Waterman Edson

[I am not a number]

It matched his navy blue suit with gold cuff-links perfectly, and the image stuck in my mind!

It is no small coincidence that I have just had two Navy Blue suits delivered and habitually favour a plain gold/MOP cufflink and tie clip.

 

As for the glue, it's not something that I have ever noticed. I will have a closer look with a loupe at some stage...

[FrankB]

Robert wrote:

 

"Have you or anyone else had this "glue" problem with the nib? Do you think certain types of ink may bring it about? Any information would be appreciated."

 

I have heard of the glue issue before, but I have never had it with any of my Edsons. I have no glue visible on any of mine. I am also curious about this problem. Where would the glue come from?

[speed6]

Waterman Edson – Red, Green and Blue Standard Editions

 

Initial Impressions - 10 out of 10.

Summed up in one word – "Stunning". It is something of a nail so fans of flex and feedback look away now, but it is smooth and performs exactly as I want from this pen. The 18k Gold masterpiece is comparable to a well-balanced sports car, it goes exactly where you direct it to and will not suddenly take unexpected diversions or leave you wondering who is in control. The look of it is also unique, another part of the allure of this pen for me.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/SapphirePointing800.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/RubyPointing3800.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/EmeraldPointing2800.jpg

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/EdsonNibTrio800.jpg

 

For those who cannot justify the expense or who simply cannot afford it, I would say without hesitation that the much more reasonably priced Waterman Carene will give a very reasonable approximation of the Edson experience at a significantly lower cost

 

For anyone who wished to claim that they had experienced all that fountain pens can offer and who had not tried this pen, I would simply suggest that they have missed out on something very special.

 

IANAN

 

Oh, SNAP now I NEED a complete sett ... Stunning thanks.

Did they do any in sterling silver, or platinum?

May be tempted for just one as a starter, with a Carene trio though ...

[bsodmike]

Thanks for this fantastic review I've just got myself an Edson as well...

 

http://www.bsodmike.com/gallery2/d/23802-1/DSC04124.jpg

[kiavonne]

Oh, SNAP now I NEED a complete sett ... Stunning thanks.

Did they do any in sterling silver, or platinum?

May be tempted for just one as a starter, with a Carene trio though ...

 

 

Heh, yeah the red, blue, green set was rough to obtain, though absolutely worth it. A Carene set would be good, too. And yes, they do make silver Edsons. IANAN took some really fantastic pics for this review.

[dandelion]

Lovely pictures! The inlaid nibs are stunning. If you get tired of the Emerald (I simply adore green/gold and green/silver) it would have a very good companion in my silver/green Pel M425.

[shrinknib]

Here in Australia I saw two Edsons in the local store- red and blue. I went there purely because of this great review.

Both medium nibs.

They retailed for over $2000 Australian (maybe 1500 US) and felt scratchy to write with compared to the other Pelikan and Mont Blancs and Viscontis I trialed. Certainly they look great but I'm not convinced they are worth the cash.

Anyone agree or am I completely alone here??

[Frits B]

Here in Australia I saw two Edsons in the local store- red and blue. I went there purely because of this great review. Both medium nibs. They retailed for over $2000 Australian (maybe 1500 US) and felt scratchy to write with compared to the other Pelikan and Mont Blancs and Viscontis I trialed. Certainly they look great but I'm not convinced they are worth the cash. Anyone agree or am I completely alone here??

As this price is over twice what Edsons cost elsewhere in B&M stores no, you're not alone here. But there are webshops ....

[Robert Alan]

Robert wrote:

 

"Have you or anyone else had this "glue" problem with the nib? Do you think certain types of ink may bring it about? Any information would be appreciated."

 

I have heard of the glue issue before, but I have never had it with any of my Edsons. I have no glue visible on any of mine. I am also curious about this problem. Where would the glue come from?

 

Thanks for your reply to my question and thanks to the excellent review by the guy who's not a member! I was forced to join at pen point! BTW, please forgive me for not getting right back to this thread.

 

The glue would probably come from France. No--sorry, actually, if you look at the close-up photos where the nib tip is pointing at you, what appears to be glue can be seen between the edge opposite the nib tip and the edge of the gold, extended "v" design on the section. On my first nib/section that "stuff" would ooze out and there was enough to wipe off. It seemed like a terribly messy, disappointing defect to me. On my replacement nib/section, I can still see the glue--or whatever it is--but it doesn't ooze.

 

Like most Edson users, I probably would have never realized there was a glue-like substance there if I hadn't noticed the oozing. Perhaps it's just the green Edson oozing excess sap. I know---I've mentioned o o o o z i n g way too many times, but I've been deeply, deeply affected by it. ('Just kidding.)

 

I would really like to get more feedback on this issue from other Edson users. Thanks!

 

Robert

[FrankB]

Shrinknib wrote:

 

"Here in Australia I saw two Edsons in the local store- red and blue. I went there purely because of this great review.

Both medium nibs.

They retailed for over $2000 Australian (maybe 1500 US) and felt scratchy to write with compared to the other Pelikan and Mont Blancs and Viscontis I trialed. Certainly they look great but I'm not convinced they are worth the cash.

Anyone agree or am I completely alone here?? "

 

That price is super bad! For as much as I love my Edsons, I did not pay even 1/3 that price for any of them. The ruby model is no longer manufactured, so its price has no doubt gone up, but not that high. Keep shopping on line and watch the pen market boards.

[Robert Alan]

Shrinknib wrote:

 

"Here in Australia I saw two Edsons in the local store- red and blue. I went there purely because of this great review.

Both medium nibs.

They retailed for over $2000 Australian (maybe 1500 US) and felt scratchy to write with compared to the other Pelikan and Mont Blancs and Viscontis I trialed. Certainly they look great but I'm not convinced they are worth the cash.

Anyone agree or am I completely alone here?? "

 

That price is super bad! For as much as I love my Edsons, I did not pay even 1/3 that price for any of them. The ruby model is no longer manufactured, so its price has no doubt gone up, but not that high. Keep shopping on line and watch the pen market boards.

 

Hello! I paid around U.S. $225 for my green Edson (over 5 years ago). Right after the green models were discontinued, they were heavily discounted by some shops. I never would have paid $1000 for the pen--especially considering the problem I experienced with the nib & section. The medium nib itself, although firm, is very smooth and a pleasure to use, and I like how the pen feels in my hand. However, my favorite Waterman series are the, sadly, discontinued Le Man fountain pens (both 100 & 200).

Cheers, Robert

[varmas]

Here in Australia I saw two Edsons in the local store- red and blue. I went there purely because of this great review.

Both medium nibs.

They retailed for over $2000 Australian (maybe 1500 US) and felt scratchy to write with compared to the other Pelikan and Mont Blancs and Viscontis I trialed. Certainly they look great but I'm not convinced they are worth the cash.

Anyone agree or am I completely alone here??

 

As a owner of 5 Edsons FPs, I think you find the pens scratchy because of the nib stiffness. If you are used to vintage flexy nibs you'll find Edsons' nibs rather lifeless. Where they excel is in fast writing/note taking. The stiff nib is akin to writing with a B or 2B pencil - stiff but smooth.

 

Your store prices are way too high. Other than USA and perhaps UK I find many stores price out of production pens very high and the end result is the pens just sit in showcases looking pretty for ages. FPN and Ebay are still the best options.

 

My personal take is, the Edson is not a primary pen. If you own a selection of FPs the Edson is worth buying. On its own the stiff nib can become boring.

 

Stay well,

Solomon

 

[shrinknib]

Thanks to Robert, FrankB and Solomon

 

Glad to know I'm not alone- knew that B&M stores generally more exxy but if I can find a good price I would definitely be interested. I like the idea of a daily writer as I find my Duofold (newer version) also has quite a stiff nib and works well under stress.

They are gorgeous looking pens and the lure is too great....

 

Jeremy

[pankajwillis]

Waterman Edson – Red, Green and Blue Standard Editions

 

Initial Impressions - 10 out of 10.

 

You are most likely not going to buy an Edson on impulse, it's hardly the sort of thing that would find its way into a shopping basket during a momentary lapse of concentration at the checkout of your local pen store or internet retailer. Should this be the case, it is likely that it will be ejected from the basket once the total has been rung up and you realise that the amount indicated is quite a lot of money for a couple of bottles of ink and some nice paper...

 

I first saw one of these in the wild in Woods the Stationers in Bath, England about 12 years ago. I recall that I was on something of a Parker "51" kick at the time and I gazed in wonderment at the gaudy gewgaw thinking that whilst very striking (in the manner of a rather blinged-out supermodel), it was not for me. However, the seed was planted deep in my subconscious and the image kept popping up unbidden until I realised that it was in fact a masterpiece of design and a rather sumptuous representation of the pinnacle of modern fountain pen manufacture. In simple terms, I had to have one (and as I have found to my cost, much in the manner of some of the upper echelons of habit forming substances, one is never quite enough).

 

Starting with the outer box, devotees of the modern high-end products from the Waterman line will most likely recognise a striking similarity with the presentation of the Sérénité (I intend to review that strange and wonderful creation at some time in the near future). In the time honoured fashion the first layer is plain and understated (yet posesses an almost supernatural ability to pick up marks):

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/OuterBox800-1.jpg

 

This in turn reveal another fairly standard Waterman offering, but the real treat is in what lies within:

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/MainEvent2800.jpg

 

The package includes a rather natty booklet on the Edson, Two boxes of Cartridges and not a great deal else. After the adventure of the Conway Stewart Churchill packaging which amounted to a sort of treasure hunt, it is strangely reassuring to see that you get a pen, some ink and a bit of paperwork.

 

Appearance and Finish – 10 out of 10.

 

You are going to love it or hate it, there is not much room for a take it or leave it attitude with this pen. It is impossible to accurately describe the feeling of sheer quality that this pen exudes or the lustrous finish of the cap (or most impressive of all) the incredible translucent effect of the barrel colour which picks up available light and seems to re-radiate it. The three standard finishes are Sapphire Blue, Ruby Red and Emerald Green (the latter two are discontinued), there are LE variations and more recently a Black Diamond model has become available but as far as I am concerned, the standard colour versions please my eye the best.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/SidebySideSepAdj800.jpg

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/Tricolour800.jpg

 

Design, Size and Weight - 10 out of 10.

 

Each time I pick up one of these pens I am slightly awe-struck by the beauty of the entire package. Every part of it belongs to every other part, it is almost organic in the way that its form defies so many conventions yet achieves a sublime balance. The weight is not inconsiderable but the very high quality brass construction of the pen accounts for this. Much is made of the leak-proof properties of this pen at altitude but unfortunately I had laid aside my military flying career before I picked up one of these pens. I have attempted to negotiate a proving flight with a colleague but his answer to my request to take a pen up to 24,000 feet, de-pressurise and check if it leaks would have called in more favours than he currently owes me (and by quite a long margin). In this case, I will have to reverse years of behaviour and just accept the advertising hype. The clip is sturdy and well constructed and the serial number of the pen is engraved on the side of it.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/SidebySideVert800.jpg

 

The size and weight suit me perfectly - I prefer a pen of some substance to lightweight or small pens, especially if I am going to be writing for a while. I have awarded it full marks in this category because I am assessing for my preferences.

 

Fans of measurements may find these of use:

 

Weight Capped – 47.5 grams

Weight Uncapped – 27.3 grams

Length Capped – 15.2 cm

Length Uncapped – 13.1 cm

Length Posted – 15.6 cm

Barrel Diameter – 14.8 mm

Average Section Diameter – 12.3 mm

 

The Filling System – 10 out of 10.

 

It's a cartridge/converter (and a very pretty converter, coloured to go with the overall finish of the pen). I am giving it the highest score because as far as I can see, there is no reasonable alternative if the aesthetic of the pen and advertised proof against pressurisation-induced leaks are to remain intact.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/FillingSystem800.jpg

 

As is my tendency, I favour the Stub (indicated as ST) and Oblique Broad (indicated by OGL) nibs, they make for a thirsty pen, but that is down to my own preferences and Waterman cannot be marked down for my extravagant tastes in ink dispensers.

 

The Nib – 10 out of 10.

 

Summed up in one word – "Stunning". It is something of a nail so fans of flex and feedback look away now, but it is smooth and performs exactly as I want from this pen. The 18k Gold masterpiece is comparable to a well-balanced sports car, it goes exactly where you direct it to and will not suddenly take unexpected diversions or leave you wondering who is in control. The look of it is also unique, another part of the allure of this pen for me.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/SapphirePointing800.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/RubyPointing3800.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/EmeraldPointing2800.jpg

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/EdsonNibTrio800.jpg

 

Cost – 10 out of 10 at almost any price.

 

There is a saying that you get what you pay for. Anyone who is not in the market to pay some fairly serious money for one of these should leave the commentary now. If (and it can be a long search) you can pick one up in reasonable condition for $300 to $330 (at time of posting – Feb 2009) then the opportunity should be leapt on (or just PM me and I will snap it up in an instant). The Blue finish is the most sighted in the wild, the Reds and Greens far less so and therefore will sell at a higher premium. You could also end up paying extra for one of the funkier nibs (my beloved STs and OGLs leave me open to this kind of dilemma).

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/TricolourVerticalS5800-1.jpg

 

For those who cannot justify the expense or who simply cannot afford it, I would say without hesitation that the much more reasonably priced Waterman Carene will give a very reasonable approximation of the Edson experience at a significantly lower cost

 

Overall – 60 out of 60 - Yes, Full Marks!

 

The pen is named after the founder of the company which make the pen, Lewis Edson Waterman. It is to my mind the acme of their technological and design departments meeting to form something of unique beauty. The Edson is something that gradually took over my thoughts until I quite simply was put in the position whereby I couldn't imagine not having one. As things turned out, I was addicted to the way that form and function can so perfectly blend and have ended up in the very lucky situation where I now more than just the one example.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/EdsonTrio800.jpg

 

For anyone who wished to claim that they had experienced all that fountain pens can offer and who had not tried this pen, I would simply suggest that they have missed out on something very special.

 

IANAN

 

I recently bought one. After a day of use, I have to say that I can see why this might be one of the very reliable and low maintenance pens out there. Time will tell if it's built to last - I have head some things about glue or some thing, and others thread about some parts rusting. Any feedback regarding how 'long lasting' it is?

 

Also I wish they made it slightly heftier. I wouldnt mind it edson had a little more girth to it's barrel, and it the cap was shiny and slightly more rugged looking - although I think it in it's current form it looks very beautiful as well. If I contemplate, the only reason I was really drawn to this pen was because it looks as different from any other pen that I have - kind of personifies my geekiness without telling it to others It is probably the closest a fountain pen can get to 'a gadget' feel - the way it clicks, and the striking cap design and the translucent barrel with a weird aura.

 

If I was to recommend a pen to a FP novice - I would recommend this pen. Simply because I think it's nib is technologically most reliable than all other pens I own. And the click mechanism instead of the traditional twist, and ease of cleaning should make the transition to a FP easy for most people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pen2009]

The Edson is a beautiful pen, no doubt about it. From the design, it looks like capping and upcapping will scratch the part of pen barrel between the nib base and "clips" which hold the cap. Like in another thread in which some users complained about scratches on their Carene pens, I am interested in how the Edson hold up when it is used daily (not as a daily daily type of use; but, daily, alternative writer to the daily writer).

[varmas]

The Edson is a beautiful pen, no doubt about it. From the design, it looks like capping and upcapping will scratch the part of pen barrel between the nib base and "clips" which hold the cap. Like in another thread in which some users complained about scratches on their Carene pens, I am interested in how the Edson hold up when it is used daily (not as a daily daily type of use; but, daily, alternative writer to the daily writer).

 

Dear Pen2009,

an Edson has been in daily use (per your definition) for about a year now. Capping does not mar the barrel as the stubs around the nib base keep the cap away from the plastic.

 

The Carene lacks these stubs but the contact is metal on metal. I own 2 Sea Shimmer Carenes and have not had any problems.

 

The only hassle, if you can call it that, with the Edson is the cap. The frosted finish scratches easily. It's a pen that requires a pen case all to itself as if sharing with 'lesser' pens is an insult.

 

 

 

Stay well,

Solomon

[deauville]

Is the Edson faked very often? It is expensive enough to make it a worthwhile target for the scumbags.

 

But... WOW!!! the genuine article looks beautiful. Thanks for the review.

[Pen2009]

Capping does not mar the barrel as the stubs around the nib base keep the cap away from the plastic.

 

The Carene lacks these stubs but the contact is metal on metal. I own 2 Sea Shimmer Carenes and have not had any problems.

 

The only hassle, if you can call it that, with the Edson is the cap. The frosted finish scratches easily. It's a pen that requires a pen case all to itself as if sharing with 'lesser' pens is an insult.

Thanks for answering to my inquiries. Good to hear the WM Edson can be a beauty to look at and hold while being a good writer at the same time. Can you elaborate on what kind of finish the cap is coated with?

 

Also, regarding the nibs, does the nib size designation reflect according to your expectation? Some pens' nibs are rated conservatively (meaning, F means more like M, XF means F, and etc).

 

If something happened to the nib, would you think it would be difficult for a repair shop to fix it?

[bsodmike]

I think I might need to have my nib reground. Being all the way out here in Sri Lanka I may have to do it myself, considering a friend managed to regrind his Sailor without any problems.

 

Right now, I find the 'M' nib on my Edson not to my liking at all. It is very rough, and makes writing in cursive an utter chore. It would be a bit too much to think that I've been spoilt by the Montblanc nibs; it just could be that I prefer the larger B nibs (more ink flow, tend to be smoother on decent paper).

 

As for the cap, it's an almost satin like finish. The cap is very beautiful indeed. Mine has a very light scratch in it, but takes very close inspection to see.

[paulrbarnard]

The Edson is a beautiful pen, no doubt about it. From the design, it looks like capping and upcapping will scratch the part of pen barrel between the nib base and "clips" which hold the cap. Like in another thread in which some users complained about scratches on their Carene pens, I am interested in how the Edson hold up when it is used daily (not as a daily daily type of use; but, daily, alternative writer to the daily writer).

 

I think the Carene 'issue' was more of a one off given the replies to that thread.