Any other "Laureat" lovers out there?

[Tinjapan]

I have three, all black. Got them as NOS at Kingdom Note in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan for a small amount of money. First the one then the other two. Like them alot.

[Misfit]

Like many others posting here, my first fountain pen was a Waterman Laureat, marble blue color. I got it at a pen store with a medium nib. They told me I could get a different nib exchanged for free one time. So I ended up doing that. I sent the pen away, but kept the converter. When it came back, a converter was included along with the fine nib. This was in the mid 1990s.

 

Today I was at Barnes and Noble, and found a fountain pen book. The author said there was no real way of knowing when a pen would become popular (looking ahead to its vintage years). He did note that the Laureat was the Waterman he was most asked to locate.

 

That made me look at them on eBay today. Most are selling for more than I paid for mine back in the 90s. Kind of made me want a green one, but not at those prices. I've moved on to bigger fountain pens, and love my Visconti Homo Sapiens. But the Laureat will always hold the place as my first fountain pen, and will be special for that reason. I'll get it into the rotation again, once the newest ones have had their turn. They are lovely looking pens.

[Hanoi]

This looks a bit like the Sheaffer Targa. Did Waterman come out with this design first?

[RMN]

This looks a bit like the Sheaffer Targa. Did Waterman come out with this design first?

Well, no way mistaking the Targa and this pen. They are probably about the same size. But there the analogy stops...

 

 

D.ick

[Ed333]

Old thread , but I will chime in, my green marble Laureat was not only very reasonably priced, it is one of the best writing and reliable pens I own. I started out wanting nothing but Parkers, but my Laureat, a Le Man, and a few Sheaffer Balances have broadened my horizons.

[pajaro]

I looked at Laureats in catalogs around 1983 to 1984, but never bought one. I thought they were plastic. I saw a red one on ebay and managed to snipe it. The medium nib is a bit much, but I think I have the right fine nib coming. It's a nice pen. I was surprised at the weight. It's much better than a Targa.

[Quadratus]

My wife gave me a Laureat for a birthday many years ago, and I had two extra nibs made (one fine and one broad italic). It has always been one of my favourite FPs, for their balance, flow and general weight. They feel like quite substantial pens when writing but don't have the large bodies of other up-market brands of pens, which sometimes feel like cigars to hold.

 

More recently, I became interested in pens as a collector and have started buying more Laureats as well as a couple of wonderful Pelikan Soveran 800s.

 

In researching pens, I came across a wonderful guide by Peter Twyddle called "Fountain Pens". PT is the son of a well-known pen repairer and seller who carried on the family business in the north of England and is extremely knowledgeable about FPs. In the book he speculates as to which pens are collectors' items and he interestingly believes that the modest Laureat are such pens. I completely agree. For me these are some of the greatest pens ever made.

[pajaro]

I bought two Laureats over the weekend, both fines, the red and blue versions of a pattern.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wonderful-Waterman-Marble-Blue-Fountain-Pen-K-/301198985894?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=zwG8xO28esRNKcfzdQb24Y6Osz4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_3595wt_758

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/classifieds/item/27660-fs-waterman-laureat-red-marbled-lacquer/

 

I like the style of the Laureat.

[Chi Town]

The Blue marbled laureat just happened to be my VERY 1st Fountain that started this whole mess with me back in the 80's or 90's I cannot remember which! Then the next pen to take my heart was a Mont Blanc 149, that was 420 pens ago, not to mention the 100 or so I have waiting for me to fix :-)

[Ed333]

question, can I remove the converter from my Laureat and insert Waterman long ink cartridges?

[pajaro]

question, can I remove the converter from my Laureat and insert Waterman long ink cartridges?

 

Yes. I just did this this afternoon.

[pajaro]

I just received a new used Laureat in the mail. I thought it was a chrome pen, but the barrel and cap each have hallmarks with "S A" in a box. I thnik the "A" means argent, silver, so the pen is probably silverplate with gold plated trim. The nib is "L," and I was dreading the broad line. It writes a finer line than that with Diamine green black, and is manageably dry. Serendipity!

[georges zaslavsky]

I now have about half a dozen Laureats, most in M and a couple in F. I just keep coming back to this pen, though it's harder to find them at a decent price than it used to be. They all write well, although on some there is a little pooling of ink on the nib -- maybe they just need a more thorough cleaning. I have large hands, and the Laureats don't feel too small to me as I guess they do to some others.

 

That's quite a collection you have, Georges. What is that simple but effective box you're using to store them in?

It is a present from my favorite dealer to me, it is a pilot pen box.

[gundy]

I just won a Laureat on Ebay for a very reasonable price & am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I had a Phineas about 15 years ago which I loved - but it got stolen and I never replaced it. It's been a long time since I've had a Waterman and i'm looking forward to writing with this pen - though I am slightly afraid it will kick-start my obsession with all things fountain-pen related yet again & I can scarce afford that - being on a budget as I am!

[pajaro]

I bought several Laureats in the last few months. It's easy to get carried away. They are a different style of pen with a nice feel. I hope you enjoy yours. I rather like these. I would like to find one in green with an extra fine nib in the second style. That will keep me busy and not buying, because I think this combination will be uncommon. There are fines and mediums out there. I found a silverplated Laureat with a broad nib. These are interesting pens.

 

Enjoy your pen!

[senzen]

How about Laureat haters?? Yesterday I uncapped mine and the nib was swimming in ink! Again! I put it in a drawer to save it from being thrown at the wall.

[pajaro]

How about Laureat haters?? Yesterday I uncapped mine and the nib was swimming in ink! Again! I put it in a drawer to save it from being thrown at the wall.

 

Thus saving your wall from all that ink splatter.

 

I haven't had this issue with a Laureat. I have had it with a Sheaffer slim Targa. Nib creep with any ink so bad it filled the cap. Changing the nib and section helped a bit, but I put that one away.

 

I did buy a Laureat that had so much nib corrosion that all the gold plating was gone. I replaced the nib with another and it is OK now.

 

A bad converter with a piston seal that isn't holding up might cause what you are seeing. Possibly a reseating of the nib and feed might help. The nib and feed are friction fit.

 

If you want to chum up some dissatisfied users and haters of Laureats, you will probably find that a new thread will probably get the message across and attract the attention it deserves.

[pajaro]

Won this one last night: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterman-Laureat-Red-and-Black-Stripe-Fountain-Pen-/141351503088?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=IZVLfzSOKJRAiR6J730pmFgZV6Q%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_826wt_610

 

The pen appears to have red in rings. Something different.

Edited July 24, 2014 by pajaro

[RMN]

Won this one last night: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterman-Laureat-Red-and-Black-Stripe-Fountain-Pen-/141351503088?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=IZVLfzSOKJRAiR6J730pmFgZV6Q%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc#ht_826wt_610

 

The pen appears to have red in rings. Something different.

Seems sort of a tartan pattern. Nice

 

D.ick

[senzen]

 

Thus saving your wall from all that ink splatter.

 

I haven't had this issue with a Laureat. I have had it with a Sheaffer slim Targa. Nib creep with any ink so bad it filled the cap. Changing the nib and section helped a bit, but I put that one away.

 

I did buy a Laureat that had so much nib corrosion that all the gold plating was gone. I replaced the nib with another and it is OK now.

 

A bad converter with a piston seal that isn't holding up might cause what you are seeing. Possibly a reseating of the nib and feed might help. The nib and feed are friction fit.

 

If you want to chum up some dissatisfied users and haters of Laureats, you will probably find that a new thread will probably get the message across and attract the attention it deserves.

 

Thanks, sorry to spoil all the love, I have reseated the nib and feed, to no avail, it's a pity since it's such a smooth writer (see, not all is negative), I don't understand how a faulty converter can cause this but I'll give it a try as soon as I can get my hands on one... The gold is quite gone too.