Onoto Vs Conway Stewart

[adrian44]

In your opinion, which of these 2 brands produces a nicer quality fountain pen? I'd like to hear a comparison in terms of construction, reliability, and resale value as well.

 

Thanks

[AltecGreen]

You need to specify vintage or modern.

[adrian44]

You need to specify vintage or modern.

 

Modern. Thanks.

[jar]

You need to specify vintage or modern.

 

Modern. Thanks.

 

Neither of the modern companies has been around long enough to answer those questions. Check back in a quarter century or so.

[demeter]

You need to specify vintage or modern.

 

Modern. Thanks.

 

Neither of the modern companies has been around long enough to answer those questions. Check back in a quarter century or so.

 

jar - well replied!

[richardandtracy]

Personally, I prefer the offerings from Onoto in design & style.

 

As for build quality, I doubt if there is much in it. The Onotos I have handled are amazing, and the only two modern CS pens I've handled seemed pretty good (didn't have a chance to really inspect them as I'd have liked). The overall feel of the CS pens was similar to the feel I get from my home-made pens, while the Onoto seemed to have a little extra something.

 

Resale value? I think it's hard to tell with the Onotos. There aren't too many modern Onotos and most that are bought seem to be appreciated so much that they are not sold on - making it very difficult to assess. The only modern Onoto I have seen recently on e-bay didn't sell - but then £500 is a lot to find even if the pen is an LE from solid silver.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[PeterBeoworld]

I have a number of both - I have a fondness for Conway Stewart as my first ever fountain pen, a Dinkie, was given to me by my grandmother when I was 8 years old. I therefore have a number of vintage and new Conway Stewart pens.

When Onoto were first resurrected, I did have some vintage pens but thought the new company were simply trading on the name. The provision of big chunky silver pens seeemed far removed from the pens I had. However they have really developed and I think now embody much of what I think Onoto stood for. I have therefore switched my allegiance to Onoto and have just ordered my third new Onoto to go with my many vintage ones.

I think Conway Stewart produce a nice pen, but they don't remind me of the old Conway Stewarts much - Onoto also have better customer care - you get an email back practically by return if you have any queries - and they are very attentive to even the most minor issue.

Both firms are clearly catering for the gift market but I feel the excess packaging that Conway Stewart supply is another reason I have doubts about buying another. Remove this and the cost of the pen must come down!

Edited February 24, 2012 by PeterBeoworld

[adrian44]

Richardandtracy and Peter,

 

Thank you both very much for your insightful replies. People like you with knowledge & thoughtfulness are the reason I appreciate these web forums.

 

Adrian

[Sherwood Forester]

Although a pen user for more than 40 years I have been a collector for less than one. Nevertheless here is my six penn'orth (ten cents worth) on the Brit pen comparison.

 

In the last six months I have acquired one new pen each from Onoto and C/S. Those I bought are very similar, both being the type I prefer...large and heavy silver models! Despite having much regard, respect and admiration for tradition I have no wish to own any vintage pens (nor cars, cameras, watches, et.c.) even if they were better made and offered a greater variety in certain aspects (such as methods of filling.) Neither does it matter to me that the two brands in question have been resurrected and are seen by some people as not being true to their original roots in some aspect of design and/or function. What was more important to me was the fact that the pens were brand new, are of good quality and they were made in my own country. (I have since then also bought a new Yard-O-Led pen to complete my trio of Brit examples.) I consider only what they make NOW and whether or not it appeals to me. Everyone makes their own choices for their own reasons and fortunately those are many and varied. The enormously wide spectrum of pens and brands now available exists only because of the vast number of enthusiasts, collectors and users whose tastes and preferences differ so much. Long may that be so!

 

Now for a comparison of the two very similar pens...

 

The quality of workmanship is excellent in both cases. I could not wish for better. Unfortunately the Conway Stewart simply did not perform satisfactorily. Nothing I did could sort out the problem of poor ink flow. It had to be returned to the factory and was (to my amazement) sent to the USA for a 'nibmeister' to rectify. My experience of communication with the factory was very poor until the retailer became involved and stepped in on my behalf. The pen was gone for five weeks which was longer than it had been with me! When it was returned to me it worked perfectly but it should have done so right from the start. When all is said and done, and no matter how fancy a pen is, it is merely a tool to put ink on paper. That is the one and only function it HAS to do and it MUST do that efficiently every time unless of course there is a very good reason why it cannot. Hardly rocket science, I think. If a pen manufacturer cannot get that one basic operation right then it is a very poor show indeed. It would be disappointing for it to happen on a bread-and-butter low-end model but is even more unacceptable for an expensive high-end example such as mine. I realise that in any manufacturing process there will always be a percentage of the products which fall below the required standard but I have read numerous similar stories in FPN posts of new pens having problems. More care required all round.

 

The Onoto has been a dream from the start. The customer service has been exemplary with regular contact from the company. They were also generous with their discount for a FPN member and, because the pen had to be specially made for me and the process took much longer than anticipated thanks to Onoto being tied up with the imminent release of a new model, I was compensated with some unexpected and very welcome benefits.

 

As far as resale value is concerned I can only assume that models in precious metal ought to hold their value quite well. Perhaps brand esteem may also be a factor. Both brands go back over a century (both to the same year, in fact) but both have also gone under, only to be reborn in recent years. Being small companies, neither is as well known as the giants of the pen world and that fact may limit their appeal. For me those are not considerations because I have no intention of selling either pen (or the YOL) at any time in the future. I treasure them and gain tremendous pleasure from merely looking at or holding them and I use them as much as possible.

 

I hope my comments are useful and that whatever choice you make in the end you too are enraptured just as much with your pen!

 

Regards,

 

The Elusive Bowman

[The Good Captain]

I now own pens of both manufacturers. In virtually all respects I have to say that I prefer the Onoto Magna Classic over the CS pens I have. The exception is the Classic Green colour of my 100 series, which matches the colour of the CS No28 I managed to find.

If I'd done a bit more research in the early stages I'm afraid that Onoto would have won the battle for me and CS wouldn't have had a look-in. Their (Onoto's) customer service attention to detail and the e-mails and telephone calls from one of the Directors just make all the difference. And the Magna is at the bottom of the price scale which shouldn't - and didn't! - make any difference to the level of service.

Edited February 28, 2012 by The Good Captain

[jhataway]

Onoto. Too soon to guess at long term value for either Onoto or CS. But, for now, the Onoto Magna Classic, and related pens such as the Churchill get my nod over CS pens.

[david6]

Last year I purchased my first Onoto fountain pen and I was delighted with it. I now have three Onoto pens and each is a pleasure to use. Each pen has performed well from the moment i took it out of the box, and I will without doubt be purchasing another Onoto before much longer.

 

While I love the look and feel of Conway Stewart pens they often have issues when it comes to quality control and this I find frustrating. When they work they are wonderful BUT..........

 

To choose between the two - Onoto wins easily :bunny01: :bunny01:

[david6]

You need to specify vintage or modern.

 

Modern. Thanks.

 

Neither of the modern companies has been around long enough to answer those questions. Check back in a quarter century or so.

 

Would disagree with this statement as both Companies can be compared in terms of the pen construction and reliability, those being the first two questions. Maybe the resale value will be more difficult until more years have passed.

[hari317]

...

Where does YOL stand in your opinion when compared to Onoto or CS?

 

Hari

[Nokin]

...

Where does YOL stand in your opinion when compared to Onoto or CS?Hari

 

 

+1 I would love to get a YOL Retro FP to go with my Retro pencil, but I've been put off by too many negative comments about the way they write out of the box.

[Sherwood Forester]

...

Where does YOL stand in your opinion when compared to Onoto or CS?

 

Hari

 

Hello Hari. That is a difficult question to answer because I have only one example from each of those pen producers, perhaps not enough for me to make an informed judgement. Nevertheless I shall give my own personal opinion based on my three pens.

 

It seems that Onoto and C/S both possibly offer a greater selection of models and materials than YOL but I shall confine myself to a comparison of those I have purchased.

 

All are similar in that they are large and weighty silver pens, the type of writing instrument I have a fondness for.

 

The workmanship is excellent on all three. The performance out of the box has been excellent for the Onoto and also the YOL whereas the C/S needed some adjustment, after which it also performed first-rate. For me personally, all three are gorgeous examples of the silversmith's art, with the YOL stealing the honours by virtue of the fabulous and intricate hand-created pattern adorning my Viceroy Victorian. To my eye it shouts

"Tradition, Class and Old-Fashioned Style."

 

All three pens feel very comfortable in my writing-hand with the YOL once again being slightly ahead of the other two, partly for the difference mentioned below. But as with the previous comments this is a purely personal observation.

 

There are two things which set the Viceroy apart from the Magna and the Belgravia.

 

The first is that it has a push-fit cap whereas the other two have screw-on caps. I find the lack of screw threads (resulting in a smooth surface right up to the connection with the main body section) helps to make the pen feel more comfortable in my hand.

 

There is however a disadvantage to this because the smooth gripping-section is becoming scratched and marked by the removal and replacement of the cap, despite my best efforts to be careful. This is a matter which I have taken up with Filofax (the current owners) and I am awaiting a reply. I have suggested that some sort of insert or washer should be placed inside the cap to prevent damage to the grip. Nevertheless, the occurrence has not spoiled my fondness for the pen nor my delight in owning and using it.

 

The second and perhaps more important factor for many potential buyers is that the Viceroy Grand is less than half the price of the Belgravia and the Magna, making the Viceroy look very good value indeed. (There are of course several other silver models of varying prices in the Conway Stewart and Onoto ranges.)

 

Whilst it is certainly true that anyone may be unfortunate to have a badly-performing or sub-standard example of any pen (as with any other type of product) the bottom line is that I am delighted with all three pens and would recommend them to anyone who wishes to own something special. So my answer to your question is that my YOL pen compares very favourably with it's Onoto and C/S counterparts.

 

I hope my comments are of some help to you in making up your mind. The best way to do so is by trying an example of each if that is at all possible.

 

Regards, Alan aka Robin

 

PS : As a regular Winter visitor to southern India I hope to one day soon experience the delights, wonders and other attractions of your home city. Having recently seen the successful films "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" they brought back many fond memories of mine and my wife's many adventures in your fascinating country.

[hari317]

PS : As a regular Winter visitor to southern India I hope to one day soon experience the delights, wonders and other attractions of your home city. Having recently seen the successful films "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" they brought back many fond memories of mine and my wife's many adventures in your fascinating country.

Hi Alan, do look me up if you visit Mumbai. Best, Hari

[mongrelnomad]

I had a problem with my Onoto Heritage and sent a message to the company.

 

I got an eMail back from Alastair, the CEO, on a Sunday.

 

Beat that.

[Sherwood Forester]

PS : As a regular Winter visitor to southern India I hope to one day soon experience the delights, wonders and other attractions of your home city. Having recently seen the successful films "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" they brought back many fond memories of mine and my wife's many adventures in your fascinating country.

Hi Alan, do look me up if you visit Mumbai. Best, Hari

 

Thanks for your kind offer, Hari.

 

All best to you.

 

Alan