The Waterford Celebration Collection

[B_Type13X2]

I purchased this pen at the same time as my Sailor Pro Gear from Penchalet, and after inking it up with Noodler's Ottoman Azure ink I decided to write this review.

 

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First Impressions:

 

This pen is simply stunning, its packaging puts other more expensive pens to shame. This pen is a heavier pen and is a cartridge converter with a standard sized converter. Writing with this pen posted makes it's heavy weight stature even more pronounced.

 

Ergonomics:

 

I can only point to one flaw with this pen and that is that if you grip this pen below the threads as I do it can be quite slick. Otherwise this pen is just the right size and length and its weight is nearly perfectly balanced. It's grip section should not put you off buying this pen, it is not really a huge problem, and there are certainly other pens out there who's grip section is much more problematic that I write with daily, so this is more of a nit pick then a deal breaker.

 

The Nib:

 

This nib is simply the BEST I have EVER used. It shames the sailor I purchased at the same time, it out performs the pelikan M600, it is smoother then my Conklin Crescent Filler, the MB 149 isn't nicer. The feed is just right, it is smooth, it glides across the paper, the Nib is medium but it is broader then even a lamy M. I need to make this statement again BEST I have EVER used nicer out of the box then a MB149.

 

Writing Sample:

 

I wrote my review of this pen at the same time as my sailor pro gear and like I said there, my scanner kind of decided to stop working, I wrote more then half a dozen pages with both pens to get a fairly good idea of what these pens are about before posting a review.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/B_Type13/20141213_202705_zps97811f5c.jpg

 

Conclusion:

 

This is a pen you should buy, I picked it up for $270 and I wish I would have purchased more then one of these to try out other nib sizes. It in my opinion is a better value then the MB149, the Pelikan M600, and the Sailor Pro Gear. This is now my new favorite pen for writing, and it will be inked full time on my desk. Now I need to state this in this way, pens above a certain price point are or should be of an impeccable quality. They should write to an acceptable standard right out of the box they ship in, I simply do not care if a pen can be adjusted by a nib meister to make it so much better. I form my opinion of anything I buy depending upon how it performs without any work done to it. A MB149 is a really nice pen, the M nib 149 I tried was very smooth and I liked it although it was a little large. The pelikan M600 is a really nice pen with a very smooth nib out of the box, the Sailor Pro gear is very nice out of the box. All of these pens in my opinion are very close to one another in smoothness out of the box. the Pelikan and the 149 to me are so close to one another in feel when writing that I can't honestly state a preference of one over the other. The Sailor I would put just ever slightly below the Pelikan and the 149, but this cheaper Waterford pen is just that little bit better then the others and it is almost half the money of the Sailor, the Pelikan and is less then half the price of the 149. I have to give this pen a 9/10, it would get a perfect 10 if its grip section wasn't as slick as it is. Seriously if you are looking for a new high end pen don't turn your nose up at this one, buy one and try it out. I originally purchased this pen because it was a really good looking pen and agonized over its price @ 270$'s with no real guidance to go off of, well it was more then just a pleasant surprise I have a new favorite.

[Albinoni]

Nice review, btw is Waterford from England

[B_Type13X2]

Nice review, btw is Waterford from England

 

It is from Ireland.

[J_C_S]

Nice review, thanks a lot. But I hate when this happens: being a fp enthusiast for years no, having a nice collection and soaking in every fp related news, I come across a brand I never heard of ... And now need to buy a pen from, esp. because of this review ... Thanks again! Aaargh!

Edited December 14, 2014 by J_C_S

[B_Type13X2]

Nice review, thanks a lot. But I hate when this happens: being a fp enthusiast for years no, having a nice collection and soaking in every fp related news, I come across a brand I never heard of ... And now need to buy a pen from, esp. because of this review ... Thanks again! Aaargh!

 

I was very pleasantly surprised to try this company, I at first thought I bought something for the bling and was not expecting to get a fountain pen that is so enjoyable to write with. Doing research into the company I found out that they are primarily a crystal manufacturer, they make fine dining glasses and center pieces and in the cap of this pen is one of their crystals. The more I read, the more concerned I became that I had purchased an item that would be a show piece but be unable to deliver the goods, well 20 pages into writing with it and it has only gotten better.

[bone215]

Nice!

[Tweel]

 

Doing research into the company I found out that they are primarily a crystal manufacturer, they make fine dining glasses and center pieces and in the cap of this pen is one of their crystals.

 

Waterford pens are actually made by the Hampton-Haddon Marketing Corporation, and sold under the licensed "Waterford" name. They also handled Sheaffer's repairs for a while. I think H-H's other main business is clocks.

[B_Type13X2]

After writing with this pen as long as I've written with the Pro gear, I have to say, I still friggen love this pen. It is so buttery smooth. I will say however that it should be treated with care when you are carrying it as it is much more sensitive to being jarred. I walk with a hitch in my step due to my prosthetic legs so my stride has a little more impact when I am walking so this might be a problem unique to me, but I found that when doing alot of hopping in and out of my truck and rushing around during the holidays that embarrassingly ink ended up on the grip section. Its a good thing it was an easy to wash off ink because it ended up on my fingers. To me this became my desk pen, I love writing with it, it is so enjoyable that it is my forever in my rotation and will always be inked pen. Since buying it, it has never not had ink in it, and I have put so many different inks through it that I can say that it behaves in a manner that befits its price range. My Pelikan M605 and this pen are just so close to one another in writing experience that It is hard for me to pick a favorite. I'd say the nib on this pen is slightly better then the pelikan but the body materials and shape on the pelikan are superior to this one. When I have both of them inked I write until one is empty and grab the other, I can't pick a favorite.

[Peregrinator]

I sure like using this pen. The nib has been drying out of me occasionally. Looked like an air bubble in the reservoir but really don't know. Also on the downstroke it sometimes does not deliver ink. I got it with a fine nib which is a bit wet for me. QUESTION: Can I replace the nib with and extra fine myself and where would I buy one?

[Peregrinator]

Still having issues with this pen.  Was using a Noodlers one off ink and have changed will see what it will do.  The drying out and leaving dried material on the nib is irksome.