Waterman Hemisphere vs Parker Sonnet fountain pen

[bugmenot]

Hi everybody

 

First of all hello to all of you. I've reach this place hoping that you will help me with my current puzzle.

 

I want to make a gift to my girlfriend, who is very much into writing and I don't know what to choose between Waterman Hemisphere and Parker Sonnet. The color i want is black with Chrome color.

 

I saw that the Parker model is a bit more expensive than the Waterman. Is this a value of its superior quality?

 

Unfortunately I don't have the possibility to try them as I'll buy them online and that's is why I reach for your expert opinion.

 

Can you please tell me what should I choose? Is there more to them? Or I should just make an aesthetic judgment and pick the one I believe she will like the most, although I find this very superficial.

 

 

[Robert Hughes]

Hello, bugmenot and

 

I can't speak for the Waterman Hemisphere, but I have a few Parker Sonnets, with both steel and 18k nibs. The 18k gold nib is of course significantly more expensive than the steel nib pen is, but otherwise they are the same.

 

Some people have noted problems getting enough flow from these pens, but I have been fortunate I guess. Unit to unit variation does occur in fountain pens, and depending on the fit of the nib and the type of ink you use, you may find the pen writing with a dry or wet line. If it's not to your liking, do not fear, as pens can be adjusted to fit your writing preferences.

 

One of my used black/chrome pens has a matte black surface - and a flake of paint came off, exposing the brass body underneath. I don't know whether it was due to a manufacturing defect or later accident, but as with all pens, inspect and try it out prior to purchase if you get the chance.

[satrap]

http://www.tech-faq.com/emoticons/happiness/Content_41.gif

 

Hi Bug,

 

Welcome to here!

 

The Waterman and the Parker pens you mentioned are both very good quality pens, so it is just a matter of aesthetics, I think.

The Waterman Hemisphere is a very slim pen, compared to the Sonnet, so one question would be, is the person more comfortable with slim pens, or with something a bit more substantial? If she tends to use slim pens, then the Hemisphere is probably a good choice.

 

 

diane

[FrankB]

Welcome on board, bugmenot.

 

Both are pretty good pens and you can probably choose by aesthetics.

 

I have examples of both, and I have my own response to the pens. The Hemisphere is indeed a narrow pen. It also has a nib that is very "short" to me. I find myself leaning over toward the paper more than usual because of the nib's size. The Sonnet has different physical proportions than the Hemisphere and feels more comfortable to me. The nib is longer and I can sit at a more comfortable angle to write with it.

 

All told, I have one Hemisphere and about 12 Sonnets. I think the numbers speak for my preference. The Sonnets do have gold nibs available, and that choice will increase the cost of the pen. I have found that both steel and gold nibs work well in the Sonnets.

[bugmenot]

Hi

 

Thank you very much for your warm welcome and kind responses. I've been researching online on this topic and to tell you the truth the more I look at fountain pens the more I want them for me ) It's amazing how much style those instruments can posses.

 

Your responses made me think now about the size issue of the 2 pens. She is 25 but she has pretty small hands, and I cannot ask her if she likes a larger pen as this will break the spell

 

After more searching I've found another fountain pen which is recommended by many Pelikan M215. This is the most expensive of the bunch, but I'm not really convinced about its looks (stripes, rings).

 

Is the Pelikan M215 the only one from this bunch that has a clasical piston? I wonder if the cartridge system doesn't feel cheap or give this impression.

 

The evil thing about those pens is that eventually you want them all ) and one is not sufficient because they all seem to have their own mystique

 

Right now I would go for the Parker as it resembles more the prototype idea of a fountain pen that I have in mind. But please give me your input as I am more than curious of your opinions. And those on the Pelikan too.

 

Many thanks

[wvbeetlebug]

 

I cannot speak for the Hemisphere, but I have 3 Sonnets. I have small hands and they fit my hand wonderfully. I post my pens and they are not too heavy or too light. They are a nice weight. GL! Either way she will be pleased. But hey! What about ink? (Oh no. I have opened a can of worms for you.)

[Sproctor]

Greetings BMN,

 

Welcome to FPN, we're glad to have you with us. With that said, I personally prefer the Hemisphere, but I like the narrower pens. After reading your first post, I was going to suggest it... until you mentioned the Pelikan M215. I have one of those also am very pleased with it. I believe the bottom line is that in this instance, go with your heart and pick the one she will find the most appealing.

 

One thing you can do to ensure that she has very few problems is purchase the pen from an online shop that will examine and adjust the pen prior to sending it to you. Just a thought...

 

Very Best Regards,

S.P.

 

[Zeroblade]

I'd personally go with the Pelikan. You really can't go wrong with one of those things. The Hemisphere is a good pen as well, though it's just a cartridge/converter fill. Can't quite say the same for the Sonnet, as I've had a pretty bad experience with it - the nib quality is inconsistent when it comes to those things.

[bugmenot]

Hi

 

Ok so a lot of you are saying that the Parker is a lottery when it comes to quality. I've found a site here in Romania and actually the Pelikan M215 is cheaper than the Parker Sonnet (300 Ron vs 321 Ron). Suddenly the Pelikan seems an attractive option.

 

Regarding the nibs, the guy that sells them told me that the Pelikans come with F nibs by default. Is this the regular size? Should I go with M (Medium) ? I know that this is a matter of taste :| Maybe there are photos here that show the difference between the F and M.

 

Do you like how the Pelikan M215 looks compared to the Waterman and Parker models? Is it in the same quality category? Do you think it looks cheap?

 

If I am boring you with the questions, let me know

 

I've learned a lot anyway about these amazing instruments in the last couple of days,

 

Regards,

Mihai

[emerson]

Hello, Mihai.

 

As with the others, I have been fortunate to own each of these pens.

 

My stainless steel Hemisphere wrote like a nail, and felt cheap. Enough said there.

 

I have found the Sonnet to be outstanding. If you can find one of the older laque finished models, they are attractive and very durable. A little work with abrasive paper to smooth the nib made it into one of the best pens I have owned.

 

The 200 series Pelikans are very nice also, and fine writers. However, being plastic, they will not wear as well as the laque Sonnets in everyday use. That said, it is probably easier to find an M215 that is a good writer. You can see the ink level in a Pelikan, not in a Sonnet. The other distinction I would point out is the ability of the Sonnet to take ink from a cartridge, or a bottle when the convertor is installed. Both have advantages.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-- David

 

 

 

Hi

 

Ok so a lot of you are saying that the Parker is a lottery when it comes to quality. I've found a site here in Romania and actually the Pelikan M215 is cheaper than the Parker Sonnet (300 Ron vs 321 Ron). Suddenly the Pelikan seems an attractive option.

 

Regarding the nibs, the guy that sells them told me that the Pelikans come with F nibs by default. Is this the regular size? Should I go with M (Medium) ? I know that this is a matter of taste :| Maybe there are photos here that show the difference between the F and M.

 

Do you like how the Pelikan M215 looks compared to the Waterman and Parker models? Is it in the same quality category? Do you think it looks cheap?

 

If I am boring you with the questions, let me know

 

I've learned a lot anyway about these amazing instruments in the last couple of days,

 

Regards,

Mihai

 

[Underskoterskan]

The M215 has not a plastic barrel, but a much heavier one in metal (in comparison with the M200 that is, the M200 is, despite being made of plastic a very durable pen that will last for decades - you should consider one of these aswell as the light-weight might please your gf). In my opinion, the M215 is the superior pen thanks to top-notch quality and a magnificent piston filler, a top-shelf feature in the fountain pen world. When it comes to nibs; you can (free of charge) exchange the nib for another within four weeks upon date of purchase.

 

Good luck !

 

Regards

Undersköterskan

 

 

[bugmenot]

Thank you very much for your input. I have made my decision and I will go for a Pelikan M215 F Lozenge pattern.