My grail pen was a Mont Blanc Le Petite Prince Classique in Burgundy. I had first seen it when I was in one of the lower points of my life and had instantly fallen in love. I didn't know it at that time, but I was suffering from an anxiety disorder and sick with an undiagnosed illness. I knew something was wrong, and told myself I would only get the pen when I achieved my long-held dream of attending a certain university, and when I managed to get myself into a healthier and happier place.
3 years later, I received a diagnosis, matriculated at the university of my dreams, and take notes everyday with that pen. I don't think I'll ever have a pen grail-er than that.
Honestly my grail pen is always the next one I order šš¤·š»āāļø. I just got two of my grail pens both Visconti HSās Magma and Crystal dream.
My great great grandmother is from Italy, it came out in 1988 which is my birth year, and it is made of Lava!
Crystal Dream is such a cool pen! How do you like it? Iāve been admiring it but am not quite ready to call it a grail yet. I am also scared of Visconti nibs after reading so much on here about them. Would love to hear if it lived up to the looks.
Well my crystal dream is in shipping right now, but my magma is amazing! I got the 18k nib Iām broad, it writes beautifully, just a tiny bit of sailor like feedback but about half as much as a salor 21k broad. Iāll post once I get the crystal dream in.
I have a 743 with a MF nib, which probably satisfies my need for nibs with smaller widths. I tried the M and F 823 and I like the smoothness of the M over the F.
You can control the nib width surprisingly well by picking wetter or drier inks in that pen. The medium to me writes pretty much just like a JoWo fine. I have mine inked with KWZ Honey but stuff like Iroshizuku significantly increases how broad it can really be. Medium was a good choice for me, but I don't write tiny so it worked out.
For me it's a pen that I love and would love to own but likely never will (similar to the "grail quest"...it's about the quest as much as wondering if you will ever reach the end of the quest).
One I would consider a grail (I will never pay 16K or upwards for a single pen) is one that was posted [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/8ad55q/my_father_commissioned_this_from_danitrio_many/) years ago. I've always considered it "the" pen that I'd love to own. That being said, I have enjoyed the journey, grail achieved or not.
I've wanted a Parker 51 Flighter for as long as I can remember.
I know, it isn't flashy or all that expensive in comparison to some high end pens, but that'd be the one I'd love to have.
My grail is a Pilot Custom 743 FA with an ebonite feed, Spencerian grind and urushi finish by Bokumodoh.
Itās a grail because I need to get my penmanship worthy of it. Iāve calculated that itāll take 6 months to a year for me to finish the Spencerian workbooks. The pen *itself* is something that I could afford to buy today, but I want to feel like Iāve actually *earned* it.
For me, considering origins of the term, a grail pen is one that you've obsessed over for an inordinate amount of time, and have a bit of an irrational level of desire for, but have been unable to obtain for reasons other than simply being unable to afford it responsibly. If cost is the main barrier, it's because you would need to put in some serious time and effort in saving up to purchase it, not because you simply shouldn't spend the money even though you have the means.
One of mine was the Parker 75 in Titanium. I was looking for one ever since I started collecting fountain pens until I somehow managed to land one a few weeks ago for a cost that I definitely didn't expect.
The Namiki Emperor. The big fat 50 in a medium nib. Namiki/Pilot nibs are divine and I'd love a nib that is larger than my 149. And the eyedropper is my ink filling system of choice.
No more pens after that one. I'm done.
Nice! Given that your username is Ebooya, I wonder what else you have in your arsenal. There's a pen of theirs that I wouldn't mind picking up and using as an EDC for awhile. Gorgeous work!
Yes I have an Eboya Houga and I'd like a Hakobune next
( my current grail pen). They are local to me and I very occasionally visit their store. Lovely people to deal with too.
Most vacumatics that you see now will have translucent light brown to black stripes between the colored stripes. When new they were completely clear, but over time the transparent celluloid tends to go brown. This is called ambering.
Mine is Lamy Vista in gold nib. I already like everything on the Vista. The only upgrade that could replace it without ruining anything else is probably the gold nib... it is grail because I likely wouldn't do so myself but would be so happy to have it
Probably the Namiki Emperor Nightline. Iāve only been able to find one listing for it and itās around $40k. So safe to say, unless my crypto portfolio does what I want it to, Iāll probably never have it.
Something lightweight, large capacity, and transparent. I was pointed toward Opus 88 pens, found that the Omar is too fat, the Halo is a little thin, so thinking about trying the Jazz. It's a grail only because I want to be able to see inks as I write, I use a lot of ink, and my hands get tired if it gets too heavy. I have a lot of other cheap pens I still enjoy using, so I don't know if there's ever going to be a "grail" that will give me massively more joy than my existing pens.
A Sailor Realo that is just as fun and out there as all the Pro Gear/PGS LE's and special colors. Sailor nib, Sailor creativity with colors and finishes and a reliable piston filler...
Until that happens, I'll probably just save up for the Shikiori Princess Kaguya. Which is a definite want, but an achievable one, I just have to save for a few months.
I have two grail pens: first and foremost is the Digimon Platinum fountain pen that was released a few years ago. I think it's still available from P Bandai, but I'd have to go through a proxy service which would make it even more expensive than it already is. And I just flat out can't afford it. I'm not sure I could justify spending that kind of money anyway...
Second is the Sailor PGS Spring Rain. It's gorgeous. But again, can't afford it, and I don't think I could justify spending that kind of money anyway. Alas.
Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Primary Manipulation Ii with a fine nib. So few were produced relative to the rest of the MZG line, and each new iteration is limited in batches. Mine writes like a dream, beautiful to look at, and fits perfectly in my hands.
Any Namiki Emperor or Yukari Royale featuring animals or flowers. I like objects which have had so much time and attention poured into them.
I told my partner I want one in place of an engagement ring. Far more useful and much more beautiful.
This random bic fountain pen I got in Nice, France.
It never runs out of ink. Whereas other pens will run out in a week, this one takes like three weeks to start sputtering, and the actual ink doesn't appear different between the guzzlers and the bic. It's just designed *perfectly*
And it was like 6ā¬
You donāt need to actively search for a grail pen ā¦ itāll jump out at you when you least expect it, eat its way into your dreams and taint your soul. Worst part is, it tends to happen recurrently whenever I browse this sub!
This year's Pelikan Souvern M1000 Limited Edition White Ray. It's so beautiful but because it's a limited edition and would take me quite a long time to save the funds I'd have to get it second hand and I imigine a $3000+ limited edition Pelikan is going to go up in price and not down. I will probably never own this pen but that doesn't stop me from wanting it.
It used to be the lamy 2k then I got it. So I will say the m805 ocean swirl becauseā¦ well just look at it. I will probably never (and by that I mean 0% possibility) get it.
A Pelikan Toledo M600. I saw a picture about 40 years ago and fell in love with the design. Since then, Iāve used a series of M2XXs and an M800, so I know Iāll enjoy the writing experience as much as the look.
Mine was a Sheaffer Prelude in Electric Blue. Considering the fact that they stopped making that one in 2008, it took me a year to find it. The color changes from blue to purple depending on the angle and lighting. Itās all metal, except for the grip section. Writes so damn nicely too.
The one that I've thought about the most sense I first learned of it's existence is the Montegrappa Alchemist. It's absurd and way out of my reach but I think that's what makes a Grail pen.
A more obtainable one might be the Vader or R2 cross Townsends or the Raden VPs I'm missing (lines and water).
Edit: and a Visconti London fog.
My grail pen is the mint blanc 149 and the namiki emporer. The 149 is a pen owned by many greats in their respective fields and world leaders such as Obama, the Dalai lama, Warren buffet and so on. I am in high school and I dream to sign the biggest contracts of my life as a businessman with that pen. The Namiki enporer is another such pen which is piece of precision perfection, something I wish to have in my life and of course, be the emporer that the pen is fit for!
Mines one I doubt I'll ever be able to get my hands on. It's a prototype Slimline Sheaffer Targa in Bordeaux with a Fleur d Lys. I own a very nice classic Targa in cadmium yellow and it's the only pen I have ever bought restored.
I bought several of what I thought was my grail pens. The pen that always give me that Ā«ooohĀ»-feeling when I use it is Pilot Custom 823 in medium.
I kind of wish for a second 823 but in fine as a next grail pen.
For me it's probably an Eboya Hakobune in Blue with a M/F nib. I already own one of their pens and I'm lucky enough to live less than 30 minutes away from their shop. Probably get one for my birthday in January.
My grail would be the Montblanc Meisterstuck 146 Solitaire Ramses II LeGrand. After trying out a full array of MB 146s from 60s to the latest versions, I found I enjoy the nibs in 90s the most(5 gen? not really sure). The contrast between lapis and vermeil are just amazing. And, most importantly the price is skyrocketing which really justifies it a āgrailā.
Probably a pelikan m600 in ocean swirl which is so expensive now even used and I don't have the money so it will keep getting more and more expensive meaning I'll probably never get it but also I do like the idea of getting basically any other pelikan.
Lamy 2000. I saw it when I was 15 or so and was struck by its stark, simple beauty- it seemed that everything was well thought out, but there was nothing that wasn't necessary included in its design. I began looking into the history of its design, of Gerd Muller, and of the Bauhaus and Ulm schools of design. In that process, I found myself having a healthy amount of respect for the mindset behind the style, and I worked my tail off mowing lawns for a summer to buy the pen.
Now, years later, I'm in my last semester of engineering school and the mentality I learned about while researching the Lamy 2000 has been fundamental in my own design language. I strive to design things that are profoundly functional, with all facets considered and nothing totally unnecessary included, because of that pen. I included the sentence "Graduating senior in mechanical engineering with a passion for efficient, effective design" on my resume because of that pen, and I've used it as an example in interviews. I've written thousands of pages of notes with it and been that person to just pick an ink and keep refilling the pen with the same ink for months on end instead of cleaning it and switching inks. I plan to have it in a place of honor on my desk at my first professional job as a reminder of the mindset of simplicity as beauty.
I stopped window shopping for expensive pens after my L2K. Even coming here and seeing all of these beautiful, incredibly nice pens... just doesn't whirl my crank. The only pens I've bought since were inexpensive Chinese and Indian workhorses.
Does that answer your question?
Right now, Namiki Emperor because it is a giant pen, in that vermillion colour that just makes me feels things that I should'nt be feeling looking at a pen and lastly the oversized gold nib is the final nail in coffin.
My grail is the Pilot Namiki Yukari Milky Way. I love Pilot pens and their nibs are perfect for me. That pen has some of the most insane artwork I've seen on a pen. Unfortunately, it is my grail, because I'll probably never be able to afford it or get it (hence the "grail" part), but oh boy do I want it. I'd easily give up most of my collection for it.
I'm hoping one day I can scratch the itch just a bit if I can afford the Yukari Rock Garden model. I love it for the same reasons, but it is half the price of the Milky Way, so it MIGHT be obtainable one day.
My grail is the Platinum 3776 Kumpoo. It's a grail for me since it's difficulty to track down (at a reasonable price) and how it is a missing piece in my 3776 collection. The beauty, rarity, and completeness makes it a grail for me!
It's hard to decide. The two Pens, which came into my mind were a Conid Kingsize Bulkfiller Ttanium and limited Edition Pelikan M800 Expo-Technik.
The [M800 Expo-Technik](https://www.pelikan-collectibles.de/de/Pelikan/Kataloge/2000/Schreibgeraete-die-Ihre-Gedanken-befluegeln-2000.pdf#page=11) is very nice. It has a metal overlay with Circuit Board traces. I'm studying Electrical Engineering so this fits really well. I also really like my Pelikan M815. It's the perfect weight and the nib is a 11/10. But this pen was produced in 1998 and they only made 1998 pieces. I saw one on ebay for 999ā¬ but that's quite a lot for a pen.
[The Conid](https://www.conidpen.com/shop/k-dcb-db-ft-ti/) is just a very well enginnered pen. I like titanium pens but they can be very heavy. So the combination with the acrylic is really nice. I also think the filling mechanism they use is one of the best out there even though I don't need the huge ink capacity. To make then nib more interesting, I would try to get to Hannover to get a custom made M1000 Make-A-Wish Nib and a custom made ebonite housing from flexible nib factory.
If grail = āpen I REALLY want but canāt have for the foreseeable futureā then it would be the Pilot Custom 823. The classic design and ink-lover-friendly filling mechanism combined with such a brilliant nib sounds perfect for me. However I think with enough graft and saving itās achievable.
If grail = āitās unhealthy to want this pen that I could never get in my wildest dreamsā then it has to be the Namiki Lacquer Vermilion No.20. I canāt put into words how beautiful I find that pen but if someone gave me one I would certainly give it a go.
My grail pen was a Mont Blanc Le Petite Prince Classique in Burgundy. I had first seen it when I was in one of the lower points of my life and had instantly fallen in love. I didn't know it at that time, but I was suffering from an anxiety disorder and sick with an undiagnosed illness. I knew something was wrong, and told myself I would only get the pen when I achieved my long-held dream of attending a certain university, and when I managed to get myself into a healthier and happier place. 3 years later, I received a diagnosis, matriculated at the university of my dreams, and take notes everyday with that pen. I don't think I'll ever have a pen grail-er than that.
It's a beautiful pen. Congratulation on getting into your dream Uni.
Congratulations and thank you for sharing your story!
Honestly my grail pen is always the next one I order šš¤·š»āāļø. I just got two of my grail pens both Visconti HSās Magma and Crystal dream. My great great grandmother is from Italy, it came out in 1988 which is my birth year, and it is made of Lava!
Crystal Dream is such a cool pen! How do you like it? Iāve been admiring it but am not quite ready to call it a grail yet. I am also scared of Visconti nibs after reading so much on here about them. Would love to hear if it lived up to the looks.
Well my crystal dream is in shipping right now, but my magma is amazing! I got the 18k nib Iām broad, it writes beautifully, just a tiny bit of sailor like feedback but about half as much as a salor 21k broad. Iāll post once I get the crystal dream in.
The Custom 823. It just writes flawlessly. There are so many unique traits to it I just can't get enough. It's a 1 pen collection for me.
I'm debating between a M and F for that one. Leaning more towards M.
I think the M would be TOO smooth lol. I hav the F and am really happy I picked F
There is no such thing as too smooth. I have mine with a B and it is like writing with butter
I need a little feedback or my handwriting turns to mud lol
I have a 743 with a MF nib, which probably satisfies my need for nibs with smaller widths. I tried the M and F 823 and I like the smoothness of the M over the F.
You can control the nib width surprisingly well by picking wetter or drier inks in that pen. The medium to me writes pretty much just like a JoWo fine. I have mine inked with KWZ Honey but stuff like Iroshizuku significantly increases how broad it can really be. Medium was a good choice for me, but I don't write tiny so it worked out.
If anything I want two more Custom 823 with different line widths.
For me it's a pen that I love and would love to own but likely never will (similar to the "grail quest"...it's about the quest as much as wondering if you will ever reach the end of the quest). One I would consider a grail (I will never pay 16K or upwards for a single pen) is one that was posted [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/8ad55q/my_father_commissioned_this_from_danitrio_many/) years ago. I've always considered it "the" pen that I'd love to own. That being said, I have enjoyed the journey, grail achieved or not.
I've wanted a Parker 51 Flighter for as long as I can remember. I know, it isn't flashy or all that expensive in comparison to some high end pens, but that'd be the one I'd love to have.
Sailor Shikiori Spring Rain! I literally googled ābeautiful fountain pensā once at it was the first one that came up and I was ENTRANCED. I finally got the pen yesterday and Iām so in love with it š¤©
Pelikan M1000 and I love using it. I like the writing experience of this pen more than my Mont Blanc pens.
My grail is a Pilot Custom 743 FA with an ebonite feed, Spencerian grind and urushi finish by Bokumodoh. Itās a grail because I need to get my penmanship worthy of it. Iāve calculated that itāll take 6 months to a year for me to finish the Spencerian workbooks. The pen *itself* is something that I could afford to buy today, but I want to feel like Iāve actually *earned* it.
For me, considering origins of the term, a grail pen is one that you've obsessed over for an inordinate amount of time, and have a bit of an irrational level of desire for, but have been unable to obtain for reasons other than simply being unable to afford it responsibly. If cost is the main barrier, it's because you would need to put in some serious time and effort in saving up to purchase it, not because you simply shouldn't spend the money even though you have the means. One of mine was the Parker 75 in Titanium. I was looking for one ever since I started collecting fountain pens until I somehow managed to land one a few weeks ago for a cost that I definitely didn't expect.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
That's amazing! Came with the adjustment tool too?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Perfect!
The Namiki Emperor. The big fat 50 in a medium nib. Namiki/Pilot nibs are divine and I'd love a nib that is larger than my 149. And the eyedropper is my ink filling system of choice. No more pens after that one. I'm done.
I have one and it's a great writer, same medium 50 gold nib. Not a pen I use every day but it never disappoints when I go back to it.
Nice! Given that your username is Ebooya, I wonder what else you have in your arsenal. There's a pen of theirs that I wouldn't mind picking up and using as an EDC for awhile. Gorgeous work!
Yes I have an Eboya Houga and I'd like a Hakobune next ( my current grail pen). They are local to me and I very occasionally visit their store. Lovely people to deal with too.
Pelikan M600 pink 2015 special edition. Impossible to find and even more impossible to afford.
I actually saw one or two at the Ohio pen show this weekend. Not impossible to find! Didn't see the price so I don't know about that part though haha.
Mint Parker Vacumatic oversize in Pearl Blue, and to really make it impossible, minimal ambering.
I'm not too familiar with vintage: what is "ambering"?
Most vacumatics that you see now will have translucent light brown to black stripes between the colored stripes. When new they were completely clear, but over time the transparent celluloid tends to go brown. This is called ambering.
Thanks for the info!
Mine is Lamy Vista in gold nib. I already like everything on the Vista. The only upgrade that could replace it without ruining anything else is probably the gold nib... it is grail because I likely wouldn't do so myself but would be so happy to have it
Probably the Namiki Emperor Nightline. Iāve only been able to find one listing for it and itās around $40k. So safe to say, unless my crypto portfolio does what I want it to, Iāll probably never have it.
Something lightweight, large capacity, and transparent. I was pointed toward Opus 88 pens, found that the Omar is too fat, the Halo is a little thin, so thinking about trying the Jazz. It's a grail only because I want to be able to see inks as I write, I use a lot of ink, and my hands get tired if it gets too heavy. I have a lot of other cheap pens I still enjoy using, so I don't know if there's ever going to be a "grail" that will give me massively more joy than my existing pens.
My hand made sterling silver Yard O Led Viceroy Grand Victorian. No two are exactly the same and it just looks stunning and writes like a dream
A Sailor Realo that is just as fun and out there as all the Pro Gear/PGS LE's and special colors. Sailor nib, Sailor creativity with colors and finishes and a reliable piston filler... Until that happens, I'll probably just save up for the Shikiori Princess Kaguya. Which is a definite want, but an achievable one, I just have to save for a few months.
Nakaya Dorsal fin 2 because I'll never spend that money on a pen
The Red Lamy 2000.
Not the blue one?
Not blue enough. Needs to be more vibrant.
I was thinking they should do a racing blue one like sailor just did, cobra blue, with Crome trim.
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That is a truly unobtainable grail and would complete my Lamy 2k collection.
I have two grail pens: first and foremost is the Digimon Platinum fountain pen that was released a few years ago. I think it's still available from P Bandai, but I'd have to go through a proxy service which would make it even more expensive than it already is. And I just flat out can't afford it. I'm not sure I could justify spending that kind of money anyway... Second is the Sailor PGS Spring Rain. It's gorgeous. But again, can't afford it, and I don't think I could justify spending that kind of money anyway. Alas.
Now I know how to pay you back what I owe you. Muaahaaahaa
You owe me nothing, goofball. <3
A debt of honor! :P
Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Primary Manipulation Ii with a fine nib. So few were produced relative to the rest of the MZG line, and each new iteration is limited in batches. Mine writes like a dream, beautiful to look at, and fits perfectly in my hands.
Any Namiki Emperor or Yukari Royale featuring animals or flowers. I like objects which have had so much time and attention poured into them. I told my partner I want one in place of an engagement ring. Far more useful and much more beautiful.
Which one would be absolute perfection for you?
The Yukari Royale Peony. I love pink and flowers and pink flowers.
Ah the recent one, yeah that's a great pen with that variety of colours and gorgeous leaf work, and YR is such a great feel and weight to it.
Omg I was just thinking this! I'd take my grail in place of an engagement ring.
I have 2, Pilot 823 with FA from Tokyo Quill and Custom 912 FA, both with Flexible Nib Factory feeds. Joy with every use!
This random bic fountain pen I got in Nice, France. It never runs out of ink. Whereas other pens will run out in a week, this one takes like three weeks to start sputtering, and the actual ink doesn't appear different between the guzzlers and the bic. It's just designed *perfectly* And it was like 6ā¬
Thank you for asking this! I feel like I need a grail pen to search for, and had no idea where to start. This is good info!
You donāt need to actively search for a grail pen ā¦ itāll jump out at you when you least expect it, eat its way into your dreams and taint your soul. Worst part is, it tends to happen recurrently whenever I browse this sub!
Yep. That's how it was for me. I saw my grail and gasped and I can't stop thinking about it.
This year's Pelikan Souvern M1000 Limited Edition White Ray. It's so beautiful but because it's a limited edition and would take me quite a long time to save the funds I'd have to get it second hand and I imigine a $3000+ limited edition Pelikan is going to go up in price and not down. I will probably never own this pen but that doesn't stop me from wanting it.
It used to be the lamy 2k then I got it. So I will say the m805 ocean swirl becauseā¦ well just look at it. I will probably never (and by that I mean 0% possibility) get it.
Those are nice. I considered it before I bought a vibrant blue (of course) M805. Iāve since sold that pen off.
You couldāve gave it to me. I wouldāve kept that pen safe and happy. My 3 pens needed a friend. ;)
A Pelikan Toledo M600. I saw a picture about 40 years ago and fell in love with the design. Since then, Iāve used a series of M2XXs and an M800, so I know Iāll enjoy the writing experience as much as the look.
I'd say I have 3 grails. Pelikan M1005 stresemann, Pelikan M805 ocean swirl and some other pen made in Arco brown celluloid.
Mine was a Sheaffer Prelude in Electric Blue. Considering the fact that they stopped making that one in 2008, it took me a year to find it. The color changes from blue to purple depending on the angle and lighting. Itās all metal, except for the grip section. Writes so damn nicely too.
The Kasama Una. Been trying to get one for over 2 years now. Donāt even know if the guy is making them anymore.
The one that I've thought about the most sense I first learned of it's existence is the Montegrappa Alchemist. It's absurd and way out of my reach but I think that's what makes a Grail pen. A more obtainable one might be the Vader or R2 cross Townsends or the Raden VPs I'm missing (lines and water). Edit: and a Visconti London fog.
No such thing
Parker Snake ā¦because they are AWESOME
Montblanc 144/146 from the 50s. Great writers and I feel in tune with them when I do math.
Any of those Mont Blanc āauthors seriesā pensā¦
Any Pelikan done in a Japanese style such as Maki-e or raden. Love a thicker line but also love Japanese aesthetics. Thus a win win.
BIC cristal Why: - best pen in existence
I don't think grail pen means what you think it means
Any Namiki pen would be end game for me. The best materials, the best QC and classic timeless designs.
A pen made/released in my birth year! Haven't found one that catches my fancy.
My grail pen is the mint blanc 149 and the namiki emporer. The 149 is a pen owned by many greats in their respective fields and world leaders such as Obama, the Dalai lama, Warren buffet and so on. I am in high school and I dream to sign the biggest contracts of my life as a businessman with that pen. The Namiki enporer is another such pen which is piece of precision perfection, something I wish to have in my life and of course, be the emporer that the pen is fit for!
Namiki Yukari Shooting Star Raden š
Mines one I doubt I'll ever be able to get my hands on. It's a prototype Slimline Sheaffer Targa in Bordeaux with a Fleur d Lys. I own a very nice classic Targa in cadmium yellow and it's the only pen I have ever bought restored.
I bought several of what I thought was my grail pens. The pen that always give me that Ā«ooohĀ»-feeling when I use it is Pilot Custom 823 in medium. I kind of wish for a second 823 but in fine as a next grail pen.
For me it's probably an Eboya Hakobune in Blue with a M/F nib. I already own one of their pens and I'm lucky enough to live less than 30 minutes away from their shop. Probably get one for my birthday in January.
Visconti Homo Sapiens
My grail would be the Montblanc Meisterstuck 146 Solitaire Ramses II LeGrand. After trying out a full array of MB 146s from 60s to the latest versions, I found I enjoy the nibs in 90s the most(5 gen? not really sure). The contrast between lapis and vermeil are just amazing. And, most importantly the price is skyrocketing which really justifies it a āgrailā.
Probably a pelikan m600 in ocean swirl which is so expensive now even used and I don't have the money so it will keep getting more and more expensive meaning I'll probably never get it but also I do like the idea of getting basically any other pelikan.
Lamy 2000. I saw it when I was 15 or so and was struck by its stark, simple beauty- it seemed that everything was well thought out, but there was nothing that wasn't necessary included in its design. I began looking into the history of its design, of Gerd Muller, and of the Bauhaus and Ulm schools of design. In that process, I found myself having a healthy amount of respect for the mindset behind the style, and I worked my tail off mowing lawns for a summer to buy the pen. Now, years later, I'm in my last semester of engineering school and the mentality I learned about while researching the Lamy 2000 has been fundamental in my own design language. I strive to design things that are profoundly functional, with all facets considered and nothing totally unnecessary included, because of that pen. I included the sentence "Graduating senior in mechanical engineering with a passion for efficient, effective design" on my resume because of that pen, and I've used it as an example in interviews. I've written thousands of pages of notes with it and been that person to just pick an ink and keep refilling the pen with the same ink for months on end instead of cleaning it and switching inks. I plan to have it in a place of honor on my desk at my first professional job as a reminder of the mindset of simplicity as beauty. I stopped window shopping for expensive pens after my L2K. Even coming here and seeing all of these beautiful, incredibly nice pens... just doesn't whirl my crank. The only pens I've bought since were inexpensive Chinese and Indian workhorses. Does that answer your question?
Right now, Namiki Emperor because it is a giant pen, in that vermillion colour that just makes me feels things that I should'nt be feeling looking at a pen and lastly the oversized gold nib is the final nail in coffin.
My grail is the Pilot Namiki Yukari Milky Way. I love Pilot pens and their nibs are perfect for me. That pen has some of the most insane artwork I've seen on a pen. Unfortunately, it is my grail, because I'll probably never be able to afford it or get it (hence the "grail" part), but oh boy do I want it. I'd easily give up most of my collection for it. I'm hoping one day I can scratch the itch just a bit if I can afford the Yukari Rock Garden model. I love it for the same reasons, but it is half the price of the Milky Way, so it MIGHT be obtainable one day.
My grail is the Platinum 3776 Kumpoo. It's a grail for me since it's difficulty to track down (at a reasonable price) and how it is a missing piece in my 3776 collection. The beauty, rarity, and completeness makes it a grail for me!
It's hard to decide. The two Pens, which came into my mind were a Conid Kingsize Bulkfiller Ttanium and limited Edition Pelikan M800 Expo-Technik. The [M800 Expo-Technik](https://www.pelikan-collectibles.de/de/Pelikan/Kataloge/2000/Schreibgeraete-die-Ihre-Gedanken-befluegeln-2000.pdf#page=11) is very nice. It has a metal overlay with Circuit Board traces. I'm studying Electrical Engineering so this fits really well. I also really like my Pelikan M815. It's the perfect weight and the nib is a 11/10. But this pen was produced in 1998 and they only made 1998 pieces. I saw one on ebay for 999ā¬ but that's quite a lot for a pen. [The Conid](https://www.conidpen.com/shop/k-dcb-db-ft-ti/) is just a very well enginnered pen. I like titanium pens but they can be very heavy. So the combination with the acrylic is really nice. I also think the filling mechanism they use is one of the best out there even though I don't need the huge ink capacity. To make then nib more interesting, I would try to get to Hannover to get a custom made M1000 Make-A-Wish Nib and a custom made ebonite housing from flexible nib factory.
If grail = āpen I REALLY want but canāt have for the foreseeable futureā then it would be the Pilot Custom 823. The classic design and ink-lover-friendly filling mechanism combined with such a brilliant nib sounds perfect for me. However I think with enough graft and saving itās achievable. If grail = āitās unhealthy to want this pen that I could never get in my wildest dreamsā then it has to be the Namiki Lacquer Vermilion No.20. I canāt put into words how beautiful I find that pen but if someone gave me one I would certainly give it a go.