Waterman Phileas vs Expert II

[rwebster23]

Hey all,

I am somewhat new to fountain pens, and am looking for a good everyday writer. I have heard rave reviews about the Phileas, and am wondering where the Expert II compares with it. (I seem to be able to get both pens for about the same price)

I currently have a retro 51 - Med nib fountain pen, Cross Compact - F, and a Haolilai 601 - M (which is a piece of (Potty Mouth)), for reference of what I have written with.

Anyone had any experiences with both of these pens?

 

Thanks

[Treecat]

I've got a Phileas and an Expert. The Phileas is larger than the Expert, but not a heavy pen. It's plastic and the finish is printed onto it I believe. It's a nice looking pen for a very reasonable cost. I have a fine point on mine and it writes well. The Expert has a metal body (I believe brass) with a copper metallic finish over it. The nib is smaller than the Phileas. Also a fine point. Of the two pens, I like the nib of the Expert a little better. It's one of my favorite writers. The larger size of the Phileas makes it a little more comfortable to hold than the Expert, but not by much. The Expert was a more expensive pen to begin with than the Phileas. Both pens have two-toned steel nibs. The Expert is more expensive and looks it. Can you try both of them before buying? Because of the difference in materials and size they're quite different pens.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The Expert is also a much heavier pen if that makes a difference to you. (At least it feels much heavier)

Now, the difference is not so much if you can find a first gen Expert as it didn't have the brass barrel

underneath and thusly isn't near so weighty.

 

If you are going for one of the colored Phileasi, you might want to see one in person. Some think the

patterning they put on them contributes to an overall "chintzy" look to it. (I agree) The plain black and

gold one is more appealing to me.

 

As Treecat says, the Expert looks to be a better made pen from appearance alone. That being said, a

Phileas is an EXCELLENT writer that I WOULD reccomend. (For what my reccomendation is worth...) IMO,

not only are they both wet smooth writers, but the nibs run a tad wide.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Ernst Bitterman]

I own a Phileas and I fixed someone's Expert II which gave me a chance to play with it. I didn't find a huge difference in ink-to-paper performance, the Expert is rather heavier (not good, in my books), and there's a cost difference that makes the Phileas a big winner in the happy/$ category.

 

If going for the Expert, have a good look at the point if you can before buying-- the one I fixed went through the slit-making machine a little sideways.

[FrankB]

First off, I do not think you would go wrong with either pen. I have found both pens perform very well putting ink onto paper. The nib on the Phileas feels more rigid to me than the Expert II. As has been noted, the Expert's nib is smaller. Its nib is certainly not flexy, but it seems to be a slightly softer nib than the Phileas.

 

Both pens are nice to hold. The Phileas is larger, the Expert has a pleasant ergonomic feel and is not a small pen. I think I like the added weight of the Expert better. The nib on the Expert always feels undersized to me (in relation to the size of the pen).

 

That said, I feel both pens are serious writers. They both perform as well as pens costing much more, and both are examples of the fact that a nib need not be gold to perform well.

[TMac]

Both pens are great writer so you cannot go wrong with your choice.

 

I have both and prefer the Expert II. I like heavier pens so this was an easy choice for me. The Expert was more expensive however. The Phileas is a plastic pen and very light.

 

[dogpoet]

If you're going to be paying the same for both, that nobbles the Phileas' main advantage over the Expert II: unless you really don't get on with heavy pens, I'd say go for that one.

[rwebster23]

Yeah, the only pen store near me is paradise pen, and they don't carry either of those models. I've been looking on ebay and can get a black Phileas for around $30 and an Expert II around $50. I'm mainly interested in writing ability. I have a Cross Compact, and I love that pen, but I go through cartridges like no other, and the nib feels a little scratchy. But maybe that is b/c of the fine tip? Anyways I heard the Watermans glide on the paper. So it seems like the difference is basically weight and price. I am shooting for the Expert II, mainly b/c it looks classier, but I want the better writer. Since the nib is gold plated, what does that do? Is it better than a plain stainless steel nib? Is it just cosmetics?

[georges zaslavsky]

I prefer the Expert I over the Expert II. I never found the Expert II appealing.

[rwebster23]

Thanks for all of the comments, I acutually ended up getting the Phileas in black. Got it today, and boy I am pleased! It writes very smooth, and looks quite good to boot. I think I'm a waterman convert for sure!

[Ada]

Congratulations on your purchase! I also have a black Phileas, and I agree -- it is a great writer and pretty nice looking too.

[Phormio]

 

My second FP was a Waterman Phileas in black with a medium nib. I bought it on a whim with little info and have never looked back. After reading Glenn Marcus's page, i filled it with Florida Blue ink and thought it paradise.

 

Congrats on your purchase