Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark Orion Nebula Diamondcast Fountain Pen Review

I’m trying to place the Edison x Goldspot Pens Newark Orion Nebula in context with all of the other fountain pens that are new to me this year. Why? Because I think it is my favorite.

For starters, the Goldspot exclusive Newark model, made by Edison Pen Co., reminds me of one of my favorite Edison models, the Beaumont. The Beaumont is a smaller, lighter fountain pen, and the Newark is designed along similar lines, with a touch more barrel length and a different grip section design than its pen partner.

In my hand, this leads to a perfect writing experience. I talk about this with other pen models, in that the design allows the writing instrument to morph into an extension of your hand when writing. Not every pen I own feels this way. That’s ok, I love pens that don’t fit this description as well. But the ones that do are in a different category. I know they are great from the moment I pick them up.

This shape isn’t for everyone. My tastes lie in the small and lightweight realm. Others have a better writing experience with big and bulky pens. The design, shape, and weight of the pen play into how enjoyable your writing experience can be.

I’m writing a lot right now, and the Newark has been a workhorse. It is fitted with a stock steel EF Jowo nib, and inked with Van Dieman’s Devil’s Kitchen - a dark turquoise ink.

Why this ink? I’m so glad you asked!

Have you seen this barrel material? I had wanted to try the Newark model since launch for all of the reasons listed above. And once I saw it available in this Diamondcast Orion Nebula? Insta-buy.

Diamondcast is a product from McKenzie Penworks, who designed this material in conjunction with Edison and Goldspot exclusively for this pen. The depths of space are explored, with purple and turquoise swirls making me wonder if there really is life out there somewhere.

Ok, maybe that’s a little much. But this material is awesome, and I love using this pen.

With the Diamondcast material, this limited edition Newark is $225 at Goldspot. Two other standard acrylic Newark models - DC Battery Blue and AC High Voltage Green - are priced at $169. Is the Diamoncast material worth the upgrade? To me it is, but it is admittedly a sizable increase over two other great looking materials in their own right. All of the prices seem in line with their respective offerings.

While the material is a knockout, that doesn’t mean a thing if the pen isn’t enjoyable to use. I see the Newark being a workhorse model for me, and one I may even look at adding another of down the line if the design is as inspiring as this one.

(I purchased this product from Goldspot using my 10% off discount code. Do you need the code for your next purchase? Email me! .)

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Edison Beaumont (top) vs. Newark

Esterbrook JR Paradise Blue Breeze Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

The Esterbrook JR, this petite, lovely pen is designed as a revival of the vintage Esterbrook J, the iconic pocket pen that is still widely popular today. The shape, style, and design of the piece definitely recalls its ancestor, but with a modern twist that will no doubt make this model popular with contemporary pen addicts.

This is a limited edition pen from Esterbrook, part of a seasonal line of tropical inspired colors. This Blue Breeze color is a bright turquoise acrylic with a yellow acrylic end cap "jewel" and gold-plated furniture. It has a gold-plated steel German Schmidt nib. It's also available in “Orange Sunset” and “Lemon Twist” colors, all bright and fun, as well as a few non-limited edition colors.

The nib did need a small bit of tuning out of the box. It's a juicy broad nib, but it dragged a little on horizontal lines. The tines appeared to be aligned, so I smoothed it with a bit of micro-mesh and now all is well. It writes with great ink flow that shows off the qualities of the ink used, and I have not experienced any drying out or hard starts. (Ink shown is Sailor Ink Studio 773.) It takes either a cartridge or converter, and comes with both.

The cap screws securely, the clip is firm but flexible, and the cap does post, though not deeply and you'd risk scratching the acrylic over time. The grip section is in the same blue acrylic and it has been shaped with a nice dip and flare for comfortable writing.

Though it is called a pocket pen, in size and shape it is very similar to a Sailor Pro Gear Slim or a Pelikan M200. Definitely a smaller pen, but not as small as what I'd consider a true pocket pen. It is quite slender, so some folks with larger hands may find it uncomfortable.

This edition can generally be found for about $140, which is a very fair price for its size and quality. I like it a lot and I'm already tempted by the forthcoming "Pumpkin Latte" edition. With the good price, small size, and fun colors, they remind me a bit of where Sailor Pro Gear Slims were six or so years ago, when they were both affordable and collectible. I could definitely see myself collecting a few editions of this charming wee pen.

(Kenro Industries provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Uni-ball Vision Ultra Micro 0.38 mm Review

I’ve had these Uni-ball Vision Ultra Micro rollerball pens in hand for nearly a year now. Uni-ball was kind enough to send them to me, along with some other goods, and I was planning on reviewing them sooner. I swear!

The one thing that held me back was their actual release into stores. They hadn’t really hit the market this time last year, and looking around today, it looks like they are barely available still. Aside from Uni-ball directly, my search only turned them up from Office Depot and Walmart. Not even the Amazon behemoth lists them.

So, what gives? Welcome to the reason I launched The Pen Addict. Micro tip pens will never be the darlings that their 0.7 mm and 1.0 mm counterparts are. Fans of those types of pens have to work to find the pens that they love the most.

Luckily, we have wonderful companies like JetPens to feed our inky addictions. Just don’t expect the big box retailers to ever fully come on board. There is a reason why the G-Tec-C and Signo DX live on a single peg on the bottom shelf of the pen aisle - if at all - regardless of Pilot and Uni-ball’s best intentions. That’s what the market dictates.

With that realization out of the way, let me tell you specifically about these Vision Ultra Micro pens. They’re fantastic. And I don’t say that lightly, because the traditional 0.7 mm Uni-ball Vision is one of my least favorite pens, ever. Why? They can be an inky mess.

If you like wide, bold lines from your liquid ink pens, the standard Vision is a good option. I know friends who swear by them, and artists that use them on the regular. I don’t deal with those wide, wet lines as well as others.

The Vision Ultra Micro though? This tip size mitigates my complaints completely. These pens are fantastic. The line on the page lands somewhere around an 0.4/0.5 mm gel ink pen line, which is great for my regular writing. Artists may like the finer option as well. Could there be a slight bit of feathering or bleed on the wrong paper? Yes, but it is minimal.

Outside of the writing experience, everything else about this pen is pure Vision. Same style, barrel shape, clip, ink formulation - everything. I have no issues recommending these to anyone, but don’t get them confused with the litany of other Vision (or Eye, depending on where you live) pens. I don’t think the wider-tip sizes are a good choice, and I think the Needle model is downright bad. The Vision Elite? It is such a good pen that it doesn’t deserve to be lumped in with the rest of the Vision crew.

Just like the Vision Ultra Micro.

(Uni-ball provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)