WatermanCarène Fountain Pen | Metal & Blue Lacquer | Chiselled Cap | 18K Gold Medium Nib | Blue Ink | Gift Box

EDITED: 03/09/2018 - Mechanical failure required return. see below.I bought this item for myself using money given to me in lieu of inheritance. I wanted something special, timeless and lasting to remember the benefactor by. Not being one for jewellery, a fountain pen I could use for professionally made sense.I've never owned a Waterman. I've had several Parkers which, with hindsight, I have learned were fairly poor writers. I recently invested in a Lamy Studio which has so far been an excellent companion. I can safely say the Carène blows any of these out of the water. Mine is finihsed in the Amber Lacquer. I was wondering whether it might feel slightly cheap compared to say a full metal body creation but it doesn't. It feels solid and shimmers wonderfully in the light. The richness of the amber finish is very very accurate. The nib curving into the frame of the pen is, as far as I can see, unique and looks brilliant. The golden trim looks and feels first rate.The pen is presented in a gift box from Waterman with a converter pre-fitted to the pen and a spare cartridge underneath the pad. I chose to use Waterman's violet ink (who needs office etiquette eh?) and boy did it deliver. The pen flows like it's writing on water. I wonder whether the ink is a little wetter than Parker or Lamy inks which contributes to this. The fine nib doesn't scratch or catch at all like they usually do. Honestly this is the smoothest writer I've ever had. The only slight downside is a minor tendency to put a little more ink down on the page than perhaps I'd like as it makes my handwriting quite a challenge to read.If you are in the market for a timeless piece that you can use day to day, look no further. Waterman really have made a winner here.Edit: It is with great regret that I have unfortunately had to request a return from Amazon who have been excellent in dealing with my issue. The pen has, about two weeks after buying, begun leaking constantly whether using bottled or cartridge ink. I have to make sure there is a paper towl nearby to clean the pen down after every use and it has already left unsightly marks on skin, clothes and documents. It's a beautiful thing and writes beautifully but clearly the build quality is not up to scratch.

I like fountain pens. It's my guilty pleasure. I like collecting new, old, cheap and expensive.I just like how they are superior to every other writing medium, well that's how I see it.I have found some cheap gems and some very expensive stinkers (that's you Mont Blanc <insert any model they make here>).This pen sits comfortably in the affordable end, but still be a considerable amount to spend and therefore needs to be good at what it does. This *is* good at what it does.It has a kind of pleasant sexy (hmm yes I just said that..) feel and look about it, but doesn't trade off writing ability. The nib is really first class for this price and it will serve you well for years to come.Unfussy ink converter size that has the ability to take standard cartridges also, so no need to buy bottled ink if you don't want to (but go on... just try it... once you do you will never go back to cartridges). Oops, doing my stationary pushing thing again. Sorry.A lovely pen that would make a generous statement gift, or better still present for yourself.Enjoy!

Having read the reviews both on Amazon and elsewhere I decided to go for this pen. The pen looked beautiful and was different from the mainstream. Having been a lover of Sailor pens from Japan and with now Sailor pens now having reached high prices, I decided to go French and choose Waterman. In hindsight, this has turned out to be a mistake. First the positives the pen writes well ( or glides across the paper ). The medium nib I ordered turned out broad than medium. With the cap posted, the balance is good and those that like a slightly heavier pen will like this. Now the negatives I had to send the first one back to Amazon as the pen converter mechanism did not work properly and I got inky hands & fingers. The second one is better but not great. The suction is not as great as Parker, Sheaffer or even the older Conway Stewart's and you end up with bubbles. Therefore I would suggest those considering this pen should stick to cartridges. However, be aware that the medium nib is not by any standards a standard medium ( I am not comparing versus a Japanese medium) but would call it broad. In all the look and feel is great. Writing ( unless you prefer broad ) not as good. The most disappointing is the poor converter mechanism. Guess I have to stick to cartridges!

Purchased this pen exactly 5 years ago, and have used and loved it every single day. Unfortunately a crack developed on the front of the pen which I was very upset about. So I checked Waterman warranties (on their website) and discovered that the pen has a standard 3 year warranty which can be extend two years if registering the product. So I did, 4 years and 11 months after purchase. I contacted Waterman at the same time to explain the situation. Without hassle, they honoured the warranty and repaired my pen in less than two weeks (they organised shipping to and from France via UPS). The pen is beautiful, definitely recommend the design, flow of ink, and I am left very impressed by their customer service! Buy in confidence!