TWSBI Diamond 580ALR Prussian Blue Fountain Pen Review
TWSBI recently released a new "Prussian Blue" colorway of their Diamond 580 Fountain Pen Series. While a more expensive option than the
TWSBI ECO, there are many favorable qualities about this fountain pen. Retailing at
88.49 CAD, here are my thoughts on the TWSBI Diamond 580ALR Prussian Blue Fountain Pen:
The Design
Upon unboxing and seeing the pen for the first time, I fell in love with the color right away. TWSBI chose an amazing pigment of blue to pair with the Diamond 580 series. The pen is not too bulky and fits quite comfortably in your hand. The piston mechanism is quite smooth and easy to use. The clear body is quite helpful with understanding ink capacity and gives you further insight on how the fountain pen works. While the clear body may deter some fountain pen purists, I believe TWSBI does a fantastic job creating a modern take on a timeless product. The design of the pen will definitely sit well with Gen Z and Millenials such as myself for its modern, sleek design.
The Nib
Once again TWSBI uses the German-made JoWo nib, a decision I was absolutely delighted with. I caution you that the nibs are finer than the standard sizes. (I.E Medium is a bit finer than standard Medium, and so forth). There are limited skips and blotches, leaving you with a smooth, seamless writing experience.
The Cap
As true with any clear-bodied fountain pen, I would warn you to be careful with putting the cap back on the pen, as the casing is susceptible to scratches; however, I would only count this as a minor blemish to the design. In my previous
TWSBI ECO review, I noted how the caps are quite bulky. The Diamond 580ALR is a slimmed-down design in all aspects of the pen. The cap can fit nicely on the back of the pen for an added weight. While the cap is still somewhat bulky, I did not notice a sizeable difference in having it at the back, but I can see how some may not like the feel. Ultimately this is not an issue as you can always put the cap on the side while you write.
The Package
Upon unboxing the package, I did not notice the grease and wrench hidden at the bottom of the white casing. While this is a great idea to use up all of the space, some people may miss it completely and wonder how the TWSBI ECO has these add-ons while the Diamond 580ALR does not. The metal wrench is quite nice and I do prefer it over the plastic one given with the TWSBI ECO. Overall I love the casing that comes with the pen, and the instructions are quite concise.
The Feel
For this review, I used the
Amber Orange Herbin Scented Ink. on high-quality Rhodia Paper. I loved the overall feel of the whole pen, my thumb and index finger fit nicely to the section, which led to a comfortable feeling. A lot of things with this pen just make sense. From the ink-filling system to the nib, everything works seamlessly to create a stylish, affordable, modern pen.
The Writing
I used the fine Jowo nib and really enjoyed how precise the writing was. There was a balanced feeling throughout the whole pen, and it transitioned well from my hand to the paper. With multiple diagrams, illustrations, poems, and sentences written, I did not notice any major skips, flaws, or blotches. While the nib does take a while to break-in, the writing results after that are flawless.
TWSBI Diamond 580ALR Prussian Blue Fountain Pen: Final Verdict
TWSBI does a fantastic job with their Diamond 580ALR Prussian Blue Fountain Pen. I was highly pleased with many different aspects and components of the pen. Whether it's the beautiful colorway, seamless mechanism, quality body, and writing feel, TWSBI continuously finds ways to create a great pen for a great price. Purchase your own
TWSBI Diamond 580ALR Prussian Blue Fountain Pen online or in-store at Buchan's Kerrisdale Stationery in Vancouver, Canada.
