(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Over the past couple of years, I've had the opportunity to use several different high-end Aurora fountain pens, so it's always a bit difficult to judge other Auroras by a separate standard when the situation requires it. In the case of the Aurora Style, this separation is needed due to the vast price difference. At under $100, the Style fits into an entirely different tax bracket, but it's still made by the Aurora brand that I've come to love. With that in mind, let's see how the Style stacks up against other pens in this same category.
The Rose Gold tier of Style fountain pens is a fairly recent addition at JetPens, and it's a nice step up from the standard pastel-colored Style tier. I'd love to see a silver or chrome family offered as well, but that's a different discussion. The Style is offered in either EF, F, M, or B nib sizes and does not come with a cartridge-converter. While Aurora does include a free blue ink cartridge with the pen, you'll need to think ahead about how you want to ink this pen since the Aurora cartridges are a proprietary design. I'd suggest purchasing the Aurora converter at the same time, even though that will add about $17 to the total price. With that in mind, I think the true price of this pen is somewhere around $110.
At first glance, the Style in Rose Gold looks strikingly similar to a Parker 51 when capped. It's a classic, vintage design that will likely speak to a lot of people. It looks great, and the Parker 51 similarities quickly disappear after you remove the cap. Unlike the Aurora Duocart, the Style does not feature a hooded nib. The black body is made of polished black resin, which, while it looks fantastic, picks up fingerprints quite easily. The cap is a rose gold-plated material that also picks up fingerprints rather quickly. The rose gold and black resin is a fantastic combination, though. The grip section is a nice size and shape that makes writing comfortable, and the nib features the same rose gold plating as the cap. In all, it's a good-looking pen.
The cap secures to the pen with a snug snap mechanism, and it also friction-fits to the back of the pen if you want to post it. I've been really happy with the feel and dependability of the cap. I've been posting the pen about half of the time that I write. The cap provides a nice balance and length, but the pen is also completely comfortable when using it without the cap posted. It's great that it works well either way.
The nib is made of steel, features minimal branding, and writes incredibly well. I made zero adjustments to this pen out of the box, and I couldn't be happier with the performance. It's a wet medium that's capable of producing a small amount of line variation if you press down slightly. I can barely feel any feedback from the nib when writing with this pen — it's just buttery smooth. This is exactly the kind of writing experience I expect from a luxury brand, even on their "lower-end" offerings.
While this pen has been an absolute joy when it comes to the writing experience, I have reservations when it comes to recommending it to people. Like I mentioned earlier, I think the real price of the pen is $110 due to the fact that you need a proprietary cartridge-converter in order to use it properly. The $100 price point is an awkward place to be. There are numerous offerings at the $40, $60, and even $80 range that offer more and perform just as well as this Aurora. Likewise, if you're willing to spend just $20 more on a pen, you arrive at an entirely different price and feature tier. A personal favorite of mine, the Pilot Custom Heritage 92, is about $23 more expensive than this Aurora, but I think it's a much better pen (14K gold nib, people!). And, if you decide to look at a pen with a lower cost, you can choose to purchase an additional pen or a couple of different inks to try out.
When it comes to retail and making choices, the sky is the limit. Ultimately, it always comes down to personal preference. Apart from the Aurora brand name, a well-performing steel nib, and a vintage aesthetic, the Aurora can't really compete in the price range it's currently in. If the Style was in the $60 range (and included a converter), it would be a different story.
That being said, if the Aurora Style Rose Gold speaks to you and fits your budget, you can't go wrong. I've really enjoyed writing with this pen due to the feel and wonderful nib. It's a great pen, but it's not for everyone.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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!
