Why the love for Aurora?

[sumgaikid]

I own three Auroras(an Optima Sole',an 88 and an LE Tsugaru-nuri Talentum)and they're

all comfortable in the hand and easy to write with. Aurora also has one thng that no other

pen manufacturer has--a built-in reservoir that gives the writer about 1 more page worth

of writing. If you're considering buying an Italian pen,Aurora would be a good choice.

 

 

 

John

[Phaedrus]

I have a blue Auroloide Optima that I bought from another FPNer. I hadn't tried an Aurora before. Normally I fill a pen and use it until it needs a refill, then I pull another one out of the collection, clean and dry the one I've just been using and put it away for a while. I guess I hadn't found a pen I "really" liked before. Not so with the Optima! I just seem to keep filling it up and using it. This is also the longest time I have gone without buying another fountain pen since I discovered The FPN!

 

So I guess the "love" for the Aurora comes from using it.

[Denny M]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I can see some positives relating to Aurora pens. But do the mentions of nib toothiness, indicate that writing can be scratchy and not entirely smooth? This is surprising especially considering Aurora produce their own nibs.

 

Is toothiness confined only to EF and F Aurora nibs or even Mediums and Broads?

[eric47]

Thank you everyone for your comments. I can see some positives relating to Aurora pens. But do the mentions of nib toothiness, indicate that writing can be scratchy and not entirely smooth? This is surprising especially considering Aurora produce their own nibs.

 

Is toothiness confined only to EF and F Aurora nibs or even Mediums and Broads?

 

Aurora nibs tend to have (a bit of) tooth giving a bit of feedback -- not the so called "buttery smooth". I suppose that's the characteristic that Aurora has decided to give to their nibs.

 

I have modern Aurora F and Ms; all have had a bit toothy (or a lot in the case of one). The yellow gold 18Ks (mini Sole M and 75th Anniversary F) have only a slight tooth; mine tend to write rather wet, smooth, and glide fairly well across the page. The mini Sole nib was like that out the box; the 75th's I needed to open up a bit for slightly wetter flow. Smooth with slight tooth (for that little bit of feedback) -- but not scratchy.

 

The white gold 18K M in my Demo is a nail; it was also scratchy (or way too toothy ) on anything but the best paper. I had it that one smoothed.

 

Bear in mind that Aurora nibs tend to run thinner than most other European manufacturers.

 

I suggest you find a local shop or show to try them out.

[ampatb]

The first pens I bought as a user and collector were Auroras and they have never given me a bit of trouble. The piston fill is great, the colors are beautiful, I also have two stirling silver Auroras. Best of all, they are great writers. I'm afraid to say that someone would have to break some part of me to get the Mare, Primavera, and Sole out of my hand. That doesn't even get into the St. Petersburg blue pen and the ?? Anniversary sterling silver pen. Also, I forgot to mention that it is extremely easy to keep them clean because the nib just screws out (but do it carefully).

 

MP

[georges zaslavsky]

The styling is one thing and the nib another one. Maybe the styling on aurora is great but their nibs are far too stiff.

[gylyf]

I'm new around here and to the world of FPens. Judging by the Italian FP forum, Aurora seems to be a very popular brand. IMHO their models (observed only at a superficial level it must be said) have lacked the "WOW" factor. So i'd like to know why there is so much love for Aurora out there in the FP community. Please help me understand.

 

I find the Optima's shape very graceful. It's also amongst my most comfortable pens. The piston is the smoothest I've tried. And as others have noted, with so many Bock nibs out there, it's nice to have a company that still produces its own nibs.

Best,

David

[Randal6393]

Must agree with Ethernautrix on the Aurora. A perfectly perfect pen, excellent workmanship, nice solid feel, well-balanced, and great nibs.

 

Bought an Aurora Style Paprika with a broad nib as a lark. Converted easily to an Italic nib with a great feel to it. A bit of feedback, not too toothy, flow wet but not too much so. Cost was around $40.00 -- what a great pen for so little money! Maybe I will spring for a Tantalum later on. The special attraction to the Style is the solid, "I'm meant to write" feel of the pen.

 

Enjoy,

[eric47]

Maybe the styling on aurora is great but their nibs are far too stiff.

 

I used to think the same thing based on the nail in my Demo. A store owner disagreed with my general assessment, and she flexed a Mare and Primavera to show me that not all Auroras are nails. The older 18k gold nibs on my 75th Anniversary is much softer. I saw that Mare again over the weekend and flexed the nib on my fingernail -- about the same as my 75th. There's some give to those under pressure that the Demo doesn't have. I also saw an old 88 Demo recently; I can't recall what gold nib it had (14k v 18k) but it too was nail.

 

Pick any manufacturer with sufficient history, and depending on the production period and the nib size in question, you could wind up with nail, soft, hint of flex, semi-flex, etc. Hard to generalize in my experience. Best to try the nib in question to say for sure.

Edited December 9, 2009 by eric47

[Rasendyll]

...

 

I think the summation of Aurora is integrity.

 

They do everything in-house, and do it well.

 

Doug, you have it right there. For me, Aurora is a survivor of a bygone age of pen manufacturers- they aren't apart of some multi-national congloerate, and they make their own pens themselves, including all the essential components.

 

Every Aurora has soul, and as I recently noted in another tread when discussing the purchase of my fourth Optima (there's also an Ipsilon in my collection) every nib and every pen has its own personality.

[Jeff E]

I have three Ipsilons, a Talentum, and an Optima. They all start right away, don't skip, and a comfortable in my hand. I'd say they are a great value in terms of user pleasure and reliability.

[Rasendyll]

I have three Ipsilons, a Talentum, and an Optima. They all start right away, don't skip, and a comfortable in my hand. I'd say they are a great value in terms of user pleasure and reliability.

 

All of that is true- aside from my slightly metaphysical musings above, Auroras work-period. (as you Americans would say )

 

By the way Jeff, love your avatar image-a whole fleet of GG1's..... something else with soul!

[ballboy]

Just got mine Monday and finding out all the good points made about them for myself. My Optima is my first fully Italian pen and after much online study of pictures and comments, is like I always knew it.

[dannyboy]

I love Auroras for the classic design and gorgeous colors. But the proof is in the pudding: you have to try one to appreciate it fully. Their nibs have a marvelous feel to them and you simply enjoy the feedback and the way they feel in the hand.

[langere]

The best Aurora that I have is the Archivi Historici 022 - one of the best pens I own. I really like the feedback. Since then, I´ve bought two Optimas, but am not as impressed with them. Might be the Noodler´s ink I put in one of them - Cayenne Red, I think - that was too thick and made it skip.

 

Erick

[lowks]

I sold my two Auroras and in exchange, I bought one Optima from JM with specially modified nib (Oblique Medium) and currently waiting for a 88 to arrive in the mail with factory OM nib.

[FredRydr]

I'm new around here and to the world of FPens. Judging by the Italian FP forum, Aurora seems to be a very popular brand. IMHO their models (observed only at a superficial level it must be said) have lacked the "WOW" factor. So i'd like to know why there is so much love for Aurora out there in the FP community. Please help me understand.

 

I have two, and they make me happy. My modern Aurora green auroloide Optima is one of my most reliable pens. I have actually used the secret ink reservoir feature! My vintage Aurora is just plain devine. But I also like lots of different pens.

 

Fred

[Silvermink]

I sold my two Auroras and in exchange, I bought one Optima from JM with specially modified nib (Oblique Medium) and currently waiting for a 88 to arrive in the mail with factory OM nib.

 

Oh, you got the OM you were after? Nice.

[Silvermink]

Having used my 88 M for the better part of a month now, I think it's one of the best nibs and feeds in my whole collection - it's utterly consistent and precise every time. I now understand all the praise for Aurora and for ebonite feeds.

[jigesh]

Yesterday I received my first Aurora, a large 88, black with chrome cap and medium nib. What a lovely, smooth, wet nib! Nice feedback (that sweet sound you feel/hear when nib glides over the paper) but no tooth at all. Frankly, I was very concerned based on general impression about it being "toothy," and now I wonder how did I spend so many years without this pen! May be there's yet some element of "my new toy" thing, but I am really glad I tried Aurora. I wonder if F nib would give the same feedback without tooth.