I have been very fortunate of late to strike up a discussion with Jac Zagoory of Jac Zagoory Designs, who designs some of the coolest pens and desk accessories around. He has offered Pen Addict readers a 15% discount at his online store JZPens.com for the month of May (use the code "mayiswarm"), and graciously has sent me a few items for review. First up is the Pocket PC, a great play on the lost art of writing.
Design: The design of the Pocket PC is definitely its biggest selling point. This is not to detract from the other elements of the pen, but rather to enhance them. If you are buying this pen, you are buying it for looks, to be talked about, and for its overall coolness factor. It really is a looker too. The keyboard design is done extremely well and accurately, and Jac even throws in some of his flair with his JZ logo where the Windows or Apple key goes. I'm a details person, and I love taking in everything this pen has to offer.
Did I mention the pen box/packaging that this comes in? Killer design and a great way to show off Jac's handiwork. (See additional photos at the bottom of this post)
Performance: What are looks without performance? Fortunately, this pen delivers in that area as well. The ink cartridge is a Schmidt Safety Ceramic Roller model #888 F, which is a high quality German ink refill used in many rollerball pens. The width of the line is approximately 0.7mm, and the ink flows effortlessly with no skipping at all. The Pocket PC writes like a champ.
Construction: This is easily the heaviest pen I own, but that is mostly because I use disposable gel ink pens with plastic barrels, and this one is made of metal. The weight of the pen feels great in my hand, but with the cap posted it is a bit top heavy. The size and the feel of the pen with the cap unposted give me a better writing experience, but your mileage may vary. Other than that, the build of this pen is spot on. It is a screw on cap, so it will always be secure when on, and has the same threaded connection when opening up the barrel to replace the ink cartridge. There are no shakes or rattles to be found either - it is dead quiet when writing.
Overall: This pen is a real pleasure to write with and to look at. Like many of Jac Zagoory's pens, the looking at is one of the most important aspects, and the Pocket PC will not disappoint in that area. I am enjoying this pen on a daily basis, and it now has a prominent place on my home office desk to show off and use often.
Huge thanks to Jac Zagoory for sending me this pen for review. Be on the lookout for something else he sent me next week...
Click on any image for a larger view.
