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I wanted to share with you all some photos of one of the more interesting pens in my collection: the Diplomat Bruyére, a special edition pen that seems to have been a fairly unusual departure for Diplomat. This pen was introduced when Diplomat was owned by IMCO J. Michaelis, its second owner, between roughly 1981 and 1999. I'm not sure exactly when this pen was introduced during that period, but the packaging appears to me to be from some time in the 80s. The same pen was also sold through Tiffany, the NYC jeweller, with both Diplomat and Tiffany markings. (If anyone happens to know more about the timeline, please share in the comments!) The pen is about the same size as the current Excellence A2 model and the Classics that were its predecessor. And despite what some might think, the pen is not plastic resin. It is actually made of briarwood (hence the name "Bruyére," French for briarwood). Briarwood is a moor shrub, the roots of which have been used for making tobacco pipes since the 19th century. The size of the pen is about the same as the current Excellence A2 and the previous Classic models, but the shape and style of it is quite different. In fact, rumour has it this pen is actually a Platinum. This might seem surprising if it weren't for the fact that Joachim Michaelis was apparently fond of collaborations within the (fountain) pen world. There are pens produced by Inoxcrom that are identical in every way but the logo and name, and the reintroduction of the Kaweco Sport produced pens sporting 'by Diplomat' on the barrel and using Diplomat's distribution system. In the photos below, you can see the beautiful (and soft) 18k nib, which, except for the name Diplomat, looks very much like a Platinum nib. It is a B, but writes much closer to a M, which is perhaps another indication that it is a Japanese-produced nib. Here is the pen currently fitted with a new Platinum converter after the original converter wore out: I was lucky enough to get this pen with its original luxury packaging which seems to me to be from the 1980s. It includes the price tag showing an original price of 495 DM. Included in the original packaging was this brochure explaining the process of selecting and using the briarwood (in several languages): Thanks for reading! And please feel free to share your comments and questions!

I have a bottle of Diplomat red ink. I have used it very rarely. I haven't even fully filled a converter with it... I don't like the colour but someone else might. I don't charge money for the ink, but I do need you to cover the shipping costs. I live in the Netherlands. First come first serve. Happy penning, love, Alma

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if any of the Diplomat experts in this forum can help me identify the model of this pen. It is the exact size and shape as my Optimist, so my first guess would be an Esteem (I don't have one to compare it to). But I have only seen the Esteem with the current teardrop logo and this one has the (anniversary?) clip with a cross medallion. And since I'm very new to collecting Diplomats, I have also not yet been able to figure out when the Esteem was introduced and/or what the name of a possible predecessor might have been. So any information would be greatly appreciated! After purchasing two new Diplomats (an Excellence A2 Oxyd Brass and the Optimist in the second photo), I kind of 'accidentally' started collecting them (ahem... obsessively seeking out older models 😅) a few months ago. As such, any additional 'trivia' is also more than welcome. I'm new to the forum as a member, but I have followed quite a few of the posts and found a lot of great information on here so far! Thanks so much for the help!

Pros- Beautiful Finish Perfectly Balanced Amazing Nib (both steel & gold nibs are amazing). Snap Cap Very Solid Pen, Almost Indestructible Comfortable grith Great Packing Cons- Price is very higher for steel nib variant , you will get too many gold nibs in this price segment. Clip is tight. Diplomat don’t has good Customer Service, incase your pen turns out to be faulty. It’s a Heavy Pen, And people with small hands won’t like this pen. Some things you need to know – Body Material – Lacquered Metal Cap Type- Snap Cap Filling Mechanism- Cartridge, Converter Grip Material- Resin Nib Size – Extra Fine, Fine, Medium Postable – Yes Trim – Silver Diameter Body – 13.1mm (0.52in) Diameter Cap – 14.4mm (0.57in) Grip Diameter- 10.2mm (0.40in) Length (Body) -128.5mm (5.06in) Length (Cap) – 62.9mm (2.48in) Length(Nib) – 22.4mm (0.88in) Length Overall – 138.5mm (5.45in) Weight (body) – 28.0g (0.99oz) Weight (cap) – 18.0g (0.63oz) Weight Overall – 46.0g (1.62oz) Capacity of convertor- 1.17 ml Other Aspects – Packing- Great! you will like the presentation. It contains pen resting on Diplomat Satin Pillow, converter,cartridge & service guide. Design – The pen is perfectly balanced,with a very simple minimalistic branding. It’s aesthetically pleasing. There is a small stepdown from the body to the grip section.You won’t have any issue with grip section.It is not smooth & even people with large hands will love this. Nib Performance- It has amazing steel nib, one of the best steel nibs I have ever used (my favorite still is OPUS 88 nib). It is very smooth & on par with many gold nibs. It also comes with gold nib , you have to pay extra $130 for it. I have it too, it is equally nice. It writes very well too. But price goes too high with gold nib, their are many amazing pens available in that category. For anyone looking for heavy pen with a good nib, I will recommend it. Note – I have three of these, one with steel nib & other with gold nib. Two were purchased by me from Goulet Pens & third one from a local store. Full Review Link- https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/05/15/diplomat-excellence-a2-skyline-review-a-pen-you-can-consider-in-sub-250-category/

My favorite fountain pens are Waterman Carene (medium) and Sailor Pro Gear (broad). I find my Pineider Avatar (medium) and Estie (medium and broad) fountain pens to be pretty/beautiful but not exceptional writers. I enjoy the metal weight/solidity of the Carene and love the lines laid down by my two Watermans (both mediums) and my Sailors (Pro Gear and 1911). Are steel nibs by nature boring (will the Diplomat nib be the same Jowo as my Estie?) or will a Diplomat Excellence nib be both smooth and have character? Would a Diplomat Excellence (Evergreen with broad steel nib) be a good choice for me? Something else? I grew up with Parker but in recent years have expanded and would be grateful for guidance. I joined today because participants are so insightful and generous with their knowledge.

Our world is going through some difficult times, one of the consequences is that people have not been able to travel. Usually pens would be carried during travels; since traveling in person has become challenging, maybe we as a community let some of our pens travel ? I'm sure this idea has been tried before, but here goes. I'll call this FPN-Traveling Pen Initiative (very imaginative name, i know ) . The intention is simple, we let the pen travel and let others in this community try and enjoy them. Please read the rules and participate only if you agree to it. we'll receive a pen from an original donor - the person now sets the pen free and gives up ownership the person who receives the pen, gets to keep, use and enjoy the pen for 15 weeksthe receiver commits to ship the pen (at own cost) to the next randomly picked person from the list (People who have expressed their desire to do so on this thread by the date-time stated below)once the next person is picked, exchange the postal address in PM so that we don't fall foul of the GDPR/privacy regulationsyou may choose to select a person in the same country or continent if the shipping charges are significant and/or challenges with customsthe receiver commits to use FP specific inks, so that others can keep enjoying the pen. Avoid india-inks or shimmery inks that might clog the feedplease clean the nib unit thoroughly before shippingif in the 15 weeks you get a chance to travel to a different country, do take that opportunity to give/ship to a person in that country (from the list), as long as it is legal to do so (export/import regulations)if the pen gets lost / damaged in your custody, mention it on this thread and set another similar priced pen free on the FPN-TPIwhen you ship it to the next person, do consider writing a nice handwritten letterIf every one on the initial list has had a chance to enjoy the pen, call for another oneplease avoid sending the pen to the same person again, keep the spirit true as soon as you receive the pen, post a pic / msg on this thread Let me be the first donor - a mint set of Diplomat Marrakesh Raute FP with a 14K B nib and a matching mechanical pencil. I'll include the full package as well as a slightly used diplomat converter for ease. All entries on or before 7th Aug 2020 23:59CET will be considered for the list. I can ship within EU, the receiver may choose to widen the area, of course. -DanceOfLight P.S - this is works, I might consider setting more pens free on the FPN-TPI. let me know.

Hi guys! I'd like to share with you a quick video review of the diplomat aero (Steel nib) I made recently! I think this is an amazing pen and just wanted to share my thoughts and the unboxing experience with you guys if you are interested in getting one of your own! Video review link! I'd have to say that if you're on the fence about getting one, you should just pull the trigger and get one! Let me know if you guys have an questions or comments! Links to where to get one; Diplomat catalog; http://www.diplomat-pen.com/product-category/diplomat/aero/ Get one here!; https://www.overjoyed.xyz/product/diplomat-aero-blackorange-fountain-pen-fine-45591

Hi, I have a 1,5 year old Diplomat A2, and recently discovered that the locking pin of the clip is not pushed all the way through. See attache picture. I did not notice before now, but I think it's always been this way. Has anyone else seen this problem? Anything I can do to fix myself? It's cumbersome to send back to retail/service since I purcased the pen abroad. Any tips what I should do? Best regards, Harald Antonsen

I'm a college student that got hooked or you could say got hit by the curiosity with fountain pens. The last several years I've been studying and since money was tight was satisfied with writing with the pens I already obtained. I already have a thread going on over in the nibs and tines section regarding my hunt for a flexy pen, but also am thinking about a different next pen as well. I should say I haven't decided which pen I will get first and there will be a significant amount of time in-between purchases. I will list the pens I already own as a jumping off point into a discussion of sorts I'm seeking surrounding my hunt for that "next" pen. Pens I own: Lamy 2000 - Fine Lamy Safari - Medium and 1.1 Stub Twsbi Eco - Broad and 1.1 Stub Pilot Metro - Medium, Fine, and 1.0 Stub Faber Castell Loom - Medium Jinhao x450 - Medium Goulet Churchmans Prescriptor - 1.1 Stub Conklin Crescent Filler Demo - 1.1 Stub My last pen purchase was the Lamy 2000 back in 2017. Actually the bulk of my pen purchases occurred at the start of my addiction to pens lol. Anyways the Lamy 2000 was my first big purchase and it really solidified how great it feels to write with a pen that truly speaks to you. I've learned as I grow in the hobby and learn more about pens that one pen isn't necessarily better than another pen; they just provide different experiences. I write with each one of my pens more so than others but nonetheless I reach for each one of my pens when I want to experience that unique experience that only that specific pen can offer. I'll admit my Lamy 2000 gets the most use, it's my favorite among all my pens. Time has passed and I'm starting to get that affinity again and looking at what else I can expose myself too. Here are some possibilities that I'm looking towards for my next possible pen in no particular order. Platinum 3776 Pelikan M200 / M400 Pilot Vanishing Point / Custom 823 / Custom 74 / Custom 912 Edison Collier Franklin Christoph Model 19, 20, 02, Parker 51 Waterman Caréne Diplomat Aero Sailor 1911 / Sailor Pro Gear I'll also admit price is a factor in that the ones I'm leaning towards seem to be easier to find deals, the Platinum's, Pilots, and Sailors especially. I think you can tell I'm honing in on sub $300 in terms of price. I'm leaning towards one of the pens listed with a gold nib, because I enjoyed the gold nib on my lamy 2000 and would like to experience other pens with gold nibs. At some point I probably will own all those pens listed, but for time being I'm leaning towards: Sailor 1911 or Pro Gear Platinum 3776 Pilot Vanishing Point / Custom 823 / Custom 74 / Custom 912 Pelkian m400 Waterman Caréne. Feel free to suggest other pens that you think I should definitely consider. So the discussion I'm hoping to generate is whats that gold nib pen that you think someone who hasn't experienced should definitely take a look at?

Having dawdled and dithered, I finally acquired one of the so-called "granite" finish Diplomat Esteems from a certain well-known Virginian-based pen dealer. Boy, am I glad I did. I'm already familiar with the Esteem. I'm in the book trade and I work with a pen in my hand. For the last several months, I've been using an Esteem on an almost daily basis. I find it lightweight, nimble, and equipped with a spry steel nib. My current favorite has a smooth matte finish that seems to be both fingerprint and scratch resistant (tempting fate, I know). And at 26g, including the cap, it suits me down to the ground. I keep my Excellences for the evening. My hesitation over the "granite" was that I feared it would be too "plastic-y" to the touch. It's not. It offers a curious feel, almost like that of a sugared almond. That's the best comparison I can think of. It's pleasant to the touch not slick. Still cool but less cool than the usual lacquer. But here's the thing. The cap carries the word "Diplomat" in a straight line, without the famous (for some, beloved) "ink flower" logo. And the clip is plain and tapered, without the telltale drip-lomat cut-out. I am curious to know if these are "old-style" pens, "new style" pens or some other off-piste variant. I have looked at a few European sites and not seen any. I have not pored over old trade catalogs because I don't have any. Performance is 100% perfection (as one would expect). Appearance is 98% classic and 2% different. I'm intrigued and wonder if other Diplomateurs have found comparable variations in other parts of the world.

Out they go... We are clearing our Diplomat stock with most items at half price. Stocks are limited and once they are sold we will not be restocking them. https://justwrite.com.au/Clearance

I have noticed over the past year or so, a significant but growing number of fountain pens produced in the teal or turquoise family of colors. Here is a listing of entries that fall under this wave. Please add others that I have missed. My guess is that this color is selling well, otherwise, all these manufacturers would not have jumped on board. This a bit of a retro color event. I believe that the last time teal was popular may have been when Parker 51's were at their height in the 1950's and blue/green teal was a frequent color choice. Pelikan 205 Aquamarine Pelikan 600 Turquoise-White Pelikan 805 Ocean Swirl Pilot Custom 74 Teal Platinum 3776 Kumpoo Sailor Pro Gear Ocean Sailor 1911 Stormy Sea Diplomat Aero Turquoise Kaweco Sport Turquoise Pilot Vanishing Point LE Tropical Turquoise Montegrappa Elmo Turquoise

I have been looking through some old compatibility threads but haven't found an answer to my question, so if this has been addressed elsewhere I apologize in advance. I was wondering what nib is compatible with the Diplomat Magnum. Goulet says the Magnum has a JoWo nib, but doesn't say what size. I know that #5 and #6 are standard sizes, but don't know which is on the Diplomat. The stock Diplomats only come in three nib types and now that I finally got brave enough to change a nib on a Lamy I'm keen to try some others. Thanks.

I have never had a Lamy before and decided to try this one because of the interesting color scheme. I ordered it with an extra nib (italic) to try out as I had heard people really like the interchangeability of Lamy nibs. I had never changed a nib before. I think the pen is handsome but the plastic feels more like a toy than I expected; think Legos. It was easy to replace the EF nib with the replacement. All the pen parts fit snugly together. The pen started pretty easily. Although I like the triangular grip, I found the barrel of the pen too wide for my taste, the cap even wider, and the clip on the cap a bit awkward. The pen's weight is well-balanced. At this price point, I prefer the experience of writing with the Diplomat magnum. À chacun son goût!

I bought this Diplomat Excellence A2 a few months ago. In general I like it quite a bit, but it has a problem that bugs me enough that I may need to give up on it. The problem is that small amounts of ink collect around the circumference of the flared out edge near the bottom of the section (where the arrow is pointing) and it gets all over my hands when I write, try as I might not to let my fingers drift down that far. Does anyone have any suggestions on how this might be mitigated? Thanks, Marc