As a nice comparison to the stock Edison Nouveau Premiere that I took for a test drive yesterday, it seemed appropriate to show you the Edison Collier with the custom architect nib ground by Dan Smith over at Nibsmith. The pen started its life with a broad nib and was then customized.
I’m amused I didn’t figure out it was an architect grind until Kasey told me. I kept thinking… “This doesn’t look like a broad nib. Its much too crisp.” Well, duh. It wrote beautifully, if a bit too broadly, for my small writing but the grind is very well done.
Physically, the Collier is very different from the Nouveau Premiere pen. The barrel is wider and the overall shape is more cigar shaped with a wider, rounder appearance overall. IT balances the size of the nib much better than the Nouveau Premiere. Its also a deep mahogany swirl with black to the candy-color of the water lily Nouveau Premiere.
The nib is two-toned gold and silver and the clip is gold compared to the all-silver hardware of the Premiere. These two pens couldn’t be more different than apples to steaks.
Weight-wise, the Collier is a good 10 grams heavier at 28 grams, capped and filled with the converter, but its well-weighted and comfortable so even in my small hands, I didn’t notice the additional weight. I actually had to put it on a scale to verify that it was heavier than the Premiere.
Overall, the broad architect grind on this crunchy cigar-shaped and deep, richly colored pen is totally appropriate. I would probably name this pen El Comandante if I owned it and write with it while drinking mojitos and listening to salsa music.
This is another pen that’s convinced me to take a good long look at Edison Pens. While I wouldn’t normally have gravitated towards the Collier because its a larger pen, the lightweight acrylic resin kept it from feeling like I was trying to steer a ship, and the variety of colors that Edison uses is really amazing– from subtle browns, as shown with this Collier, to the candy bright with the Nouveau Premiere Water Lily.
Again, since this particular Edison Collier was a limited edition model from 2015, it is no longer available but other color options are available on the Goulet Pens site for $149 or you could check directly with the Edison Pens site to see what they have in stock or for a custom order.
This pen was loaned to me by Kasey, AKA Punkey, as a way to try out pens I might not otherwise purchase or be able to afford. Thank you very much. This is another reason why the pen community is so awesome!
You didn’t mention the most important thing:
The Edison Collier pen DOES NOT POST!
This is a deal killer for me. It’s a shame because the pen is soooo beautiful.
Good luck with this pen. Someday it will roll off the table (it’s inevitable), and when it does it’ll land nib-first (ouch!)
Thanks for bringing that up. Since the pen is so large, it hadn’t occurred to me to post it.
Noooo, do not say it, it’s a bad omen! A beautiful like that should not, cannot, will not run off a table. 😉
Beautiful pictures, Ana, thank you for the review! Although I live on the European side of the Great Pond I consider buying an Edison Pen for quite a while now (uh, shipping!) — reviews like this are pretty enabling …
I might’ve missed it in the review, but what’s that resin called? It’s stunning and makes this Collier look so much more distinguished than the currently available Production Line options!
The material is called Black Rose acrylic. I didn’t mention the color in the review so you didn’t miss it because I didn’t actually know what it was. It is a pretty amazing color!
Normally a pen that doesn’t post is a dealbreaker for me. I had returned one Collier (unused) already because the retailer hadn’t been specific on that point and I didn’t know the brand very well. But I kept seeing great reviews for it, and eventually nabbed one in Steel Blue at a pen show. IT IS WORTH IT. Writing experience is so positive that I mind a loose cap rolling around a lot less. 😉 Workhouse of a nib, soo smooth – and a great starter even if it’s sat for a week or two, even with a Fine nib. Great value IMO.
Hello there! As a fellow small-handed female, I was concerned about holding the pen and it possibly being too clunky. What is your opinion on the size? I am worried it might be too big. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
It’s not an overly heavy pen and well-weighted. A Pilot Metropolitan weight 26gms so the Collier is only 2gms more. Width-wise, it really wasn’t excessively big feeling because it was so light. If you decide to order one, I recommend a shop with a good return policy. If you don’t ink the pen, you should be able to return it if you don’t like the feel and size. You can handle it, put the converter in it empty and hold it in your hand to get a sense of how it feels without inking it.
Ok, awesome! I will keep that in mind. How was the grip of the pen for you? Was it too thick or too short? Was the length of the pen an issue with hand size? Thanks so much for answering my questions!
Megan, its been awhile since I used the pen but I remember being pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to use. If you have the chance to go to a pen show and handle one in person, that would be the best way to know for sure but if that’s not an option, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Edison pens are pretty well-designed.