Omas Paragon T2 (Milord size)

[omasfan]

I usually don't have metal pens in my collection except for one S.T. Dupont fountain pen, a Vertigo II whose intricate diamond pattern executed in Chinese lacquer and whose flawless silky smooth nib I love very much. Other than that, metal pens are anathema to me. They are heavy, cold, sometimes unwieldy and just not my cup of tea. I normally like my pens light as a feather, therefore I am a big celluloid aficionado as some of you might already know (sorry for reiterating my passion time and again).

 

 

When I went to Bittner's store in Carmel, it just hit me while browsing the shelves. There it lay, sweetly nestled in one of the beautiful wooden showcases: an Omas T2. The pen had been on my list of pens to have for a long time. It just thrilled me that Omas made the Paragon (or Milord respectively) in yet another material. This was a pen that I wanted to add to my collection/rotation.

 

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Bob Leeds is a great salesman and a knowledgeable pen guy, and he knew that once I had discovered the pen I wouldn't leave the store without it. After spending two hours in the store, we finally left it with the T2. It wasn't cheap but given that this has been sold out for a long time, quite decently priced. Whaddaya say, I just had to have this pen. The pen is a perfect mélange of tradition and modernity in my opinion. It makes me forget that I don't like metal pens. In fact, if all metal pens were like the T2, I would fall in love with them on a frequent basis.

 

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A bit about the T2: Omas made the T2 for the year 2000 in two versions. This is important, so read on. There was the old Paragon size T2, a limited edition that had gold trim and an engraved 18k gold nib (I believe, with the 75^th anniversary logo). Then there was a smaller T2 in the old Milord size with HT trim and a real titanium nib.

 

 

 

 

Needless to say that I thought when shelling out that much money for a unique titanium pen, I wanted the version that came with the titanium nib. What's a titanium pen worth without the business end in the same material? Moreover, I just thought (and still think) that the gold trim does not become the T2 very well. Therefore I decided upon the Milord size T2 although I normally prefer the Paragon size.

 

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Omas' T2 is the illegitimate successor to Parker's T1. I say illegitimate because the pen was born out of pen wedlock so to speak, having nothing to do with Parker pens. Everything else about the T2, however, is splendid. While the Parker T1 has attained cult status, it is well-known that the pen shouldn't be used lest the tipping material be stressed. Parker's T1 was a flop as far as it wore out the penmakers' tools and the nib's tipping wouldn't withstand heavy use and would even break off. Omas decided to go one better than Parker for the sake of showing their craftsmanship. What they produced (and in the following I will keep talking about the Milord size T2 with the titanium nib) has turned out to be a marvel of craftsmanship coupled with utmost usability.

 

The titanium is worked flawlessly into the twelve-faceted Omas barrel. The edges are crisp and the metalwork screams quality. As usual with Omas, the HT plating of the trim leaves durability to be desired. Mine is still flawless but it might lose some of its plating. The clip has a little plating flaw, a modicum of unevenness in one spot where the plating is rough. I don't really care about this at the moment.

 

The cap is engraved with "Omas T2" on one facet, quite tastefully and unobtrusively I might add. It has a plastic insert containing the threads and the blind cap. The cap posts securely and snugly and won't scratch the end piece due to the plastic inside the cap.

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Upon unscrewing the pen, a regular resin/plastic section is revealed, bearing an additional Greek key band at the upper end. The black section is quite pleasant to hold and accentuates the matte grayness of the titanium nicely.

 

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On to the nib: Its surface is a nice dark grey, much darker than the body and carefully engraved with "T2," surrounded by a delicate circle. The engraving is nice but the real pleasure comes from using this nib. It is quite flexible. Not like true vintage flex, but those of you who own an Omas Emotica, know what I am talking about. I suspect that the Emotica's nib is very similar to the T2's.

 

My nib is officially stamped medium. However, when I apply no pressure, it writes more like a delicate fine. With a bit more pressure, it transforms into a juicy and nice finish medium. Still a bit more pressure and one finds oneself writing with a very juicy medium. I love the moderate flex that this nib possesses. It feels similar to other very good and springy Omas nibs, but there is something about it that sets it apart from your average gold nib. Maybe it's just the mystique of the titanium nib. I think, though, that its tactile idiosyncrasies are quite wonderful. While the nib is very smooth, I feel connected to the paper when writing, a feeling somewhat comparable to the unique feeling that vintage flex nibs impart on the user yet coupled with a modern robustness of the titanium.

 

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Just like all old-style Milords, this one is a piston filler, and it holds almost as much ink as the Paragon. After filling the pen, I counted 27 drops that the pen disgorged. Also, the piston filler moves quite easily, smooth and flawless, not all that normal for old-style Omas pens as many owners have complained about the rigidity of the piston mechanism.

 

The verdict: This pen is quite inconspicuous at first blush. It is understated and doesn't give away its special appeal easily. You have to look closer in order to appreciate what makes this pen a jewel. I like the fact that the pen doesn't exude any bling as I love to use high-quality pens that don't draw attention all the time. It's just fun to use an expensive and beautiful pen like this while the non-pen people remain unsuspecting of its value. It makes me uncomfortable to let everyone know by dint of the pen's looks what it might be worth.

 

I started this review claiming that I don't like metal pens. This is still true, the Omas being another exception. Upon clutching the pen at first, it feels a bit cold but acclimatizes to the temperature of my hand almost immediately. The pen has nice heft without being heavy. Titanium is a very light and yet very durable material, having similar qualities like steel but being much lighter. While my Omas Paragon celluloids weigh about 21 grams, the T2 Milord weighs in at 32 grams. Since the pen is relatively handy, the weight doesn't bother me at all. For an almost full-metal pen, it is surprisingly light. For comparison, an S.T. Dupont Orpheo is nearly twice as heavy.

 

 

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The T2 is a classic, and furthermore, it invites you to use it every day. It handles well, is low maintenance and writes wonderfully. It wants to be used, not put away in a pen case. Accordingly, the T2 will be in my regular rotation.

 

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For an overview of many contemporary titanium pens, also compare the excellent article authored by who I assume is Bill Riepl.

 

http://www.stylophilesonline.com/archive/jan03/02tit.htm

Edited April 6, 2008 by omasfan

[sumgaikid]

great pics and excellent review! :clap1:

[greencobra]

Man, you have the gift! Now I want one of these, you son of a gun.

 

This was a really nice, well done review. Covered all bases as they say. And you know what, if there were only one of these T2's left in the world, I'd want you to have it. You genuinely like this pen, and that came out beautifully in your review. Your photos gave this pen a "real world" look and were also nicely executed.

 

Now, what's the chance of a photo of a handwrittting sample from your pen?

[goodguy]

Absolutly loved the review.

I am a huge fan of the Paragons and the combination or Paragn+titanium makes me drool .

Maybe one day I will own one.

[Escribiente]

Good pictures, and great review for a pen that I still have some mixed feelings about. I like the idea of a titanium pen, and I'm a huge fan of the Paragon (old) design, but the section makes me feel unease, although I can't say why. Thank you for the review.

[gylyf]

Cool pen, Wolfgang . Like you, I like that OMAS went with the HT trim on this model. I also like that they chose a resin section over a titanium section, a choice they probably would not make today. Hope you continue to enjoy it. Regards,

David

[omasfan]

Thank you all for your nice comments!

 

Man, you have the gift! Now I want one of these, you son of a gun.

Now, what's the chance of a photo of a handwrittting sample from your pen?

 

There was a T2 on ebay a while ago. It went quite cheap. I regret not having bid on it at the time. I'll let you know if I encounter another one in case you want to buy it.

I will needs try to get a writing sample up. My chicken scratch is awful, though, but I'll oblige.

 

Escribiente/David: the plastic section is somehow very comfortable. It's the connection to the regular resin Milord. I am glad they didn't execute it in titanium.

[omasfan]

Absolutly loved the review.

I am a huge fan of the Paragons and the combination or Paragn+titanium makes me drool .

Maybe one day I will own one.

 

The T2 would be a good companion to your classic Parker T1! The only thing that prevents me from buying a T1 is that I won't be able to really use it. But what a classy pen it is!