Violets are blue, Roses are gold. This is the month, I love you so.
Love is in the air, people. It is that time of the year to romance yourselves, friends and lovers, or anyone you care to show love for. Personally, I like to take my time with February – I don’t rush for a romantic bunch of flowers or a dinner spot that makes special gestures look like a mass dating scene.
I take my time to pick another date in February to tell my friends I value them. I take my time to write love notes to my favourite brand principals for creating lovely goods. I take my time to tell my valentines in the world how much I love their big hearts and crazy souls. I take my time to express my love, to my world, using the things I love – fountain pens and inks.
If you think roses and romantic dinners are too mainstream and a little passe, you, my friend, are not alone. Indulge me, as I share how I show my love in a geeky, fountain pen way:
Roses – here to stay.
This February, the stars are aligned for rose gold details in fountain pens. Rose gold in the air!
TWSBI launched its rose gold ECO (TWSBI ECO RG) rather quietly, but sold out so quickly I barely had time to blink my eyes. This is a TWSBI ECO fountain pen, white with rose gold detail. Very handsome, but also elegantly unisex.
The rose gold detail in applied to the base of the piston filler tip, the pen cap detail, the clip, and of course, the nib. The finial on the pen cap is also different from the usual TWSBI models – instead of the usual red-on-red logo, the detail on The TWSBI ECO RG is in metallic red, with a reverse white logo.
@missmuffat
Quality writing as usual, the same thirsty pen we know TWSBI to be. However, when I was drawing S-curves with the TWSBI Rose Gold, I felt that the rose gold nib had an added softness that made the writing experience even smoother than a regular TWSBI of the same nib size. The difference may seem minute, but the glide of the pen on regular printer paper made a world of difference!
Ok, enough of roses. Have you heard of some sappy love songs that sings about love and the moon? You got it.
The Moon – Oscillating in Motion.
No need to profess to your valentine that your love goes to the moon and back. I am bringing the moon to you – the lull of the crescent, the oscillating emotions that charts your love.
Yes, I am talking about the Conklin Mark Twain Crescent Filler Fountain Pen in Ivory.
Apparently, Mark Twain made a remark about the filling mechanism that is typical of crescent filler pens. These pens come with a fully self-contained filling mechanism – much like a rubber sac that acts like the modern day converter. The crescent acts like a lever, you press to fill up with ink, or when rinsing out.
“I prefer it to ten other fountain pens, because it carries its filler in its own stomach, and I cannot mislay even by art or intention. Also, I prefer it because it is a profanity saver; it cannot roll off the desk.” – Mark Twain
Image from: @missmuffat
The ivory barrel is a high quality handmade resin, accented with rose gold-plated trim and clip, and the barrel is a dense creamy white. Comes with a screw on cap with the classic Conklin rocker-style pocket clip.
All in all, a pen with a good weight, and a classic design.
Ok, I hope I’ve given you enough arsenal to justify to your valentine why you won’t be rushing to a crowded restaurant, or buying roses that will wilt with time, with these sturdy alternatives. And, who cares about valentines? Shower yourself with some love, if all else fails.
Good luck!
Written by: @missmuffat