Waterman Phileas

[Macuser]

Ever since I stumbled across this forum, I have been hearing the FP vets singing praises to the Waterman Phileas. They recommend it as a great starter pen, and a pen they still use regularly. I never found the Phileas line particularly attractive, so I always found an excuse to skip the purchase.

 

Thanks to this forum, I was able to buy the Watmerman Philease Fountain Pen Gift Set (fine nib) at Offfice Max for $9.99. At this price, I decided that I had to pick one up and try it. I figured that I could sell or give the pen away if I was unhappy.

 

First the negatives -

The art deco styling is gaudy, in my opinion. Unfortunately the good deal didn't make the pen more attractive. The "blue marble" is more like "purple marble."

 

The good news is that the styling is the only negative I could find.

 

I plugged in a green cartridge and haven't been able to put the pen down since. It started right away. It lays down a beautiful fine semi-wet line. Not too much ink, but not scratchy at all. I prefer fine nibs, but many are too scratchy. The Waterman fine just glides across the paper. I am amazed at how beatiful it writes. No skipping, just a wonderful consistent trail of ink.

 

This is the only Waterman fountain pen that I own. I am very interested in rounding out my collection with a few more of their fountain pens if the nibs are as smooth as this one.

 

I put the Phileas in my brief case and plan to give it a thorough workout this week at the office. You never know, maybe the styling will grown on me over time!

[BHCR]

The art deco styling is gaudy indeed. The pen's design is simply overdone.

 

BUT....

 

The pen is assembled very well and the weight is perfect. It is THE starter pen

[johnr55]

I bought one recently on sale at Office Depot out of curiosity, as I had also seen so many glowing references on this forum.

 

Like the poster, I thought the pen was a little overdone in the red tone I bought. I looks like nothing more than what it is--printed plastic. However, like the poster, all was forgiven when I began to write with the medium nib I purchased. Smooth as anything I've ever used.

 

BTW I purchased what was listed on EBay as a Phileas Kulture in a translucent purple with a clear internal feed. It appears to be from the same family, though much less flashy, and it writes just as well.

 

This would indeed make a logical step above the ultra-low-priced FP's, as would the Lamy Safari for those interested in the high tech look.

[RLTodd]

Some of us like art deco. I feel comfortable around it. I thought the interior of the old Warners Theater in Fresno was beautiful (the exterior is a different style)and the Chrysler Building is the only decent looking thing in New York City. Obviously mass tast has long moved from the movement. The only two pens in the Waterman line that appeal to me from a style point are the Phileas and the Charleston. Both of these are artifacts of that style fashion. To me these pens have a being, a so to speak soul, that the rest of the line and most other designs lack. Of course, as always, and most likely on this point, YMMV.

 

IMHO, On the functional level both the Phileas, and the un adorned Kulture verson, are the best price performance fountain pens out there.

Edited December 18, 2006 by RLTodd

[Judybug]

There's just no accounting for taste, is there? I think my Waterman Phileas is absolutely beautiful. The only complaint I have is that the ring at the end of the barrel - where the Phileas logo is - doesn't meet - there's a little gap on the side opposite the logo. And it's not just my pen, that gap is there on every Phileas I've ever seen. But, who cares? It's a fantastic writer.

 

BTW, speaking of Art Deco, I believe the Louisiana capitol building in Baton Rouge is the only Art Deco capitol in the country. It's a very unique, beautiful building.

 

Judybug

Edited December 18, 2006 by Judybug

[Macuser]

There's just no accounting for taste, is there? I think my Waterman Phileas is absolutely beautiful.

I really want to like the design. I keep staring at it hoping that my eyes will accept it as beautiful

 

No luck yet... I'll keep you updated!

[sonia_simone]

I like Deco ok but don't like the Phileas styling, although the black is not bad. But it's a terrific pen and my humble green one has one of the two permanent spots in my rotation.

 

One of these days I'll pick up a Kultur as well. Just, well, because.

[lisa]

There's just no accounting for taste, is there?    I think my Waterman Phileas is absolutely beautiful.

I really want to like the design. I keep staring at it hoping that my eyes will accept it as beautiful

 

No luck yet... I'll keep you updated!

There's charm in this kind of uglyness. You gotta look at it that way.

 

I hope mine (at full price ) will arrive soon.

[Walter's daughter]

I bought my Phileas as a result of the numerous positive reports on here. It's the black version with a fine nib.

I find it neither particularly attractive nor ugly, but like Judybug, am irritated by the gap in the barrel ring. I love the feel of the pen and it writes beautifully. Out of my rapidly growing collection of pens, this is one of three I always reach for for a satisfactory writing experience.

 

Angela

[p-zero]

I have 10 (well, 4 of them are for my kids)Waterman Phileas, & only one of them has that gap. I really like the way the pens handle & write. Someday I'd like to get a black one with a fine point.....

[Judybug]

I have 10 (well, 4 of them are for my kids)Waterman Phileas, & only one of them has that gap. I really like the way the pens handle & write. Someday I'd like to get a black one with a fine point.....

Hang on to those Phileases that don't have the gap! I think they must be rare. Hmm. I wonder. I've had my Phileases for a number of years. Are yours fairly new? Has Waterman eliminated the gap in the newer pens?

 

Judybug

[helius]

I got most of mine (either 3 or 4 of the 5 that I have) within the past four months, and they all still have that ugly gap.

 

Then again, I got them at local office supplies chains, so they may have been old stock.

[RLTodd]

BTW, speaking of Art Deco, I believe the Louisiana capitol building in Baton Rouge is the only Art Deco capitol in the country. It's a very unique, beautiful building.

Pretty.

 

FWIW, wikpedia has a picture of the Buffalo, NY, city hall. A smaller rendition reflecting art deco.

[p-zero]

Hang on to those Phileases that don't have the gap!  I think they must be rare.  Hmm.  I wonder.  I've had my Phileases for a number of years.  Are yours fairly new?  Has Waterman eliminated the gap in the newer pens?

 

Judybug

One Phileas is 7-10 years old. One I got from someone here on FPN, new, & it has a gap. I bought 2 from Swisher pens this year--no gap. The other 6 came from this weekend's Waterman Phileas 75% off sale at Office max. They all seem to have the same swirling of color on the bodies, excpet the one with a gap. It is green & the swirl pattern has more black in it & isn't like the other green one I bought a few months ago. I was wondering why there are visual differences, but all of them (but 2 I haven't inked yet) write GREAT!

[lisa]

Mine arrived today. Got it from ebay from our French pen selling friend. It has the gap. I was told it looks better in pictures but I think it looks better in person (minus the gap. )

 

Got a bit of a scare. I wanted to know if two short int' carts would fit like I use it in the Kultur (still got a bunch of those carts lying around). So I put one in the barrel reverse. Didn't fit, there's a brass ring or lining in the barrel that makes it too tight. Doesn't matter I just get it out again. But it was stuck. :bonk: I hadn't pushed on it or anything it just had sucked itself vacuum or something like that. After A LOT of fiddling with needles and tweezers I got it out.

 

Put in a waterman cart and it wrote practically immediately. Smooth wet line. I have a Fine. Feels like a workhorse. One of those pens that will get a lot of use.

 

I also have the Kultur crystal demonstrator Fine. Big difference in nibs. Phileas is twice as broad and much smoother. They both write wet.

The Kultur F and Phileas F nibs are NOT the same.

[ht1]

I have a Phileas fountain pen and three Phileas ballpoint pens from about 14 years ago. They have the gap, but they are much better looking than the new ones. They are darker, and what I consider to be truer colors. The light colors on the old ones are darker and don't have the contrast like the new ones. I have six Phileas fountain pens purchased this year. Some of the new ones I have seen have patterns that are definitely not desirable to me. The ones I have are ok by me, but I've seen some I would not buy.

 

The Kultur fine is definitely a fine point. The Phileas fine leans toward being a medium point.

 

ht

[Macuser]

Can someone explain to me the difference between the Phileas and the Kultur?

[helius]

From what I understand, the only things they share are the innards - feed and nib. And of course, they use the same converters/cartridges.

[lisa]

From what I understand, the only things they share are the innards - feed and nib.  And of course, they use the same converters/cartridges.

Guess you missed this bit from my earlier post:

also have the Kultur crystal demonstrator Fine. Big difference in nibs. Phileas is twice as broad and much smoother. They both write wet.

The Kultur F and Phileas F nibs are NOT the same.

 

To give a more complete answer to the difference between Kultur and Phileas.

 

They are both the same size.

Kultur is made of plastic and the clip is chrome, not gold plated. Also the other gold plated ornaments that are on the Phileas are not there on the Kultur.

Inside the Phileas barrel is a chrome ring or lining, making the pen slightly higher in weight, but it's still medium/lightweight. But also making it impossible to use international cartridges. You can use them perfectly, one up side down in barrel the other normal in the section, in the Kultur.

 

The Phileas nib is half gold plated, Kultur isn't, it's all steel. I can only compare the F nibs and I've done that in the quote above. Thet are NOT the same.

 

I'm borrowing some pics from ebay/ the guy I bought mine from to give you an idea. (I'm just a happy repeat customer of his.)

This is a pic of the Phileas. The pen also comes in blue, green and all black, but always with the gold plated ornaments.

http://i24.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/7a/c7/b4b3_1_b.JPG

 

Few pictures of Kulturs, come in many colours:

http://i21.ebayimg.com/02/i/04/80/73/20_1_sbl.JPG

http://i2.ebayimg.com/02/i/08/44/b8/5c_1_sbl.JPG

http://i15.ebayimg.com/05/i/08/39/a7/03_1_sbl.JPG

http://i15.ebayimg.com/02/i/04/81/52/2c_1_sbl.JPG

 

I hope Mr. Lewertowski doesn't mind me using his pictures to explain.

Edited December 18, 2006 by lisa

[helius]

That'll teach me to not read the entier thread before posting!

 

Thanks for re-posting the correct information, lisa.