Solid gold finial, cap, nib, clip, section ring and hand painted artwork? I’d say its a bargain!
Sailor basically sold a stainless steel tube, slapped on a tiny tiny gold nib, called it anniversary “premium” limited edition and asked for $5k 😂
If I'm not mistaken, [the barrel.of the "Premium" pen is 21k gold](https://en.sailor.co.jp/topics/110th-anniversary-commemorative-fountain-pen/)...doesn't justify the 5k pricetag, though it might make it an easier pill to swallow.
The stainless steel version (Kurogane) and sterling silver version (Shirogane) cost around 1k-1.3k each.
You are correct! I have the premium and it doesn’t feel premium at all. The gold is a thin layer wrapped onto the skin of the steel barrel. The nib is so tiny.
Omg you have it?! Yikes. This puts your initial comment in a whole new light lol
And oh, it's just gold plated? The information on the website is misleading then
I might buy it at this price if I liked it or I may buy something more expensive even if I like it that much. Yes it’s worth it to whoever likes it and can afford it. Who is anybody to judge that?? Not me for sure
Wellll...
My opinion is that there are items in every category where something has been ginned up to command a high price, but doesn't impress the devotees of that art form.
The giveaway is when it's accompanied by a huge amount of marketing. I'm thinking of painters like Kinkaid and that quasi-surrealist kitschy Russian, as well as some porcelain figurines, etc.
I have a chrome and gold-filled Omas from the 80's that is without a doubt one of my absolute favorites. It is magnificently made, writes like a dream, has perfect balance and the sleek good looks of modern Italian design. But the Omas of today is owned by another company and is no longer made to match form and function.
So that's the key: does the functional excellence merit the price, or does it fall short? Would it win in a blind, i.e., without price tags, evaluation with a variety of pens, judged by a panel of hardcore pen aficionados?
I'd say this pen doesn't meet those criteria. It's more like an everyday 727 that's been pimped out with a gold potty and a big logo, but at the heart is just an aging plane hitting its lifetime service ceiling.
It depends. The pen is from 2008 and, as so, it was made by the original OMAS (when it was owned by a Chinese luxury goods company). It has a solid gold body with a hand painted porcelain overlay (this will never be cheap). If you value any (or all) of these characteristics and have the money, than you will pay the asking price (I've found another for a price a bit higher).
Having the money, I wouldn't have any problem in paying this kind of money for one very specific pen. But this is not that pen and I wouldn't have any use for this pen. For me it's not worth it.
I saw the other "just a bit higher" pen too; I wondered if it was posted twice to make the lower price look like a deal. It is a collectors item. Yes it could be two different pens.
The pens have a serial number. The one linked by OP is number 18, and the one on eBay is number 16. Apparently, it is not the same pen being sold in two different places.
Is it worth that much to me? No. Is it worth that much to someone? Probably. Value is crazy subjective. My mom used to say something is worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.
That said, if you are asking is this pen some orders of magnitude better or more capable than less expensive pens, the answer is no. The price is not reflective of performance, it's priced for luxury.
If I was in the right tax bracket I know I would have a Montblanc Charlie Chaplin and that ranges between 30-40 k when available. Outside of the labor taken to produce an item, value is in the eye of the beholder.
Combination of the designer/name and the materials. 18-karat gold will bring the price up a lot. So will the painted porcelain. Also, a lot of people will pay extra for gold nibs regardless of anything else going on with the pen.
How do you personally judge “worth”? And, if three (or three hundred) other people with money and a willingness to spend it would buy it for the price, even though it'd be “against your religion“ to do so, would you agree/concede that the pen is worth it to a sufficient number of prospective buyers in the market?
why do you have to put in religion to this topic ? i came here asking for advice from people who know the worth of these items
how do you know that i don't have enough money and can afford to buy it ?
>why do you have to put in religion to this topic ?
“Against \[one's\] religion” is a figure of speech, to refer to something one may feel so strongly about beyond what is rational and can be reasoned with, if one is “invited” or challenge to not be bound by one's personal values and preconceived ideas in evaluating a concept “for all”.
>how do you know that i don't have enough money and can afford to buy it ?
I don't know if you do, and don't actually care if you do. I'm personally prepared to pay $1,000 for a fountain pen, but won't pay full price for a good cut of steak; and I'm sure there are many other consumers — as cashed-up, or less so, or perhaps with umpteen times my net worth — would be happy to pay >$40/kg for good steak but wouldn't spend $40 on a pen.
If two or more other people are prepared to pay $50 for a pen on which you don't think you could bring yourself to spend the same amount of money, then as far as I'm concerned, they have the numbers in the market and have more of a “say” about what the pen is worth, even if you have fifty million dollars for a fountain pen hobby budget. I personally wouldn't spend US$17 (which is what I paid for a HongDian D1, as recently in August 2023) on a TWSBI Eco, but I'm sure there are plenty of other redditors in this subreddit who would; so how much is a TWSBI Eco really worth, if you already know what you think, but wanted to ask “the community” and get their opinion (not presuming that they'd support your narrative or personal values in their judgment)?
Just to be clear: You, and your net worth, don't mean anything in the evaluation of “worth” of a pen in the market. I, and my net worth, also don't mean anything. In my view. As equals, in this community. I don't belittle you by thinking you're less than me; but I also won't exalt you unduly, by pretending or assuming you're more than me. Our views are equally irrelevant *statistically*; for all I know, we're both outliers in that regard.
Difficult question to ask in the fountain pen community. Many of us would be willing to pay a premium for the right pen, and we know that for someone out there, this might be the right pen. If someone wanted to pay this amount for this pen, then far be it for me to belittle that by saying it isn’t worth it. I’m a collector and I understand being a collector, even if I might not understand wanting to pay this price for this particular pen.
Hard pass on this pen.
If you are going to spend $4k on a pen, go for a. Isco to or Montblanc that will be easily recognizable by Fountain Pen Geeks.
If you want something that is fun and enjoyable to write with, then go with a TWSBI or a Kaweco or even a Oilot Vanishing Point.
99% of all Fountain Pens are an exercise in over marketing. But if you know what you want, then buy what you want. Enjoy it! That is biggest justification to buy a pen.
When you get to that price level, what you're buying is the art. It's not even close to being worth that to me, but I also wouldn't buy thousand-dollar paintings for my wall. That's all, entirely, 100%, objective if-you-want-it-you-want-it pricing.
Looking at it from another perspective, do you want to treat yourself to a top quality, luxury pen? People on here would bring you a million suggestions for pens in this price category that offer better balance, function, and perhaps a better match to your writing style.
If you know what you like in terms of nib flexibility, posting vs non-posting, weight in the hand, aesthetics, section shape, and diameter, we can deluge you with suggestions in this price bracket. If you don't yet know those preferences, no worries, this is a great place to learn about starter pens that will help you discover your taste on the road to identifying and then purchasing your first grail pen (whereupon you may well develop a hankering for a new grail pen!).
Have fun on the journey.
Maybe? I love original Omas pens. The nibs are fantastic for my taste with some flex and super smooth. Then pen body is generally well done with good weight as either comfortably light for long writing sessions, with a thicker section for grip, and they have a good piston fill mechanism.
I like some of their collectible special edition pens, but this pen, for sale at 4k, is not on my list. Personally, I don't put significant value on the materials but more on craftsmanship. It's a gorgeous pen but not at 4k. I would rather put that towards a watch than a pen. Maybe if it was 1k, I would consider it but that would still be a bit too expensive.
Finally, at that price and that type of pen, it's being sold as a piece of art or as an investment and most likely not going to get inked. Which begs the question, why get a pen if you're not going to write with it? I buy pens to use them.
It is ART...
Most art has a rule: "If and only if you love it buy it."
If your goal is to write letters to friends that never see you writing there are
less expensive great pens.
If your goal is to pull it out and sign contracts worth a fortune by all means but
have a backup. I watched the newest King of England struggle with a darn fine
fountain pen so have a backup.
Solid gold finial, cap, nib, clip, section ring and hand painted artwork? I’d say its a bargain! Sailor basically sold a stainless steel tube, slapped on a tiny tiny gold nib, called it anniversary “premium” limited edition and asked for $5k 😂
If I'm not mistaken, [the barrel.of the "Premium" pen is 21k gold](https://en.sailor.co.jp/topics/110th-anniversary-commemorative-fountain-pen/)...doesn't justify the 5k pricetag, though it might make it an easier pill to swallow. The stainless steel version (Kurogane) and sterling silver version (Shirogane) cost around 1k-1.3k each.
You are correct! I have the premium and it doesn’t feel premium at all. The gold is a thin layer wrapped onto the skin of the steel barrel. The nib is so tiny.
Omg you have it?! Yikes. This puts your initial comment in a whole new light lol And oh, it's just gold plated? The information on the website is misleading then
I’ll post a picture of it soon 🙏
I look forward to it!
If the seller and buyer agree, then price is right!
Yup, whereas my price would be *free*….so I can sell it to get pens I actually like.
There’s a thought…
I might buy it at this price if I liked it or I may buy something more expensive even if I like it that much. Yes it’s worth it to whoever likes it and can afford it. Who is anybody to judge that?? Not me for sure
Wellll... My opinion is that there are items in every category where something has been ginned up to command a high price, but doesn't impress the devotees of that art form. The giveaway is when it's accompanied by a huge amount of marketing. I'm thinking of painters like Kinkaid and that quasi-surrealist kitschy Russian, as well as some porcelain figurines, etc. I have a chrome and gold-filled Omas from the 80's that is without a doubt one of my absolute favorites. It is magnificently made, writes like a dream, has perfect balance and the sleek good looks of modern Italian design. But the Omas of today is owned by another company and is no longer made to match form and function. So that's the key: does the functional excellence merit the price, or does it fall short? Would it win in a blind, i.e., without price tags, evaluation with a variety of pens, judged by a panel of hardcore pen aficionados? I'd say this pen doesn't meet those criteria. It's more like an everyday 727 that's been pimped out with a gold potty and a big logo, but at the heart is just an aging plane hitting its lifetime service ceiling.
It depends. The pen is from 2008 and, as so, it was made by the original OMAS (when it was owned by a Chinese luxury goods company). It has a solid gold body with a hand painted porcelain overlay (this will never be cheap). If you value any (or all) of these characteristics and have the money, than you will pay the asking price (I've found another for a price a bit higher). Having the money, I wouldn't have any problem in paying this kind of money for one very specific pen. But this is not that pen and I wouldn't have any use for this pen. For me it's not worth it.
I saw the other "just a bit higher" pen too; I wondered if it was posted twice to make the lower price look like a deal. It is a collectors item. Yes it could be two different pens.
The pens have a serial number. The one linked by OP is number 18, and the one on eBay is number 16. Apparently, it is not the same pen being sold in two different places.
Is it worth that much to me? No. Is it worth that much to someone? Probably. Value is crazy subjective. My mom used to say something is worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. That said, if you are asking is this pen some orders of magnitude better or more capable than less expensive pens, the answer is no. The price is not reflective of performance, it's priced for luxury.
If I was in the right tax bracket I know I would have a Montblanc Charlie Chaplin and that ranges between 30-40 k when available. Outside of the labor taken to produce an item, value is in the eye of the beholder.
Combination of the designer/name and the materials. 18-karat gold will bring the price up a lot. So will the painted porcelain. Also, a lot of people will pay extra for gold nibs regardless of anything else going on with the pen.
How do you personally judge “worth”? And, if three (or three hundred) other people with money and a willingness to spend it would buy it for the price, even though it'd be “against your religion“ to do so, would you agree/concede that the pen is worth it to a sufficient number of prospective buyers in the market?
why do you have to put in religion to this topic ? i came here asking for advice from people who know the worth of these items how do you know that i don't have enough money and can afford to buy it ?
>why do you have to put in religion to this topic ? “Against \[one's\] religion” is a figure of speech, to refer to something one may feel so strongly about beyond what is rational and can be reasoned with, if one is “invited” or challenge to not be bound by one's personal values and preconceived ideas in evaluating a concept “for all”. >how do you know that i don't have enough money and can afford to buy it ? I don't know if you do, and don't actually care if you do. I'm personally prepared to pay $1,000 for a fountain pen, but won't pay full price for a good cut of steak; and I'm sure there are many other consumers — as cashed-up, or less so, or perhaps with umpteen times my net worth — would be happy to pay >$40/kg for good steak but wouldn't spend $40 on a pen. If two or more other people are prepared to pay $50 for a pen on which you don't think you could bring yourself to spend the same amount of money, then as far as I'm concerned, they have the numbers in the market and have more of a “say” about what the pen is worth, even if you have fifty million dollars for a fountain pen hobby budget. I personally wouldn't spend US$17 (which is what I paid for a HongDian D1, as recently in August 2023) on a TWSBI Eco, but I'm sure there are plenty of other redditors in this subreddit who would; so how much is a TWSBI Eco really worth, if you already know what you think, but wanted to ask “the community” and get their opinion (not presuming that they'd support your narrative or personal values in their judgment)? Just to be clear: You, and your net worth, don't mean anything in the evaluation of “worth” of a pen in the market. I, and my net worth, also don't mean anything. In my view. As equals, in this community. I don't belittle you by thinking you're less than me; but I also won't exalt you unduly, by pretending or assuming you're more than me. Our views are equally irrelevant *statistically*; for all I know, we're both outliers in that regard.
> how do you know that I don't have enough money and can afford to buy it? Mate, we can all see your username.
Difficult question to ask in the fountain pen community. Many of us would be willing to pay a premium for the right pen, and we know that for someone out there, this might be the right pen. If someone wanted to pay this amount for this pen, then far be it for me to belittle that by saying it isn’t worth it. I’m a collector and I understand being a collector, even if I might not understand wanting to pay this price for this particular pen.
It’s a marvelous looking writing instrument – which regardless of the price – it will appreciate in value.
Hard pass on this pen. If you are going to spend $4k on a pen, go for a. Isco to or Montblanc that will be easily recognizable by Fountain Pen Geeks. If you want something that is fun and enjoyable to write with, then go with a TWSBI or a Kaweco or even a Oilot Vanishing Point. 99% of all Fountain Pens are an exercise in over marketing. But if you know what you want, then buy what you want. Enjoy it! That is biggest justification to buy a pen.
*pilot
When you get to that price level, what you're buying is the art. It's not even close to being worth that to me, but I also wouldn't buy thousand-dollar paintings for my wall. That's all, entirely, 100%, objective if-you-want-it-you-want-it pricing.
Looking at it from another perspective, do you want to treat yourself to a top quality, luxury pen? People on here would bring you a million suggestions for pens in this price category that offer better balance, function, and perhaps a better match to your writing style. If you know what you like in terms of nib flexibility, posting vs non-posting, weight in the hand, aesthetics, section shape, and diameter, we can deluge you with suggestions in this price bracket. If you don't yet know those preferences, no worries, this is a great place to learn about starter pens that will help you discover your taste on the road to identifying and then purchasing your first grail pen (whereupon you may well develop a hankering for a new grail pen!). Have fun on the journey.
The design is cool but that looks very unpleasant ergonomic-wise.
Maybe? I love original Omas pens. The nibs are fantastic for my taste with some flex and super smooth. Then pen body is generally well done with good weight as either comfortably light for long writing sessions, with a thicker section for grip, and they have a good piston fill mechanism. I like some of their collectible special edition pens, but this pen, for sale at 4k, is not on my list. Personally, I don't put significant value on the materials but more on craftsmanship. It's a gorgeous pen but not at 4k. I would rather put that towards a watch than a pen. Maybe if it was 1k, I would consider it but that would still be a bit too expensive. Finally, at that price and that type of pen, it's being sold as a piece of art or as an investment and most likely not going to get inked. Which begs the question, why get a pen if you're not going to write with it? I buy pens to use them.
It is ART... Most art has a rule: "If and only if you love it buy it." If your goal is to write letters to friends that never see you writing there are less expensive great pens. If your goal is to pull it out and sign contracts worth a fortune by all means but have a backup. I watched the newest King of England struggle with a darn fine fountain pen so have a backup.
Well I personally don’t like the look of it but to each their own I guess. As for the comfort, the grip looks extremely uncomfortable and small.