Waterman Expert Fountain Pen, Gloss Black with 23k Gold Trim, Medium Nib, Luxury Pen in Gift Box, Fountain Pen for Writing

Best pen for the money. no skips, moderately smooth, minimal feedback on junk pad paper. My wife HATES fountain pens because she says they are a PITA, but she tried this one and said, now if they all wrote like this, I would get one. I asked her if she wanted it and said no because it was to basic and plain looking. I agree. Good daily driver, not anything special to look at. I love my Waterman Carene L’Essence du Bleu pen, but it's more than 3X so... I have yet to get a bad Waterman, unlike my equal love of Visconti pens, but that is like buying/playing Russian roulette or buying Forrest Gump chocolates.

This is the most expensive pen I've ever bought. So I'm not able to compare it to other higher priced devices. But I've loved fountain pens for years and made extensive use of lesser ones. Until a few years ago I had a nice Waterman fountain pen that I bought at an art supply store for $35 (in 1998). The Expert is slightly slimmer, but heavier than that one. Took me a minute to get used to the weight but now it seems natural. I've had the pen a month now and am impressed with how smoothly it writes. I bought a converter also (not included) and some ink, and even with frequent usage I'm still using the same ink from the first time filling it. It does not dry out quickly like my previous pens apparently did. The worst was when I went a whole week without using it, but after dipping the tip in a capful of clean water it wrote perfectly. Usually it starts writing right away with no problems. Previously I've had medium point nibs while this is a fine, so it's hard to compare the writing. The Expert seems a little more scratchy than my cheaper one was, but far less temperamental in terms of writing angles and workable stroke directions. Also it wrote without skipping right from the start and didn't need any kind of wearing in period. (Unlike previous pens I've had). It does occasionally skip still if I get it turned at the wrong angle, but it's far more forgiving of that than I ever would have expected. Overall I have no serious regrets. Wish it cost less but that's so for almost everything. It doesn't come in the marbled blue and black color that my previous pen had, else I would have got that instead. I got the black with gold trim, which looks elegant and professional. I would prefer something more unique, but it does look very good. No complaints. Highly recommended.

Of my entire fountain pen collection (Pilot VP, Metro, Kaweco Sport, Monteverde Vesuvio, Lamy Safari, TWSBI Eco, Platinum 3776), this hands down is my favorite pen, except for possibly the 3776. Beginning with the look of the pen, it is a great balance of classy and restrained. In particular, the use of gold accents and the shape of the clip just look good. The 24ct gold plate is a noticeable shade different from my other 14ct gold pens, it looks better. The cap snaps off, which is just more convenient than threads, and it posts with an interesting attention to detail and design. The gold accent ring near the top of the pen serves to hold the cap on, and the tolerances are such that the pen cap does not friction fit against the body of the pen, yet is held firmly in place when posted. When posted, the cap free to rotate slightly around the ring- It is hard to describe, but this attention to detail give a nice feel that the pen is of quality. Furthermore, unlike some snap pens (looking at you Metropolitan), the step down from the body to the grip section is quite small and this greatly helps with comfort. The grip section of the pen is plastic, however is not readily apparent against the lacquered brass body and cap (note that because the pen is brass, it can not be made into an eyedropper). The real magic of this pen; however, is the nib. For a steel nib, and even compared with many solid gold nibs, it is nothing short of fantastic. When I first opened the pen, I inserted the included cartridge and wrote with it as soon as I could reassemble. The pen did not miss a beat and has not since in months of use. Not one hard start, or skip (except the most minor of hard starts if the cap is left off for a few minutes). The nib writes with a very unique tactile feel, not at all a roughness, but a sort of pencil like feedback that helps my brain recognize what my hand just did. It makes writing much more effortless than with a glassy smooth nib like the vanishing point, in my experience, and it is unique even to the 3776 which is often described similarily. The nib is rather stiff, so variation is minimal, but this is perfect for a EDC pen imo. The nib writes on the wetter side, but not overly so. Finely unlike most fountain pens, there is no breather hole apparent on the top of the nib (looks like it may be relocated underneath and at the base), and as such there is less nib creep. Therefore, this pen works well with thinner more penetrating inks such as Noodlers' Warden and Bernanke series while still being great with iroshizuku and diamine inks. My only complaint with the pen is that while it allows for a converter, it is not included and the Waterman converter does not fit tightly into the grip. This is nothing more than a personal annoyance and hardly worth mentioning.

The Waterman Expert fountain pen arrived today on schedule and included a wonderful blue ink. The fine nib writes well and is what I hoped for. The pen weighs about 30g which gives a good solid feel and is about 50% when posted vs the Lamy Safari Vista that I was using previously before backing over it with my car last week, sadly. I must note also that I very much like the clip tension on this Waterman Expert. It is not crazy tight so slides onto my clothing without me worrying it is going to mess up my shirt pocket, which is nice. This pen feels like good quality and I appreciate that the cap snaps onto the pen both when capping it and when posting it to write. Extremely satisfying and makes me know that I don't need to worry about it coming off and inking anything accidentally.

The Waterman Expert is a midrange fountain pen, a good daily writer at a fair price it has been rated one of the best pens in its price range by at least one trustworthy reviewer. Beyond that it's essentially subjective, unquestionably a competent pen, but not one to make an impression either favorable or unfavorable. The look is subjective. Because the top rises further above the clip than most pens, the overall length is slightly longer than most pens, and it is more visible than most when pocketed, but when the pen is posted it has the same length as a Parker Sonnet, The cap slides off, but when put in place or posted there is a solid clicking around which is reassuring. The stainless steel medium nib is quite wet, (NB I use Pelikan ink and have not tried this pen with other inks.) The pen is apparently made in France. In the end, this is a well made, attractive pen at a good price point, suited for every day writing by people who buy fountain to use rather than to collect. My experience with Waterman pens is that they're reliable and durable.

I've had it only a few weeks, and already this beautiful pen has joined the Waterman Carene on my desk as a beloved favorite that I reach for often. It's my fifth Waterman fountain pen, and it has everything I love about the others, namely the super smooth and lusciously wet nib. It may be a fine nib, but it definitely doesn't write like most fine nibs. The ink flow is generous without being a gusher, and always ready to go even if I don't write with it a few days. Never any hard starts or skips. No nib creep, either. Like their inks, the mid- and higher-end Waterman pens like this one are always well-behaved in their writing. The pen is on the hefty side, but never uncomfortable or heavy to the touch, although people used to lighter pens like, say, a TWSBI Eco may find it tiring at first. After a while, though, you don't notice the weight. Posted or not, it's always perfectly balanced in the hand, which helps more than anything with reducing hand fatigue. Because it has such classic, classy looks, this is the kind of pen you can proudly give someone for a promotion or graduation, and it can last a lifetime despite everyday usage, as long as you maintain it properly. This is the brand I recommend most often for people who don't know fountain pens well. I have never had a bad Waterman experience. I'm sure it's possible to have one, no company doesn't put out some boo-boos, but I have yet to get one from Waterman. As long as that continues, I will continue to assure everyone that the chances of a great writing experience with a Waterman is higher than with most companies, and you don't have to break the bank for it, either. Sure, this pen can be on the pricey side compared to some pens, but compared to other luxury brands? Watermans are downright bargains in comparison to several brands that don't necessarily write any better.

The pocket clip corroded, without that everything else is worthless, the pocket clip is pretty much what stands out first in a pens design, so if that is screaming corrosion right from the start I won't even carry it, I won't even have it on my desk, and it's no longer a functional pen, won't waste time on it. Flawed pen, maybe I wouldn't complain at a fair price, but for it to cost this much and end up corroded like not even a cheap 8 dollar pen would is just astounding.

This was a present for my wife and she loves it. Se said it is the best fountain pen she has ever used. She went through twelve years of Catholic School and said that she learned how to write using fountain pens. She is likes all aspects of this pen and I like that it made her very happy.