Lamy New Editions for 2024.

[Misfit]

Oh, I want to add that as a daughter who wanted to bond with her father where she could, helping out with projects that involved tools was part of it. So the Phillips screw head that is often on a Lamy finial is kinda cool to me. And the TWSBI Eco has an end cap that works the piston that looks like a socket wrench socket. So I’m able to overlook certain aesthetic things, and buy these pens. Though I’ve finally gotten over the FOMO of Lamy Special editions. 

[kazoolaw]

Like the Safari or not, the marketing strategy has created a storm of interest on FPN, with sales to follow.  And now the ink.

Mission accomplished.

[ErrantSmudge]

I'm not sold on the new Safaris (maybe seeing them in person will change my mind), but I am on board with the new inks.  My partner bought me a bottle of Cliff from the Lamy boutique store as a birthday gift, and I have a bottle of the Blackberry on order from Goulet Pens as part of a bigger order.  I figured I wanted in before there was a run on all pen shops worldwide and the inks sold out in a matter of days, as happened to Dark Lilac (one of the best violet inks of all time IMO) and Petrol.

[Astronymus]

Obviously they are sold exclusively in the US. Nothing worldwide.

[Astronymus]

User rubicon from the Penexchange-forum posted a link to Reddit with seemingly this years AL-Star special edition. Looks like the grip sections are colored to fit the pen.

 

At least it looks more harmonious than the mishap with the safaris this year. Although they now look more like toys and lose some of their elegance due to the colour. Hopefully just a special edition. Like the neon grip on the Glossy Red.

 

 

 

[Glenn-SC]

My 2024 SEs arrived today and I am very pleased with the colors, individually and in combination.  [I am so very happy that these weren’t another variation of pastel pink/green/blue!]. I think the Violet section would work on the Cliff barrel, but the Pink section would not work on the Blackberry barrel.

[inkstainedruth]

@Astronymus -- Thanks for posting the photo with the ad for this year's SE al-Stars.  Like with the Safaris, I'd probably have to see them in person, but some of the colors look interesting.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[A Smug Dill]

On 2/13/2024 at 10:10 PM, Mercian said:

There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth about it from us Europeans back in 2016 over the unavailability of  ‘Dark Lilac’ in bottles,

 

Ordered myself five T52 bottles of Dark Lilac on Monday, from a European store. However, given I ‘had to’ spend €250 to qualify for free shipping to Australia, I put a couple of yet-to-become-available Pelikan products in the order as well. HongDian knows when my order will be delivered; hopefully it'll be before I go back to Japan in May for the next shopping spree.

[Mercian]

10 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

HongDian knows when my order will be delivered;

😁 A splendid adaptation of the old saw! Bravo! 

[Easigraf]

On 2/21/2024 at 5:31 AM, Astronymus said:

User rubicon from the Penexchange-forum posted a link to Reddit with seemingly this years AL-Star special edition. Looks like the grip sections are colored to fit the pen.

 

At least it looks more harmonious than the mishap with the safaris this year. Although they now look more like toys and lose some of their elegance due to the colour. Hopefully just a special edition. Like the neon grip on the Glossy Red.

 

 

 

They new SE Al-stars for this year look much better than the SE safari's, though, after looking at them in person, they look alright (but not enough to tempt me!). I do agree that they look a bit 'toyish' per se, though the soft blue colour does look nice, hopefully it is ever so subtle that it can look more professional than the images make it look. 

[AmandaW]

Well the new Lamy Safari are now available to buy from many Australian stores and still no matching ink.

 

No matching ink = no pen.

 

I'm boycotting. So there!

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

Well, I've now seen the new SE Safaris in person, today at the B/W show.  The Blackberry is close enough in color (other than the section of course) that I can take a hard pass on that one. Still trying to make up my mind about the Cliffs -- I like the color of the barrel and cap (a matte darkish grey) but the section is a bit jarring.  

I did also get to see swabs of the related inks; still trying to make up my mind about the Blackberry ink, but am tempted by the other one...  although there's ALSO a part of me going, "Do I REALLY need another dark blue/blue black?"

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[Misfit]

@inkstainedruth do you mean the Blackberry is too similar to the Dark Lilac pen?

[inkstainedruth]

Yes, I thought so, except for the section of course.  I specifically brought my Dark Lilac Safari and Ruthenium LX with me to Baltimore, just to be able to see how the colors of this year's SE.  And while they're not identical, the Dark Lilac and Blackberry *were* really pretty close in color when capped -- as opposed to the Violet Safari, which definitely sufficiently different in color even before considering the matching color clip on the Violet as compared to the black clip on the Dark Lilac.

Still trying to make up my mind about the Cliffs one -- it's a really nice shade of grey, IMO.  But the section is maybe too much of contrast with the barrel and cap -- it's really a bit jarring, it's so bright compared to the dark matte finish of the rest of the pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka aka inkstainedruth

[Misfit]

Thank you @inkstainedruth if it’s that close, I don’t need it as I own a Dark Lilac pen. I might consider the Cliff pen, and the blackberry ink. 
 

With many thanks to @inkstainedruth seeing the inks in person, I put the Pink Cliff pen with 1.1mm italic nib in a Vanness order. A mostly gray pen sounds good to me. 

[Misfit]

On 3/1/2024 at 5:23 PM, AmandaW said:

Well the new Lamy Safari are now available to buy from many Australian stores and still no matching ink.

 

No matching ink = no pen.

 

I'm boycotting. So there!

 

 

Hi Amanda,

 

@inkstainedruth saw the inks in person. She reported the BlackBerry ink had a yellow or green sheen, and the Pink Cliff ink as a navy blue or blue black ink. Sheening inks are not something I especially want anymore. And I have enough dark blue inks. So getting a gray Lamy sounds good for people who like gray (or grey). 

[Glenn-SC]

On 3/1/2024 at 10:41 PM, inkstainedruth said:

And while they're not identical, the Dark Lilac and Blackberry *were* really pretty close in color when capped

I own both.  IMHO they are not “really pretty close in color”. 

Maybe if you are looking for reasons not to buy them they are. 
Maybe if you are interested in getting them both they are not. 
The surface finishes (gloss and textured) are different and to my eyes and in different light (bulb vs sun) they look quite different. 
But hey, your money, buy (or don’t) what you want. 

[Bill P]

I have read that the 2016 and the 2024 Dark Lilac inks are NOT the same.  Lamy stated that the formulations are different because the red dye that was used in the 2016 version could not be acquired for the 2024 version...so the red dye is different in the 2 inks, providing a different color.

 

I haven't acquired the 2024 version yet, so I can't speak from personal experience or provide writing samples. 

[Anne-Sophie]

3 hours ago, Glenn-SC said:

The surface finishes (gloss and textured) are different and to my eyes and in different light (bulb vs sun) they look quite different. 

 

I second what Glenn says about the Dark Lilac and Blackberry.

 

The body and cap (minus the section and cap top) of the Blackberry is a glossy burgundy like an urushi surface without the hazard of urushi substance.

 

Dark Lilac is a matte dark purple, that color is pretty close to Pelikan Purple.

 

[Anne-Sophie]

On 3/2/2024 at 5:53 AM, Misfit said:

Pink Cliff

 

In my opinion, is a dark purple grey, like someone took the previous LE Violet and added blue until all trace of red disappeared from the color.

 

So It is very surprising that they added a bright pink matte section and tip cap to this pen, which color is almost identical to the regular edition Pink Safari.

 

 

The difference in color perception, is most probably due to the horrendous light in hotels. 

 

At my first East Coast pen show, I bought 2 fountain pens (not Lamy) in the pink and burgundy family with swirls of different colors

The burgundy swirl on the pen, is, in bright light, maroon (a brown with slight red undertone.)

 

 

I wish Lamy would disclose the Pantone color but, they have enough problem fighting against cheaply made clones. 

 

I don't want anyone, to potentially loose out on a couple of nice looking Lamy, while they are still affordable.

 

Some LE colors are only found at inflated prices, unless someone sells their collection or a brick and mortar store has one example, left in their inventory.