the pen's rich color. I also chose a clipless model and purchased a pen rest for it. I asked, when placing my order, if the pen rest worked well with the Pearl, because again, I expected a small pen. Brian assured me it worked well with all his pens, and it does. The pen rest secures my Pearl and keeps it from rolling, a danger without a clip. I'll also add that I love the Pearl without a clip. There's nothing to distract from the beautiful shape of the barrel and the rich acrylic finish.

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa368/NeitherGoodNorBad/DSC00883.jpg

I won't give my Pearl a numerical rating, because numbers don't translate to the way a pen fits in my hand - at least to my mind. I'm ruled more by emotion than analysis. Let me just say, I expected a beautiful pen, and that is what I received. I expected a well-made instrument, and that is what I received. I wouldn't hesitate to order from Brian again and highly recommend to anyone who may be thinking of placing an order to just do it. You won't regret it

P.S. Anything that looks like an imperfection is most likely cat hair and fingerprints. I have yet to find an imperfection on this pen, and I've looked (though I don't really expect to find one)

[watch_art]

Very pretty. Thanks for sharing.

[Pen Is Mightier]

Nice review, and absolutely beautiful pen!

[matveik]

Wonderful! The material comes across really well in your pictures. I'm already this close to getting a Pearl even though my Morgan hasn't even arrived yet.

[Tiffanyhenschel]

Congratulations on a beautiful pen! You will love it.

[jde]

Very nice, IWantThat. The chocolate acrylic is indeed handsome. My first Edison was an acrylic pen, too. Many acrylics are underrated and overlooked. I've found mine is very "warm" in the hand and has a lot of depth to it.

 

Congratulations and enjoy!

Julie

[Uncle Red]

That is a sweet pen! Where does the step from the barrel to the section fit in your hand?

[IWantThat]

That is a sweet pen! Where does the step from the barrel to the section fit in your hand?

 

I hold my pens loosely, with the barrel resting on the webbing between thumb and finger, and the step sits right about in the middle and I hardly feel it. I probably only feel it when adjusting the pen's position. Otherwise, it's in the open space between the fingers or lightly resting on one finger. My fingers are square on the section and the threads and step are above that. It really is comfortable. After I posted pictures, I thought I should have mentioned the step in the barrel, because many talk about that. I've never really had a problem with stepped barrels and don't have any discomfort when using this pen.

Edited December 22, 2011 by IWantThat

[bluestem2361]

Lovely! I have two Edisons--an extended Mina in black and blue ebonite swirl and the black satin Nouveau Premiere. Love them, both! The chocolate acrylic is quite handsome...enjoy!

[kiavonne]

The color of your pearl is very beautiful. Congratulations.

[IWantThat]

A few more pics... Thank you Brian Gray for making this pen for me. It really is as special as I'd hoped It has been inked since I received it. The nib has performed quite well. No flow issues whatsoever, which is more than I can say for some of my other pens The pen rest is a great addition, and keeps my pen secure. I've been using it with all my pens, in fact.

 

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa368/NeitherGoodNorBad/DSC00872.jpg

 

 

http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa368/NeitherGoodNorBad/DSC00868.jpg

Edited December 31, 2011 by IWantThat

[Brian C]

Pretty. Oooooh I love Pearls.

[IWantThat]

Pretty. Oooooh I love Pearls.

 

Me too I don't think I could ever second guess the decision on this one. It's exactly what I wanted.

[dannyboy]

A truly beautiful pen! I have four pens from Brian at Edison Pen and I love them all! He's a very accomdating craftsman who will make sure the pen is to your liking. We're all lucky to have Brian making such great pens.