(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)
A few months ago, I did a review of the Leonardo Momento Magico which I affectionately called “The OG” because there is a new Magico in town! Earlier this year, Leonardo Officina Italiana released an updated version of the Momento Magico, which I will refer to as the Momento Magico 2022. I won’t go into the same level of detail as in the previous writeup and instead, will highlight the differences.
Thank you to Stilo e Stile for sending the Momento Magico DNA for review. The DNA is black and orange and it is no coincidence that the DNA is reminiscent of the Delta Dolce Vita, since Ciro Matrone (father of Salvatore Matrone, founder of Leonardo) was the co-founder and production manager for Delta.
The Momento Magico 2022 comes in 4 standard colors, available in gold and palladium trim, and the black pens are also available in ruthenium trim. They continued this model in Pietra Salata and Millefiori but discontinued Tramonto (Sunset) or Miele (Honey). DNA is available in gold and silver trim as well.
Top to bottom: Momento Magico 2022 Millefiori, Matte Black, Emerald and Pietra Salata (PC:Leonardo)
The packaging and contents are unchanged for the 2022 Momento Magico - standard black Leonardo box in the yellow Momento Magico box sleeve, along with instructions on filling and how to disassemble, etc.
The biggest difference is that the ink window is no longer visible when the pen is capped. This was something that they got a lot of feedback about so I’m glad that they decided to redesign this.
Leonardo Momento Zero Devil’s Kiss, Momento Magico (Pietra Salata), Momento Magico 2022 (DNA) and Momento Zero Grande Girasole.
The cap band for the 2022 Magicos is the same as the original version. The DNA cap band, however, is different; the design of which is meant to remind you of the handles of the amphorae in ancient Rome which were used to carry water, wine, and other liquids.
The DNA’s cap band, along with the individual number on the back.
The size of the 2022 Magico is the same as the prior version, both capped and uncapped, and ever so slightly longer when posted. Note that the DNA has a transparent gray window with matching trim bands while the regular Magicos have clear ink windows with no trim bands. You can really see how much shorter the 2022 ink window is compared to the original version.
The grip for the 2022 Magico remained unchanged (the uncapped photo is the most accurate depiction of the barrel and grip) and works well for folks who dislike the “bump” in the Momento Zero and Grande models.
Comparison against other similarly sized pens as well as other piston/vac fillers: Platinum 3776, TWSBI 580ALR, Sailor Pro Gear, Pelikan M600, Leonardo Momento Zero, Aurora Optima, Momento Magico, Pelikan M800, Momento Magico DNA, Momento Zero Grande, Esterbrooke Estie, TWSBI Vac 700R, Pilot Custom 823.
I don’t have any Delta Dolce Vita pens, even though I’d love to get one, but the closest I have is the Aurora Optima, O Sole Mio, which is also a black and orange pen. Just for kicks, I compared it to the DNA as well as the Pen Chalet exclusive Leonardo Momento Zero. The resins in the DNA look a bit more like the Aurora’s barrel but the differences could also be due to batch variances.
Left to Right: Aurora Optima, O Sole Mio, Pen Chalet Exclusive LMZ in Glossy Black/Orange with Ruthenium trim, and the Momento Magico DNA.
Like the original Momento Magico as well as the other steel Jowo nibbed Leonardos, this one wrote beautifully out of the box. This was a Fine nib and there were no issues with ink flow or scratchiness.
I inked this beauty up with Ferris Wheel Press Pumpkin Patch which is a great shading ink for different oranges in the barrel.
The Momento Magico 2022 is well-priced at 163EU/199EU with VAT (or 352EU/430 with VAT for the gold nib upgrade) - making this a good deal for a good sized pen that is neither too small nor too big. With the change in the ink window, Leonardo has really made the 2022 Momento Magico a very compelling pen. Now to tell myself I don’t need that Emerald one ;-)
(Stilo e Stile provided this pen to The Pen Addict at a discount for purposes of this review. All of the other pens in this review were purchased with my own funds and received no compensation from Leonardo Officina Italiana or any vendors for this review.)
