One of my all time favorite pens is the Parker 51. I like almost everything about this classic. It's the right size, the right weight, and has a nice, clean profile. I also like the fact that it's easy to find one with a fine or extra fine nib that writes a thin, dry line. That's what suits my handwriting, and so here I sit, happy with my 51s. Until I get sucked into this whole bit of reviewing new pens. Slim pens that write a fine, dry line are not so common as I might have hoped!
So, when I find a new pen that manages to do so, I'm happy. When the pen also manages to add good looks (in my opinion, at least!) to the mix, I'm downright ecstatic. The Sailor Precious Woods pens do just that. They're not flashy, nothing that will stand out in a crowd, but they have simple, understated good looks. The way the Parker 51 does!
The Rare Grain Collection are made of a specially treated wood, and come in four colours, Charcoal, Forest, Wine, and Ocean. The Ocean and Forest versions are very close in shade, it's a blueish green colour on the Forest, and a greenish blue shade on the Ocean. The Wine is a nice dark purplish red colour, and the Charcoal is a medium grey colour.
The wood used has a very clear grain to it, so whatever the colour you choose, it will have a pronounced grain pattern on both the cap and barrel. It's very clearly a wood pen!
They are all four very nice colours, and it's not easy to choose one form among the group as a stand out choice, but that said, the Wine is a very vivid pen, and probably the first choice for those who like to make a statement. The Charcoal is the quietest of the four, with the Ocean and Forest versions forming a middle ground in between.
The trim on all four colours is the same, a sort of matte finish metal, silver grey in colour. It harmonizes well with all four colours, the only one on which I might have liked to see a gold coloured trim was the Wine, just to get a "warm" colour to match the bright cap and barrel.
That's a minor complaint, though. If they had to choose a single colour for the trim, and it was between gold colour and this matte silver colour, they made the right choice, I think. The best part about the matte finish trim is that there's none of those nasty fingerprints and smudges showing up all over the place. OK, maybe that's just my own personal nitpick!
The cap top is an inset piece of wood matching the cap and barrel material, while the bottom of the barrel is a metal cap matching the trim sections.
The
cap is a click on style , and snaps into place very securely. In addition
to being unlikely to come off accidentally, there's not even any play
in the cap when it's on, you can spin it, but only with an effort. It
also posts very nicely, well down on the barrel.
In terms of balance and feel in the hand, I couldn't have been happier. But keep in mind that I'm a guy who looks upon the Parker 51 as the apex of fine pen development! If you like bigger pens, you might find these to be a bit on the slender side.
At the point where my fingers rest on the section, I find this pen to be just about right. It does have a smooth section, but it doesn't feel slippery in your fingers or anything. In use, I'd have to rate these pens as "almost perfect".
The
nibs are 18K, and either white gold, or plated silver. They're what I
have heard referred to as "semi-hooded" nibs, they extend from
a cut out in the front end of the section. This results in a nice, sleek
looking pen, very modern in appearance. I like it.
Nib sizes available are listed as Medium or Broad. Keep in mind, however, that we're talking about the typical "Japanese Narrow Nib" sizes, so think of the Medium nib as an American Fine, and the Broad as an American Medium, and you won't be far off the mark.
I found both sizes to be very nice nibs, very smooth, and most of all, very fine lines! Even the Broad was a fairly thin nib, and the Medium was perfect for my tastes, with a nice, razor thin line. Filling is via cartridge or converter.
The
Rare Grain Collection is an interesting set of pens. They're list price
puts them in what I would call the "nice pens" marketplace,
not a "bargain", but not overpriced, either. $285 list. Shopping
around a bit should find at least some kind of a discount.
The quality of these pens is easily enough to warrant the price tag, they're as well made as anything I've seen, nothing less than I would expect from Sailor. They make great pens. Whether or not they are right for you, is a different matter, and a highly individual call. I suspect it's going to come right down to size.
If you like big pens, the Rare Grain Collection is not for you. If, like me, you prefer a slim pen, like the sleek look, then by all means, try these out. You'll be happy you did!