Waldmann Manager Fountain Pen
Waldmann pens was founded in 1918 in Pforzheim Germany, which was the capital of traditional jewelry making in the Black Forest. The company has become world renowned for making high-quality writing instruments out of gold and silver and for their innovative designs. I had first learned of Waldmann pens at the Baltimore pen show this past March while speaking with the good people of Luxury Brands. They are the U.S. importer for Waldmann pens and had a beautiful assortment of Waldmann products at the show. They graciously lent me a few products to review and they will be going back to them shortly. First up, is the Waldmann Manager fountain pen, the second review will be of the Waldmann Xetra Vienna fountain pen. That’s right!!! This is a two part review!!! If you would like to learn more about Waldmann and their beautiful products, you can find out all about them on Luxury Brand’s website.
Packaging: The outer box is black cardstock with “Waldmann made in Germany since 1918” as well as the company logo in raised silver lettering. The lid of the outer box comes off and the front flap of the box opens to reveal a black leather inner box. The same words and logo are stamped on the lid and there is a silver plate on the front of the box and lid with “Waldmann” and the logo engraved in grey. The inside of the lid has the same writing and logo in silver. The pen rests on a removable leather bed which sits on top of a warranty card, polishing cloth, and a hangtag showing the pen is made from silver.
First Thoughts: The silver and the engraving pattern are simple but stunning.
Design: The cap finial is flat and has a Waldmann “W” logo engraved on it. The clip extends from below the finial and tapers down to a flat bottom tear drop shaped clip ball. The clip is springy but holds firmly to both my pen case as well as my pocket. Just to the right of the clip is "925" stamped for sterling silver. The cap gradually widens down to a cap band which has “Waldmann” and “Made in Germany” engraved around it. Vertical lines run from just below the cap finial down to a cap band, and from the back of the grip section to a barrel band in front of the piston knob. The bottom finial is almost flat but has a very slight dome shape. The barrel gradually widens from the piston knob to the grip section. There is a very small step down at the cap threads which are very smooth. A clear ink window sits in front of the threads which leads into a smooth tapered grip section with a flared finger stop.
Nib Performance: The nib is a stainless steel Schmidt nib and appears to be a #6 size nib. The nib has decorative scrollwork, the letter “M” for medium, and “Schmidt Iridium Point.” I only performed a dip test for the review, but the nib was buttery smooth and laid down a perfect European medium line.
Filling System: The pen is a piston filler. Although I did not fill the pen for this review, I did operate the filling mechanism and it moved back and forth flawlessly. Interestingly, when the mechanism reaches the filled position, there is a soft clicking instead of a hard stop to let you know you have reached the filled position.
Value: Retail price is $450 USD.
Overall: This is a stunning silver pen. It has a heavy but comfortable weight and the vertical line pattern gives just the right amount of design to the pen without going over the top. At this price point I was a bit surprised that it had a steel nib instead of gold, but it did preform beautifully right out of the box. I feel that this design would fit in everywhere from a classroom to a boardroom.
Specs:
Name: Waldmann Manager
Design: Sterling Silver, piston filled pen
Length: 146mm (5.74 in)
Posted: 174.6mm (6 7/8 in)
Diameter: 13mm (0.51 in)
Weight: 48g (1.69 oz)
Nib: Stainless Steel Schmidt
Filling System: Piston Filler
Pros: Sterling silver body, ink window, beautiful engraving and design
Cons: Steel nib for the price, but writes as perfectly as a gold nib
In the same price range:
Lamy Imporium
Montegrappa Harry Potter
Aurora Talentum Black Ops
