It's Presidents' Day

It's Presidents' Day - a day to celebrate the past presidents of the United States.  What better way than with the Retro51 Lincoln pens.  These are made of copper and make a bold statement.

Lincoln is available as a fountain pen, rollerball, pencil or ballpoint.  The antique copper will patina more with time and use.  

The fountain pen comes with a medium nib and accepts the standard international ink cartridges and converter.  It comes with 2 short ink cartridges and the converter would need to be purchased separately.
The rollerball and pencil come in a set or can be purchased separately.  The rollerball accepts the standard short capless rollerball refills.  The pencil comes with the 1.15mm lead and a package of the black erasers.
The ballpoint comes with a small rubber stylus at the top and is a twist action pen.  The refills are a standard mini ballpoint refill.

I discovered the wonders of Lokta paper as well and have paired up my Lincoln fountain pen with the Travel Journal in Walnut, my Lincoln Rollerball with the Buffalo leather journal and the pencil with the small 4"x4" hardcover journal.  My ballpoint stays with my iPhone in its case.

Lokta Paper Products

All in all, I love the look and feel of the Lincoln pens and hope to have them for a long time.

- By Pen Boutique Staff  : Joy 

Thoughtful Valentine’s Gifts List

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Less than ten days to go before the day of love arrives in shades of pink and red, and tiny hearts patched all over it. If you have already got the perfect gift for your significant other, kudos to you. But if you haven’t, chances are that so far you have no gift ideas and may be you never will. This is where we step in. We bring to you an assortment of gift ideas that might be your only saving grace, come 14 February.

1. Letts of London Verona Lilac Pocket Academic Diaries

Isn't it pretty?

The pocket sized academic calendar could be a way of saying “Every step you take, I will be with you”. It is unconventional but what is a Valentine’s gift if it is ordinary. The sturdy faux leather cover is a soft shade of pink with lilac imprints on them and comes with a ribbon bookmark. The white pages inside features holiday information, dates and weeks, notable dates and more handy information. It is a great gift for a girly soul who likes to keep organized. Plus it is easy on the wallet.

2. Napkin Forever Cuban Inkless Pen

Forever and ever

For the one that you wish to be with forever, what better gift than one that would last forever. Napkin Forever Cuban Inkless Pen is a stupendous pen crafted from recycled wood. Ergonomic in design (so that your loved one should never experience hand fatigue and cramps again), the pen features an alloy metal for a tip which scribbles just like the graphite tip of a pencil, but it is inerasable. And the metal alloy doesn’t wear down, making the Cuban Forever an everlasting gift.

3. Parker IM Premium Pink Pearl Ballpoint Pen

Pink Parker

The pen is a beauty. The metal body has cool blocks-like patterns engraved on it and is complemented by chrome trims. It is smooth and elegant, and while it looks delicate and soft, is pretty sturdy in built. It can easily be an everyday pen. You can also find it in fountain pen mode if you would prefer that. It is just gorgeous. Just not as gorgeous as your beloved.

4. Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point Red/Rhodium Fountain Pen

Ravishing Red

It is unique, just like your S.O. Stylish, classy, different and pure joy to be with could be the adjectives that define your beloved and they do the same for the Pilot Namiki VP fountain pen. And what is more Valentine-y than a splash of bright red.

5. Eccolo Murano Glass Precious Red Heart Square Paperweigh

I could just melt

Personally, I totally have dibs on this and so should you. It is a stunning example of imperfectly perfect things. Handmade in Italy, no one piece is the same and there lies its uniqueness. And doesn’t the little red heart totally scream love? It is a masterpiece that would have anyone over the moon upon receiving it.

6. Retro 51 4 EVER Tornado Popper Twist-top Rollerball Pen - Limited Edition

Retro way to ask her out

What better way to ask someone out on Valentine’s Day than to let a pen do all the talking. The “Be Mine, Hold me, Wink Wink” cover on the Retro 51 4 Ever Tornado Popper Rollerball Pen is really sweet and a limited edition. Pair the gift with some flowers and a box of chocolates and sweep your love off her feet.

7. Caran d' Ache Wenger Swiss Red Small BP Gift Set

Everything you need

The gift set is the coolest thing to gift your loved one, who is always up for outdoor activities and going around fixing things.

8. Waterman Carene Glossy Red Ballpoint Pen

Red Hot

So what if you cannot gift them a yacht, the streamlined Waterman Carene Glossy Red Ballpoint Pen will do the magic. It is a beauty in its own right and will lighten your wallet a bit too. But it is worth every penny.

You are welcome!!

My Top 10 Favorites

At Pen Boutique I have seen it all when it comes to pen. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly, and while it is easy to pick out the rotten of the lot, it is never easy to pick out a favorite. Well, the list of good pens does run longer than the list of bad. But even if it were otherwise, the task of picking out the top 10 favorite pens would have been tough. At least it is for me, because I have always felt that my decision would hurt “the feelings” (of course, I know things don’t have emotions and NO, I am not crazy) of those which I don’t pick. So, whether it is a movie, a book, a shoe from my wardrobe or food, I can never decide my favorite. Yet, despite the agonies, just for you dear readers I have churned out a list of my top 10 favorite pens ever. So hold your breath and live this moment; I don’t do this very often.

In no particular order (for the fear of getting a stroke), here is my list of 10 favorite pens.

1. Namiki VP Carbon Fiber (M)

A fountain pen that is retractable – need I say more. And it is beautiful. Namiki Vanishing Point pen in carbon fiber finishing is a stunning example of art meeting architecture. I love the smart designing that has been put into the pen and it is a unique model that is worth investing in. And if design and structure wasn’t enough to get it scoring, the 18k gold nib fitted in the Vanishing Point is butter smooth. I have a medium nib in use and it is faultless. No wonder, it is in my list of favorite pens.

2. Visconti Demo Fountain Pen(F)

I have always had a great liking for transparent things, like the clear raincoat and umbrella. There is just something reassuring and comforting about being able to see what is going on behind the scenes. I have similar emotions for the Visconti Demonstrator. And while there are other transparent pens, what makes Visconti Demo stand out is that the clear barrel works double as an ink reservoir. A piston knob is at the end of the barrel for ink filling purpose. The pen is of a nice weight and the SmarTouch nib from Visconti gives a smooth performance on paper. It looks fantastic and writes well; what else does it take for a pen to be counted worthy for a “favorite list”.

3. Montegrappa Nero Uno Linea Rollerball Pen

Montegrappa Nero Uno Linea Rollerball pen stole my heart with its unpretentious style. While the traditional octagonal shape of the brand has been retained, it has been given a contemporary twist of conical alignment and grid patterns on the barrel and the cap. Made of deep, black resin, the pen feels great on hand, which encourages me to pick it up every time I write.

4. Waterman Carene Amber Shimmer Fountain Pen (M)

I share a fair amount of affinity for Waterman Carene Amber Shimmer fountain pen, because while it boasts a rather professional look, the lacquer work on it exudes of mischief and fun. There is something about it that is secretive and playful which is very appealing to me. I love the gold trims and the 18k gold nib which doesn’t fail when demanded of. And it has a comfortable weight when writing which is a bonus point to its already super fantastic performance.

5. Monteverde Artista Crystal Transparent Medium Demo

This just goes to show my aforementioned emotions towards transparent demo pens. And it comes in fun color options. Made of high quality acrylic resin, Monteverde Artista Crystal Transparent Medium Demo pen is light weight and writes decent with the iridium stainless steel nib. It easily fits the slot of an everyday pen and is super cool at being that.

6. Monteverde Impressa Fountain Pen (M)

I am fond of good pens, but I am fonder of good pens that come at surprisingly reasonable price. Speak of a pen that looks like $100 but costs $50 and you don’t have to look further than the Monteverde Impressa Fountain pen. With no engraving or embellishment of any kind on the entire body, the pen is the definition of “beauty in simplicity”. Coated in lacquer and highly polished, the fountain pen is presentable and writes very well too.

7. Monteverde Catalina Fountain Pen (M)

The resin body comes in three color choices and each one is reminiscent of the island the pen is named after. Just looking at the pen is enough to have you dreaming of warm, wet sand and cool, salty breeze of the sea. But what helps it make it to my favorite list is its deceptive size. The pen boasts a rich thickness but when held to write, it doesn’t have the heft you would expect. Pair this with a nice ink and you would add this to your everyday pen list.

8. Lamy AL-Star Fountain Pen (F,M,B,1.1)

Inspired by the Safari series of Lamy, the Al-Star fountain pen has inherited a lot of likeness to Safari, but has a sturdier aluminum body. It is the reason why the Al-Star is my preferred Lamy. Plus, while it is stocked with comfort, durability and rich color choices, it is not expensive. Add to that the interchangeable nib feature of Lamy and it scores another brownie point.

9. Fisher Space Pen Purple Passion Bullet Ballpoint Pen

First of all, I love the bright, succulent purple hue on the pen. It is just very attractive. Now, getting to why the Fisher Space Pen Purple Passion Bullet Ballpoint Pen is my top 10 favorite pen – it is a great pocket pen and it never fails to perform. It would top the list of an everyday pen for sure.

10. Fisher Space Infinium Titanium Nitride Ballpoint Pen

There was no way it was not going to be in this list for the simple reason that it will never run out of ink as long as I live. It seems to go on forever. And it has killer, tough looks and feels very comfortable when writing.

Let me know what would be on your “Top 10 Favorite Pens” list. Any thoughts on what should and should not have been on my list? Let me know.