An extended comment on the Meisterstück Ultra Black

[fpupulin]

I open this topic to tell about a pen that I received as a gift for my last birthday and which I believe has not been previously discussed in depth on the pages of this forum. However, this is not a real review because, even if the pen is really of recent production, today it is practically impossible to find and it would seem useless to review in depth something that cannot be acquired. It is neither a honey moon eulogy, as I already spent more than four months with the pen and I learnt to know and appreciate her as a good companion. So, what I would like to offer here are just a bit of “conceptual history” of the pen, and some personal comments on a few characteristic of this model that I find particularly worth of note.

 

Before starting to talk about the pen, however, I want to spend a few words on the gifts that our loved ones give us "pennophiles". I guess I am not the only one who in a more or less direct and open way ends up driving with such precision the pleasure of our beloved to make us a welcome gift, to receive "phoned" gifts most of the time, which lack the "surprise factor" altogether. Now, a gift is a gift for the will - and often also for the economic effort it implies - that people dedicate to us, depriving themselves of something that they could have bought for their pleasure and destined instead for ours. This is clear: any kind of gift, even those “with no surprise”, are splendid gestures of true affection. In addition, it must be said that for those who are not an expert on pens, finding their way through thousands of different possibilities and meeting the very personal tastes of those who already have a collection of selected pens, is a really difficult undertaking and, I fear, a little demotivating.

 

This is why the pen that I present to you today has an even greater value for me: because my wife chose it, completely independently, without advice, facing the risk, visiting a pen shop alone in the city of Mainz (Germany). And she was able to keep it hidden, in secret, for four months before giving it to me for my birthday. You can imagine my surprise opening the package! I was left, not figuratively, but literally, speechless! Speechless for the beauty and value of the pen and speechless for the totally unexpected gift!

 

 

The Montblanc Meisterstück Ultra Black was produced in a special edition in 2016. The series included two fountain pens and two rollerballs, in the sizes Le Grand and Classica, and two ballpoint pens in the new Midsize and in the Classic size. What I received is a Meisterstück Le Grand fountain pen (the dimensions are those of a contemporary 146). By Special Edition, Montblanc means writing instruments whose production is not limited in number, but in time. The Ultra Black, as I said, was produced exclusively in 2016 and, judging by the rarity of these pens on the market today, it must have been sold lightning fast. It doesn't surprise me that it did.

 

The Ultra Black is part of a type of pens, which have had a certain vogue in recent years, of the "stealth" type. The expression, to designate objects with a "black on black" finish, originates from the definition of some combat airplanes made with technologies that make them imperceptible (or invisible) to radar or even to sight, which developed from end of the last century. Stealth technologies were subsequently also applied to naval units, helicopters and aircraft.

 

The Northrop Grumman B2 Spirit "Stealth" bombing plane

 

In the field of luxury goods, the stealth concept has had great success in the automotive sector (two for all, the Lamborghini Aventador or La Voiture Noire by Bugatti) and motorcycles (e.g. the Ducati Streetfighteer V4), but also in the sector of personal luxury. The Hublot "All Black", the Omega "Dark Side Of The Moon", the "Pontos Chronographe Rectangulaire" by Maurice Lacroix, the "Hydroconquest" by Longines, the invisible "BR 03-92 Phantom" by Bell & Ross, the IWC “Top Gun Pilot” black on black, or the legendary “Master Compressor Ceramic” chronograph by Jaeger LeCoultre, represent some examples of prestigious watches offered in the “Stealth Mode” version. It is no coincidence that I mention, lastly, the Jaeger LeCoultre model launched in 2014, because it was produced by the Le Sentier watch house when Jérôme Lambert was running it, before the Richemont group appointed him CEO of Montblanc that same year. I don't think I'm wrong if I suggest that it was Lambert who wanted a Montblanc stealth pen.

 

Some contemporary “stealth” watches

 

I'm not suggesting that Lambert "invented" the stealth pen, but as an expert in the luxury industry he was certainly sensitive to a subject that was experiencing a great fashion and commercial success. In fact, the great OMAS had launched its splendid "Noir" line of Arte Italiana pens, Sailor its Imperial "Black Edition" (with black ion plating finishes) and Faber Castell its Emotion "Pure Black" already in 2013, and it may well be that other brands had already anticipated this issue. The Pilot Vanishing Point "Matte Black" dates back even further, to 2012. In the "Noir" of OMAS the “invisible” effect was obtained with a very elegant guilloché engraving of the barrel (my wife has a mechanical pencil that I gave her a few Christmas ago), but Montblanc opted to sandblast the resin and transform it into a completely opaque material, to be combined with a 'dark' metal such as ruthenium. In Lambert's words at the time of the launch of the Ultra Black, matte black was a tribute to Montblanc's first writing articles, made from ebonite bars, but in my opinion it is pure "worderie ". However, I agree with him that this new variant of the glossy resin, a design feature instantly recognized worldwide as a Montblanc emblem, offers in its matte version a visual and tactile perspective so unique that defines it as a modern classic.

 

 

In the years following the presentation of Ultra Black, other pens appeared in matt black and ruthenium or in black finishes: I am thinking of the Aurora Talentum "Black Ops" of 2018, the 88 "Unica Nera" of 2109, and the "Black Mamba" this year, the Kaweco Al Sport "Night Edition" and the Parker Premier "Ceramic Black", both of 2018, the Montegrappa Aviator" Stealth "and Fortuna in the "Black and Gunmetal" version, the Aero "Matte Black" of Diplomat and Retro 51 Tornado “Stealth”, all released in the last couple of years. They are all very beautiful and distinctive pens.

 

The Ultra Black, however, in my opinion stands out from the crowd. The details of this pen are impressive. My comment applies to the Le Grand model (Art. 114823), but I imagine the Classic is qualitatively comparable.

 

Matte. The sandblasting is perfect. The resin is unrecognizable as a classic Montblanc “precious” resin. Even observed with a rather powerful magnifying loupe (10x), the finish is perfectly uniform, and the matt effect is impressive. The body and hood of the Ultra Black have no reflection whatsoever.

 

 

Sandblasted star. For lovers of detail, the sandblasting extends to the upper end of the cap and includes the white star, the symbol of the house, which is also perfectly white and opaque.

 

 

Frozen window. The Ultra Black Le Grand has, like all model 146 pens, a window for checking the ink level. To maintain the tactile coherence of the pen, the window is also sandblasted, with a truly unique “frozen” or “frosted” effect.

 

Ruthenium. The ruthenium finishes are the icing on the cake. Ruthenium is dark but bright, with a slightly warm tone. The contrast of the opaque-glossy, very dark and bright parts, of the deep black and anthracite shades, is breathtaking. In its compact state, ruthenium has a bright, silvery-white color; it is a rare element, less infrequent in the mountains of the Urals, isolated only in 1844 by the Russian chemist Karl Ernst Claus, who baptized it from the Latin name of Russia, Ruthenia.

 

 

Glossy / matte. While all the ruthenium finished parts are polished, the metal cap ring features a double finish. The three "classic" Meisterstück rings (the central one with the inscriptions and the two side rings) are shiny, but the space that separates them (in resin in the traditional line) is opaque, with an effect similar to the sandblasted resin. It is a detail of the highest class.

 

Metallic finial. I don't know if this solution was previously proposed on the classic model of the 146. It was used by Montblanc on the JFK, but that pen is only "inspired" by the 146, with a metal section and a "step" between barrel and section. After the Ultra Black it has been adopted, I would say successfully, on the Little Prince series, which this year has reached its third edition in the (beautiful) version in Bordeaux resin. The metal cone is, stylistically speaking, very beautiful. I confess that, even if I'm not a fan of the Saint-Exupery saga, and even if the first two pens of the series in blue and brown had left me rather cold, I was giving serious thought to the 2020 version (”The Little Prince and the Planet ”), because the burgundy resin (as in the Meisterstück of the 90s) with the slightly pink gold finishes - and above all the metallic, shiny finial - seemed to me to be a truly successful combination. If from a stylistic point of view the metal filler cone adds a touch of class to these pens, from a functional point of view I think it absolutely depends on personal preferences. I will comment on it a little further on, in the paragraph dedicated to writing. Between the metal cone and the resin barrel there is another ruthenium ring: this too, I find, is a classy detail.

 

 

Black nib. It is the first I own, in this finish, and it seems absolutely classy to me. The typical engravings of Meisterstück nibs are visible, but somewhat subdued, little more than a tint-on-tint reflection. Since I have a slight preference for single-toned nibs over bi- or tri-toned nibs, the monotone ruthenium nib of the Ultra Black is, in my view, beautiful. The nib of my Ultra Black is a medium, soft, reliable, and collaborative.

 

 

Piston. All the piston mechanisms of my Meisterstück work well. The actuation of the pistons of the 149, including the Calligraphy, and of the 146, is in the order of the regular things. In reality, there is nothing more to ask to a mechanism than working regularly. But the pistons of my Montblanc Hemingway and Alexandre Dumas (two Limited Editions) are particularly smooth, and more pleasant, to operate. The Ultra Black belongs to this second category, the "better than regular": the experience of turning the metal cone, with such a soft piston, is truly a pleasure.

 

Glossy resin. The pen section is in glossy resin, as is typical in the Meisterstück line. I have read in some reviews online that this aspect has been criticized for diminishing the stylistic "coherence" of the pen. From my point of view, the choice is a good one, because I imagine that the sandblasting effect may be affected over time by rubbing and by the contact with the fingers’ grease, losing the uniformity of its texture. I actually find this further play of contrasts between different finishes and reflections pleasant, not to mention that the glossy resin section is a tried and tested element of Montblanc pens.

 

Writing. The pen is heavier than a 146, in a way that can be noted from the very first grip. The cap has a partially metallic finish, and this contributes to the greater weight, but the cap is irrelevant to the writing for someone, like me, who doesn't post it to write. However, the pen remains heavier even when you only hold the body: the metal filler cone, instead of the typical resin, makes you feel the extra weight. I usually prefer pens with a certain weight (see my OMAS Grand Paragons and Montegrappa Extras), but the Ultra Black is different. In my other heavy pens, the weight increase is given by the metal section, so that the additional weight weighs on the tip. In the Ultra Black, the metal cone instead moves the balance point of the pen backwards, detracting it from the nib (and I imagine the same happens with the Meisterstück of the Petit Prince series). The pen is heavier and lighter at the same time. I felt it, pleasantly, very light on the nib, which barely touches the paper. It is a unique sensation. From the point of view of the pleasure of writing, this will obviously depend on personal tastes.

 

 

In comparison. If I compare the Ultra Black to my other Meisterstucks (including my wife's 146 in platinum finish), there is no doubt that the new pen is the most unique in terms of appearance. The strong contrast of textures between matt and glossy surfaces, and at the same time the reduced contrast between the color of the resin and that of the metallic finishes, make the Ultra Black a very distinctive pen among the Meisterstück. Probably due to the fact that the stealth scheme is aesthetically relatively new, the pen has to my eyes a modern look, which I imagine a young man might like more than the classic black and gold Meisterstück and even the newer black and platinum. The ruthenium-plated nib is, in my opinion, the most elegant of the three and one of the most beautiful nibs in my whole collection of pens.

I note, for the record, that the Ultra Black is the same length as the 146 Platinum purchased four or five years ago, and is almost half a centimeter longer when closed than my 146 from the 1980s. In fact, when capped, the Ultra Black and the new 146 are only marginally shorter, even if decidedly slimmer, than a Meisterstück 149, testifying to the contemporary trend that favors larger pens.

 

A drawing. As it is a tradition in our house, any new pen is requested to do something "special" to truly become part of the group. This was obviously unnecessary for Elvira's gift, but the Ultra Black proved to be able at drawing her ultra-black sketch as well as at writing...

 

 

 

That's all. I thank my dear wife again for having such an exquisite thought, for daring to buy an expensive pen we had never talked about before, and for making me so childishly happy with the surprise of her gift.

 

And a heartfelt thanks to the not many readers who, I suppose, have stubbornly read this far.

[Uncial]

I must be stubborn.

Thank you. It's a rather well crafted pen and I like it more than I thought I would.

[GutSchrift]

This is a superb post! The images, detail, and concision of your thoughts was very engaging. I wanted one when they were first produced but never pulled the trigger. Last week I was able to find an unused version online and jumped on the opportunity. I should have it in hand tomorrow!!! What perfect timing to read your thoughtful post. I agree wholeheartedly -- Montblanc really got this one right and it stands out from so many of the 'stealth' pens that came out during that fad. 

[Craig704]

What a wonderful read about one of my favorite pens! Thank you. 

[Michael R.]

Oh wow!  What a great story, photography and of course pen. Your pictures really capture the subtle beauty and character of the pen.

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

[zaddick]

Take that MB marketing! That's how to sell that pen! Bravo

[lemonde]

A wonderful essay. Thank you fpupulin. I have this pen in broad, the classique size in medium, and both of the ballpoints.

 

I'd all but forgotten these pens' "stealth" angle from back then, until you refreshed my memory.

 

Your photography is superb!

[KAC]

That was an interesting and comprehensive post. Of the modern MB pen stable, that model is one of the very few I find appealing. Thanks for taking the time to write that!

 

P.S. : A MB ultra black "Classique 145 Size Fountain Pen in Ultra Black. Launched in 07/2016" is on Amazon for $694.95 "only one left: order soon!"

 

[fpupulin]

5 hours ago, zaddick said:

Take that MB marketing! That's how to sell that pen! Bravo

Apparently, they didn't need my late help to sell them all...

But, anyway, thanks for your words, zaddick!

[fpupulin]

Thank you all for your comments.

 

At the time the Ultra Black was launched, for some reasons the pen passed under my radar. I have to confess, however, that like KAC I am not so attracted by contemporary Montblanc productions, with very few exceptions, so I probably did not pay particular attention.

 

However, now that the Ultra Black is in my stable, I find her one of the most “contemporary” and attractive Montblanc I own. She is at the same time very distinctive and very Montblanc, without being over the top.

[Ronderick]

Great article and photography.

 

I was fortunate enough to grab one of these beauties when they were still available at stores. However, for me it's actually a mixed blessing, because my intention is to give this pen to my son  when he comes of age (he's the same age as the pen), so I have to hold off the urge to claim it for myself every time I take this pen out of storage to admire it. Being the only 146 in my possession, it's a struggle every time. 

 

Unfortunately, I still haven't discovered an alternative Le Grande option which appeals as strongly as this one to quench my yearnings (*sigh*).

 

[fpupulin]

9 hours ago, Ronderick said:

Great article and photography.

 

I was fortunate enough to grab one of these beauties when they were still available at stores. However, for me it's actually a mixed blessing, because my intention is to give this pen to my son  when he comes of age (he's the same age as the pen), so I have to hold off the urge to claim it for myself every time I take this pen out of storage to admire it. Being the only 146 in my possession, it's a struggle every time. 

 

Unfortunately, I still haven't discovered an alternative Le Grande option which appeals as strongly as this one to quench my yearnings (*sigh*).

 

 

The feeling of the Ultra Black, when writing, is actually quite distinct from the "normal" 146 in resin. I am not saying this in terms of aesthetics, which perhaps also has an influence on the writing experience, but in terms of physics. The different feeling i is mainly due to the metal knob on the rear of the pen, which moves the equilibrium of the body much toward the back end of the pen, someway "freeing" from weight the section and the nib. As the back of the pen rests firmly on your hand, in writing you would feel the Ultra Black particularly light. You may like the feeling or not, but it is a very special sensation indeed.

 

I guess that you may have the same feeling with the Le Grand models of the Petit Prince series, which also have a metal filling knob. Among them, I personally find the burgundy and rose gold quite appealing, even though it is a completely different aesthetic scheme compared to the Ultra Black.

 

I am certain that, at the due moment, your son will be very proud of the extraordinary pen you saved fir him!

[fpupulin]

On 3/29/2021 at 7:06 PM, GutSchrift said:

This is a superb post! The images, detail, and concision of your thoughts was very engaging. I wanted one when they were first produced but never pulled the trigger. Last week I was able to find an unused version online and jumped on the opportunity. I should have it in hand tomorrow!!! What perfect timing to read your thoughtful post. I agree wholeheartedly -- Montblanc really got this one right and it stands out from so many of the 'stealth' pens that came out during that fad. 

 

Has your pen arrived? Which nib did you find? 

 

I am sure we all would appreciate some pics of your new babe...

[GutSchrift]

Yes, it did! And its even better in person! I'm so, so glad I jumped on this when I saw it. 

 

[MoriartyR]

It’s so beautiful and your photographs show it perfectly, Franco. You have an amazing wife to select such a gift for you. It is surely all the more special because of the efforts she made to find a pen she was confident you would love. In this case I am sure she had no doubts.

 

I think it will not be easy to match this for your wife’s next birthday.

 

[fpupulin]

21 hours ago, GutSchrift said:

Yes, it did! And its even better in person! I'm so, so glad I jumped on this when I saw it. 

 

Oh, yes! It looks superb. Congratulations for you acquisition and the elegant shot.

 

As your pic well demonstrates, the dark gray ruthenium finish picks up the dominant ambient color, so that it is very  changing in its appearance.

 

Well done!

[fpupulin]

18 hours ago, MoriartyR said:

It’s so beautiful and your photographs show it perfectly, Franco. You have an amazing wife to select such a gift for you. It is surely all the more special because of the efforts she made to find a pen she was confident you would love. In this case I am sure she had no doubts.

 

I think it will not be easy to match this for your wife’s next birthday.

 

Thank you for your kind comments, my friend. And you are certainly right: I am in great debt with Elvira...

[invisuu]

Thanks for the review, what a great read. This is still the best looking MB pen in my opinion. 

I regret my decision on not getting it when it was still available. I wanted it back then, but was afraid the finish might come off, as coated finishes usually do.

 

This one, and the 1912 Heritage are two pens that I missed and regret it.

[fpupulin]

1 hour ago, invisuu said:

Thanks for the review, what a great read. This is still the best looking MB pen in my opinion. 

I regret my decision on not getting it when it was still available. I wanted it back then, but was afraid the finish might come off, as coated finishes usually do.

 

This one, and the 1912 Heritage are two pens that I missed and regret it.

 

Thank you, invisuu, for your kind words.

 

Like you, I am a bit worried about the fishing of the pen, which I read may peel off. For this reason, when the limitations of the pandemic will be over, I plan to send my pen to Hamburg for a nib exchange, so to have one extra nib saved for any opportunity... 

 

[lemonde]

On 4/8/2021 at 1:03 PM, fpupulin said:

 

Like you, I am a bit worried about the fishing of the pen, which I read may peel off. For this reason, when the limitations of the pandemic will be over, I plan to send my pen to Hamburg for a nib exchange, so to have one extra nib saved for any opportunity... 

 

 

I suppose this is as good a time as any to tell my Ultra Black saga.

 

A couple of months ago, I sent my Ultra Black Legrand to a forum-recommended nibmeister for a tuning, because it wrote just a little bit scratchy. The black coating on the nib was intact when I sent the pen to this person. When I got the pen back, this is how it looked:

 

 

Clearly the nibmeister did something while tuning it to cause the black ruthenium coating to begin flaking off.  Also, the pen wrote worse than it originally did, so believe it or not, I sent it back to be adjusted again, at no charge. A couple of weeks later, the pen returned, with now even more of the ruthenium removed:

 

 

Since I was still unhappy with the tuning, I gave up and paid Montblanc for a nib replacement. They did NOT send back the old nib, just FYI. The new nib now looks and writes wonderfully.

 

Meanwhile, I also own the Classique version of the Ultra Black. This pen has been used minimally over the last four years and it has never needed tuning. As we can see, the ruthenium coating is also starting to come off of this nib, at the very tip:

 

 

The moral of this story: black-coated nibs probably aren't going to stay that way forever.

 

But in the meantime, I'll continue enjoying my newly-restored Legrand Ultra Black:

 

 

If and when the ruthenium comes off again, I suppose I'll just rename the pen the Ultra Gold or something.

 

I hope this info is helpful to anyone. Thanks for reading!