From the very beginning you are greeted with an artistic leatherette box that is striking in its elegant simplicity. It is kept closed by a magnetic clasp that is stylishly charming in its boldness. Yet the true enchantment does not begin until you unhook the clasp, open the lid and behold a divine treasure precisely placed upon a soft gray cloth. Whereas most pens are nestled inside their own little slots inside their gift boxes, the Namiki Pink Limited Edition Vanishing Point is held down by a soft, smooth grey ribbon that is just tight enough to keep the pen in place. It is a stunning presentation that exudes an air of elegance with a subtle hint of practicality.
Now, let us take a look at the very treasure that called us here in the first place. Deceptively simple, the Pink Vanishing Point is a masterpiece of creative design and ingenuity. Despite all of its internal mechanisms and design aspects, it’s much lighter than you would ever suspect. It is one ounce of evenly distributed weight that will make your writing experience all the more pleasurable. The pen’s body is colored a comforting, warm pink that is bright enough to be bold but not enough to be blinding. Instead, the gentle color wraps around the barrel like a suit of undeniable attractiveness and irresistible charm. The body’s metal is smooth to the touch, but ensures a non-slip grip. (Isn’t it just so irritating when your pen is so smooth it slips through your fingers every three seconds when you’re trying to write?) Two rhodium-plated rings encircle the pen’s center, bringing a cool gray breeze to a limitless sea of pink.
The two distinct ends of the Vanishing Point are also rhodium-plated, complimenting the pen’s base color beautifully. On one end is an artfully crafted click-action top that heralds in a new age of convenience for writing utensils. Just about every fountain pen on the market has a cap, leaving you with the dilemma of having to keep it somewhere it will be safe without disrupting the weight balance of your pen. Easily overcoming this dilemma that has been plaguing the pen-collecting community for decades, the Vanishing Point offers a quick, clickable solution. With just one click the 18k gold nib engraved with its own serial number and manufacturer’s name is revealed. With another click the nib – lo and behold – vanishes back inside the barrel. When the pen is not in use a small trap door closes over the nib and keeps it in a seal-tight chamber so the ink doesn’t dry out. On this same end is a slender clip made out of the same material as the other accents. It’s a rather unusual design that may throw off first-time users, but never fear. You are sure to get used to it very quickly and after only a few uses it becomes a very endearing feature.
If a click-action pen is still just a little too inconvenient for you, or if you’re simply lazy – hey, there’s no shame in the game – you could always take a look at Lamy’s Dialog series and see if they’re up your alley. Namiki was the first to create a retractable nib for fountain pens, and Lamy has taken this idea and redesigned it in their own image. Instead of clicking, all you have to do is twist the bottom half of the barrel. A silver circular cover slides open and the nib, which is much larger than the Namiki one, slides out smoothly. Its convenience and versatility speaks for itself. Unfortunately, lacks the colorful yet tasteful appeal that Vanishing Points possess.
The Pink Namiki Limited Edition Vanishing Point is a work of art in its own right. It is part of a small, selective branch of limited edition pens that are known world-wide for their boldness, color and charisma that are impossible to replicate. The visual differences between the Limited Edition Vanishing Points and their Classic Vanishing Point counterparts are clear from just a passing glance. For example, the Namiki Vanishing Point Black Matt has a much more traditional air about it. Its charm lies not in its easily recognizable individuality, but in its solemn simplicity. Though it has the same 18k gold nib as the Limited Edition, its body is completely black. There are no silver accents, no breaks in color, no nothing. A sheet the color of a moonless night sky is carefully wrapped around the body of the pen, providing a vision of inexplicable beauty. No matter what your tastes, whether it’s vibrant colors and excitement or muted colors and serious traditionalism, Namiki has catered to them. Whether it’s the rainbow or the midnight sky, the choice is yours.
Pilot (Namiki’s mother company) has always produced practical, capable pens, and Namiki has always produced jaw-dropping, unimaginably beautiful ones. This year they have once again joined forces to create a pen that sets the standard for fashion, style, functionality and sensibility. Pens for The Limited Edition Vanishing Point Collection have always been created with the best of both worlds in mind, and 2011’s edition is no exception.
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