OPUS 88 Mini fountain pen
Michael Hsu has been building the OPUS 88 brand for the past two decades by crafting each design to high standards. Since 1988, Michael worked as an OEM/ODM supplier and has developed a reputation for excellence. This reputation is well deserved, and their dedication is clearly evident in the fountain pens OPUS 88 produces. I have previously reviewed the Opus 88 Koloro, Picnic, Fantasia, Bela, Jazz, and OMAR models. Just before the holidays, I received a small package from OPUS 88 with a holiday card and their 2021 Holiday Edition Mini fountain pen. This is a recent addition to their line up and comes in a large variety of designs. Thanks go out to them for sending this beauty to me and you can learn more about their products at the OPUS 88 website.
Packaging: This was a sample model sent to me, so it arrived in a paper envelope. I would imagine that the packaging would be like their other designs which is simple but effective and usually includes a glass eyedropper to fill the pen.
First Thoughts: Wow this is a small pen, the cap design is adorable, and the green is perfect for the holidays.
Design: The design resembles a baby Omar fountain pen. The cap has a glossy black dome which rests atop a silver clip ring and a clip with a raised center extends down the cap and tapers to a rounded point. The cap is a glossy white and is the focal point of the pen. It has a cute illustration of a little girl in a green dress holding a heart shaped balloon which forms the “O” in the word Love. In black script at the base of the cap is “Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2022 by OPUS 88.” The bottom finial and ink shutoff valve are the same color as the cap finial with a silver ring. The green body is slightly translucent and gradually widens until it reaches the cap band/barrel band which is engraved with “OPUS 88.” The band is interesting since it looks like it is part of the cap, but it is on the body. It gives a nice grip point on the pen as well and balances nicely in my hand. Infront of the band are the cap thread which are small and smooth and lead into the black tapered grip section and nib. The cap does post which helps with the length of the pen if you prefer a longer pen. I have fairly large hands and I could use the pen unposted comfortably, even for longer writing sessions.
Nib Performance: I received a broad nib for this review. The mini uses a #5 JOWO stainless steel nib which performed beautifully but did write closer to a medium than the broad I am used to from JOWO. In traditional JOWO style, there is simple scrollwork around the edges of the nib, below the circular breather hole is “OPUS 88” and a “B” for broad. You can adjust the wetness of the nib by opening or closing the shutoff valve which controls how much ink flows to the feed.
Filling System: The pens are eyedropper filled and they hold a large amount of ink. I have found that if you open the ink shutoff valve it makes it easier to fill the pen as well. To fill the pen, you unscrew the grip section to open the barrel. Once this is open, you fill the included eyedropper with your ink of choice and fill the barrel until just below the top of the ink shutoff valve rod inside the pen. Then simply screw the grip section back onto the body. This model pen holds around 1.5 ml of ink as well.
Value: The pen retails for $79 USD.
Overall: I love pocket pens but the biggest drawback I have found is that they typically have small ink supplies so you would keep extra cartridges in your bag. OPUS 88 has found the solution to this and incorporated their awesome ink shutoff valve eyedropper system into a perfect size for a pocket pen. OPUS 88 has consistently introduced innovative designs with amazing materials and themes. I love this design and that they are breaking into designs other than large or oversize pens. I can’t wait to see what they come out with next!
Specs:
Name: OPUS 88 Mini
Design: Acrylic eyedropper
Length: 117.3mm (4.62in)
Posted: 138.2mm (5.44in)
Diameter: 14.5mm (0.57in)
Weight: 24g (0.84oz)
Nib: Stainless Steel #5 JOWO
Filling System: Eyedropper with a shutoff valve
Pros: Huge ink supply, beautiful material, awesome design
Cons: None
In the same price range:
Conklin Duragraph
TWSBI Diamond 580
Sheaffer Icon
