Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini Line Renewed

[Ronderick]

https://ofmaga.com/product_news.html?eid=02148

 

Basically, the profession gear slim mini line has been renewed. Now, the line include the follows:

 

1. 3 Basic colors (Ivory, black, and maroon)

2. 7 choices of 14k nibs (EF, F, MF, M, B, Zoom, and Music)

3. MSRP 14,300 yen (Z and MS versions 16,500 yen)

4. Available at stores offering Sailor FPs in Japan starting May 15 (Zoom and Music versions starting June 19).  

 

[A Smug Dill]

The “Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini line” does not and cannot just mean the traditional, sombre colours of black, maroon and ivory, though.

 

I have three of the first release (in six colours) of the Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini pens — with threads at the end of the barrel for posting the cap securely — from last year; and, as far as I know the second release (also in six colours, that are different from those in the first release) — without external threads on the barrel for posting the cap — are not limited editions in any way, and has been available since last year and continues to be so. (They're on page 70 in the Sailor 2021-2022 Catalogue.)

[Ronderick]

1 hour ago, A Smug Dill said:

The “Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini line” does not and cannot just mean the traditional, sombre colours of black, maroon and ivory, though.

 

I have three of the first release (in six colours) of the Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini pens — with threads at the end of the barrel for posting the cap securely — from last year; and, as far as I know the second release (also in six colours, that are different from those in the first release) — without external threads on the barrel for posting the cap — are not limited editions in any way, and has been available since last year and continues to be so. (They're on page 70 in the Sailor 2021-2022 Catalogue.)

 

Well, whatever's on the market will stay until sold out. At this point, it's hard to say whether the basic color release (yeah, the report does describe the upcoming may released as 'improved' (改良型), though what that means is anyone's guess until someone sees the actual product) is to replace the colorful lines or simply exist side-by-side.

 

My guess: think Pilot Custom 74 black with all the fancy nib options vs. the other Custom 74 fancy barrel colors with the basic EF-B nibs. I would expect the 3 basic color with 7 nib sizes becoming widely available, while the fancy color barrel versions continue to be annual releases with limited nib choice (maybe standard EF-B at the most).

[A Smug Dill]

6 minutes ago, Ronderick said:

the report does describe the upcoming may released as 'improved' (改良型), though what that means is anyone's guess until someone sees the actual product

 

It certainly looks as if the ‘improved’ model doesn't have external barrel threads for posting the cap, from the release to which you linked. Personally, I prefer to have the external threads.

[Ronderick]

mmm... can't find the news release from Sailor, but here's the updated Professional Gear Slim Mini product info page in Japanese:

 

https://sailor.co.jp/product/11-1303/

[A Smug Dill]

2 hours ago, Ronderick said:

can't find the news release from Sailor,

 

If there was one at all, I expect it would be here:

https://sailor.co.jp/category_topics/new-item/

 

but, no, I don't think there was one for those three colours that are being released for sale mid-May. There was, however, one for the current six colours:

https://sailor.co.jp/topics/progearslimmini/

[Ronderick]

On 5/12/2021 at 9:22 PM, A Smug Dill said:

 

If there was one at all, I expect it would be here:

https://sailor.co.jp/category_topics/new-item/

 

but, no, I don't think there was one for those three colours that are being released for sale mid-May. There was, however, one for the current six colours:

https://sailor.co.jp/topics/progearslimmini/

 

https://sailor.co.jp/topics/progearslimmini_basic/

 

You're right on target. Seems like Sailor decided to post it - quite a while after all the other stationary news sites published the information. 

 

At least there's a picture of the 3 pens in someone's hand to give you an idea how compact they are.

 

[JackJ]

Has this pen ever been released with silver/rhodium metal bits instead of gold?  I love the form factor (I think--never held one or seen it in person), but the gold doesn't do it for me, unfortunately.

[A Smug Dill]

2 hours ago, JackJ said:

Has this pen ever been released with silver/rhodium metal bits instead of gold?

 

What specifically do you mean by “this pen”, though? I've seen several colourways of the Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini with rhodium trim, but to the best of my recollection they all have external threads near the barrel finial.

 

Source: BUNGUBOX

 

Source: Pensachi

 

This newer, slightly tweaked design with a smooth barrel and no external threads is a different matter; but I'd say it's just a matter of time before you see lots of (overpriced?) shop-exclusive editions of it with rhodium trim, as with the older design.