Corporate Gifting ·
Fountain Pen ·
Leuchtturm1917 ·
Moleskine ·
Notebook Comparison ·
Paper Quality ·
Singapore ·
Leuchtturm1917 vs Moleskine Singapore — The Honest Notebook Comparison
Notebook Comparison · Singapore
Leuchtturm1917 vs Moleskine
The Honest Comparison Paper weight, binding, page features, corporate customisation, and fountain pen compatibility — everything a Singapore buyer needs to know before committing to a notebook.
The Honest Comparison Paper weight, binding, page features, corporate customisation, and fountain pen compatibility — everything a Singapore buyer needs to know before committing to a notebook.
Why This Comparison Matters
Moleskine is the most recognised notebook brand in the world. Walk into any corporate gift supplier in Singapore and Moleskine is the default answer. It has brand recognition, a clean aesthetic, and a heritage story that stretches back to the legendary notebooks of Chatwin and Hemingway. Leuchtturm1917 is not a household name to most corporate procurement managers. It is, however, the notebook of choice among serious writers, professionals who archive years of notes, and — critically — anyone who writes with a fountain pen. As an authorised Leuchtturm1917 retailer in Singapore, we carry both brands and we field this comparison question every week. This article gives you the unvarnished answer.
Who this guide is for
Corporate procurement managers evaluating bulk notebook orders · HR and marketing teams planning employee or event gifts · Fountain pen users comparing paper quality · Anyone who has outgrown Moleskine and wants to understand why
The Core Difference
Paper Weight — 70 gsm vs 80 gsm Explained
Paper weight (measured in grams per square metre, or gsm) determines how much ink a page can absorb before it bleeds through to the reverse side. This is the single most important specification difference between the two brands — and the one most buyers overlook.What 70 gsm means in practice (Moleskine)
Moleskine's Classic notebooks use 70 gsm paper. At this weight, the paper performs adequately with light ballpoint pens and standard felt-tips. The problems emerge with any pen that deposits more ink per stroke: rollerball pens, gel pens with broader tips, and — most critically — fountain pens. On Moleskine 70 gsm, a fountain pen writing on the front of a page will be visible as a "ghost" on the reverse — this is called ghosting. With wetter inks or broader nibs, the ink may fully penetrate to the other side — this is called bleed-through. Either result wastes the reverse of every page and makes double-sided use impractical.What 80 gsm means in practice (Leuchtturm1917)
Leuchtturm1917's standard Hardcover uses 80 gsm acid-free paper. That additional 10 gsm — roughly 14% heavier — creates a meaningfully different writing experience. The same fountain pen that ghosts on Moleskine leaves a clean, contained mark on Leuchtturm. Most gel and rollerball pens show zero reverse-side visibility. For corporate gifting, this matters even if your recipients don't use fountain pens. Rollerball pens — commonly gifted alongside premium notebooks — are liquid-ink instruments that behave similarly to fountain pens on paper. If your corporate gift includes a Parker or Waterman rollerball, pairing it with a 70 gsm notebook undermines the quality statement you are trying to make.
80 gsm — Ruled (Standard)
Leuchtturm1917 Hardcover
120 gsm — Bleed-proof
Leuchtturm1917 120G Edition
70 gsm
Moleskine Classic
The Fountain Pen Test — the most honest assessment of paper quality: A fountain pen used on the front of a Moleskine page leaves a clearly visible ghost on the reverse. The same pen on Leuchtturm1917 80 gsm leaves the reverse page clean. If you visit the Cityluxe WorkRoom at 601 Sims Drive, we will demonstrate this side-by-side before you place any corporate order.
| Paper Specification | Moleskine Classic | Leuchtturm1917 Standard | Leuchtturm1917 120G Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper weight | 70 gsm | 80 gsm | 120 gsm |
| Acid-free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fountain pen ghosting | Yes — visible on reverse | Minimal to none | None |
| Gel pen bleed-through | Sometimes | Rare | None |
| Rollerball pen ghosting | Usually visible | Minor to none | None |
| Usable on both sides | Often not | Yes | Yes |
Page Organisation
Numbered Pages and Table of Contents
Moleskine Classic notebooks have no page numbers and no table of contents. The pages are blank at their edges. For creative journaling or casual note-taking, this is not a problem. For professional use — meeting notes, project documentation, reference notebooks — it creates a fundamental limitation: you cannot reference a specific page, and you cannot index your own notes. Every Leuchtturm1917 notebook includes printed page numbers on all pages and a four-page table of contents at the front. This is not a cosmetic feature. It transforms the notebook from a place to write into a document you can reference, archive, and hand off to a colleague. For corporate recipients, this is the difference between a gift they use every day and one they put in a drawer.Leuchtturm1917 includes:
- 251 numbered pages (A5 Hardcover)
- 4-page printed table of contents
- 2 ribbon page markers
- Expanding gusseted rear pocket
- Archiving label on spine
- Thread-sewn binding — lies flat at any page
Moleskine Classic includes:
- No page numbers
- No table of contents
- 1 ribbon page marker
- Flat rear pocket (non-expanding)
- No spine label
- Glued binding — may crack with heavy use
Buying for Your Team or an Upcoming Event?
See the full side-by-side comparison — paper weight, customisation options, bulk pricing, and why Singapore companies are switching from Moleskine to Leuchtturm1917.
View the Corporate Notebook Gifting Guide →Durability
Binding — Thread-Sewn vs Glued
Moleskine uses a glued binding. This holds well in light use but can crack when the notebook is opened flat repeatedly — a common habit among frequent writers and students. A cracked Moleskine binding causes the spine to separate, pages to loosen, and the notebook to lose structural integrity over its life. Leuchtturm1917 uses thread-sewn binding. The signatures (groups of pages) are physically stitched together and to the cover. Thread-sewn books lie completely flat when open without any force, never crack at the spine, and last significantly longer under daily use. For corporate gifts intended to represent quality and longevity, the binding is a tangible differentiator that recipients notice.Corporate Customisation
Colour Range and Branding Options
Moleskine's classic range is deliberately restrained: black, red, and a small selection of standard colours. This works for universal gifting but limits precision brand matching. Leuchtturm1917 offers over 20 colours across the core A5 Hardcover range — Navy, Black, Sage, Dusty Rose, Stone Blue, Cherry, Sunflower, Port Red, and more — plus annual special edition colours. For corporate buyers who need to match a company's brand palette or create a sense of occasion, this range provides genuine flexibility.
Black · Ruled
Black
Dusty Rose
Forest Green
Rising Sun
5 of 20+ available colours — browse the full range →
Cityluxe customisation options for Leuchtturm1917
As an authorised Leuchtturm1917 retailer, Cityluxe offers cover embossing (name, initials, or company logo), individual name personalisation per notebook, and bulk volume pricing. All customisation is done in-house at our WorkRoom. Minimum order: 1 piece. Full details on the corporate gifting page →
Our in-house customisation at the Sims Drive WorkRoom
Cover embossing, individual name personalisation, and corporate logo work — all done in-house. See customisation options →
Pricing
Price Comparison — Singapore Retail
Both brands sit in a similar price band for retail. The meaningful difference for corporate buyers is margin and customisation capability — Cityluxe is an authorised Leuchtturm1917 retailer offering competitive corporate bulk pricing that retail-sourced Moleskine cannot match at scale.| Format | Moleskine Classic | Leuchtturm1917 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A5 / Large Hardcover | SGD 49 | SGD 47 | Leuchtturm is fractionally less at retail; significantly better value at bulk |
| A5 Softcover | SGD 49 | SGD 44 | Leuchtturm softcover is lighter with the same page features |
| A5 Premium paper (120 gsm) | Not available | SGD 55 | No Moleskine equivalent — fountain pen safe paper is a Leuchtturm exclusive |
| A6 / Pocket Hardcover | SGD 29–35 | SGD 35 | Similar price point; Leuchtturm has 187 numbered pages |
The Honest Verdict
Who Should Choose Which
Choose Leuchtturm1917 if:
- Any of your recipients use fountain or rollerball pens
- You need numbered pages for professional reference
- You want colour options to match brand guidelines
- You are ordering in bulk and want corporate volume pricing
- The gift is meant to be used daily for a full year or more
- You want in-house customisation with fast Singapore turnaround
Moleskine may suit you if:
- Your recipient specifically requested Moleskine by name
- Brand recognition is the primary consideration
- Recipients will use ballpoint pens exclusively
- You are purchasing a single unit rather than in bulk
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Order for Your Team?
Visit the corporate notebook gifting page for the full comparison matrix, bulk pricing, and customisation options — or come to the WorkRoom and test the paper in person.
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