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Well, last year was an anomaly. I went over my self-imposed fountain pen purchase limit for this year. Although, to be fair to myself, it was a difficult year, and I would have been under my limit if I’d kept it at 36. I’m ending the year with 35 new pens in my possession, 8 more than last year, and 5 above my goal of 30.
I am, however, proud of how I feel about my pen purchases, looking back at them. Over 97% of my acquisitions fall into the good, great, or best categories. That’s the best I’ve done in all 8 years I’ve been actively collecting.
In a successful attempt to make this ranking post a bit easier on myself, I defined each category, rather than going with “vibes”:
- Regrets: pens I shouldn’t have purchased in the first place — almost certainly impulse purchases — or pens I purchased and discovered I didn’t actually like — a hindsight regret.
- OK: pens I don’t regret purchasing, but probably won’t be long-term joys; I will probably sell them at some point.
- Good: pens I’m happy to have and are generally good additions to my collection; I may or may not sell them at some point.
- Great: pens I’m really happy to have, likely additional colorways of pens I love or pens with unique and/or interesting aspects; unlikely to be sold.
- Best: pens that are highlights in my collection, likely commissions or pens I’ve wanted for a while; I can’t imagine ever selling these.
Per usual, I’ve included photos so you can see the pretties. Where one exists, I’ve also linked the pen images to my dedicated blog posts. Now, enough chit-chat, onto the ranking!
The Regrets
35: Nahvalur Nautilus Christmas 2024
I thought I would really enjoy this pen. I loved the clip when I saw it and the material seemed interesting in photos. What I forgot to factor in is how much cameras emphasize red. Once I had it, it seemed to lose its “new shiny” almost immediately. I think I wanted to like this more than I actually did. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s not for me. Maybe the problem is that it’s a seasonal pen?
The Christmas 2024 was my 5th Nahvalur pen, and 3rd colorway of the Nautilus.
The OK
To my surprise, when I went through my 2025 pen purchases, none of them fell into the OK category. Go me!
The Good
34: Tactile Turn Slim Side Click Mini Icefall
The only reason this is so low is because there are so few refill options. I can’t see myself ever getting another Mini for that reason. But I love that it’s winter-themed, and the color palette is fabulous.
The Icefall was my 1st Tactile Turn pen.
33: Sheaffer VFM Ballpoint Expressions Blue and Purple Pearlised Gradient
I enjoyed the Coffee release last year so much that I decided to pick up this version, too. As I said last year, it’s a good weight, and I like the colors.
The Expressions was my 2nd Sheaffer VFM ballpoint pen.
32: Esterbrook LJ Green “Icicle”
I’ve wanted a “prettier” vintage Esterbrook for a while, and I appreciate the vibrance of the teal.
The Green “Icicle” was my 2nd vintage Esterbrook pen, but my first LJ.
31: OPUS 88 Harmony 2025 Mocha Mousse
I dithered on this one for a while, but when I saw a friend’s pen, I leaned towards getting it, and when I saw it on sale, I decided to snag it. It’s pretty, but I suggest you see one in person before picking it up because the photos from many vendors aren’t true-to-life — that’s the problem with color that has red/pink in it.
The Mocha Mousse was my 5th Opus 88 pen, but my first Harmony.
30: Kaweco x Hello Kitty Classic Sport 50th Anniversary Stardust Violet
Kaweco’s recent Hello Kitty collabs have been the powdercoat aluminum models, which I can’t use because of the metal-on-metal sounds. So I was really excited when I saw this one. It has an adorable Hello Kitty nib and makes a good companion to my Sailor Hello Kitty 40th Anniversary pen.
The Stardust Violet was my 9th Kaweco pen, but my first Classic Sport.
29: Schon Dsgn The Machined Pen V2 3D Bronze
To be honest, I purchased this pen to hold the Monoch cursive nib I purchased. But I also picked up the rollerball section so this woudn’t be just another pretty ink stick. Read more about this pen in my brand “discoveries” post.
The Machined Pen was my 1st Schon Dsgn pen.
28: Tailored Pen Company Trekker Bees Knees
This was a commission; I wanted the Bees Knees material, but in the Trekker model since it’s unique to my collection. As nice as the material and model are, it’s technically a pretty ink stick, which means I can only rate it so high.
The Trekker was my 3rd Tailored Pen Co. pen.
27: Leonardo Officina Italiana x Endless Pens x NibsAndFlourishes Momento Zero Aster Bouquet
I bought this to replace the Fioritura Viola from last year. I wasn’t in love with the way the material looked on mine — the risk you take with marbled/swirl materials — and since this one is also by Wendy, it seemed like a good trade off. I also prefer the cap band on this pen.
This was my 3rd Leonardo Momento Zero purchase.
26: Nahvalur Nautilus Fountain Pen Day 2025
Jim has the Franklin-Christoph FPD from a few years ago, and I decided to pick up this one since I like Nahvalur pens and Carey is awesome.
The FPD 2025 was my 6th Nahvalur pen, and 4th colorway of the Nautilus.
The Great
25: Uni-ball Zento Signature Model Black
This one was actually an impulse purchase the the San Francisco pen show because it was the last one on the table as someone else picked one up. I’ve fallen in love with the magnetic cap, pen weight, and the bold, black lines. It’s always out on my “desk” because I use it often.
While I have many Uni-ball pens, the Zento was my first non-clicky pen from them.
24: Tactile Turn Side-Click Short 16-Bit
This one is much higher than its compatriot since it can take so many more refill options. While I never had a Super Nintendo myself, I do have fabulous memories of SNES games, so this is a nice pen to have.
The 16-Bit was my 2nd Tactile Turn pen.
23: Retro 51 Tornado Wars of the Roses, House of Lancaster
I’ve been waiting for this edition since I bought the House of York edition in 2023. I hope they close out the Wars of the Roses series with a Tudor Rose edition.
The House of Lancaster was my 33rd Retro 51 ballpoint/rollerball pen, although I’ve sold or traded many of them.
22: Retro 51 x Katy Klassman Tornado Popper Girasole
Another collab with a friend. I questioned getting the Girasole because I have too many Retros, but the blue trim is a fabulous touch. And, I didn’t yet have one of Katy’s collabs.
The Girasole was my 34th Retro 51 ballpoint/rollerball pen.
21: Benu x Gourmet Pens Talisman Dark Unicorn
Ooh! Another friend collab! I already had the True Unicorn, so of course I needed the Dark Unicorn to go with it. They make an excellent pair.
The Dark Unicorn was my 16th Benu pen and my 9th Talisman.
20: Platinum Platinum
I’ve wanted a platinum-nibbed pen for ages, but wasn’t willing to shell out the $1K+ for a fairly plain pen. But, Jim found this vintage model and purchased it for me. It’s a nice pen, but there is less difference between steel and platinum nibs than I expected.
The Platinum was my 17th Platinum pen, but my first vintage model.
19: TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Affogato with Onyx
I’ve been doing my best to avoid more TWSBI purchases, since I already have so many colorways. But, I love the combination of brown and black, so I picked this one up.
The Affogato with Onyx was my 23rd TWSBI pen — although I’ve sold several — and my 4th 580 ALR colorway.
16: Platinum x Kobayashi #3776 Clematis, Platinum x Luxury Brands #3776 Mountain Mist, and Platinum x Nonble #3776 Peppermint Tea
This is a three-way tie because these pens are the same model — #3776 — same nib — F — and all have custom nib designs. The Clematis and Mountain Mist have a slight edge for their matte finish, but the Peppermint Tea is such a beautiful colorway. Why did I get three of the same pen in one year? I love the #3776 nib.
The Clematis, Mountain Mist, and Peppermint Tea were my 19th, 18th, and 21st Platinum pens, respectively, and my 7th, 6th, and 9th #3776 colorways.
15: Platinum x Wagner #3776 Century Nice Azure Dragon
I was so happy to find out this pen exists that I bought it instantly. I’d desperately wanted a year of the dragon fountain pen, and this was it. The SF nib is fabulous, too.
The Azure Dragon was my 20th Platinum pen, and my 8th #3776 colorway.
14: Drewnem Pisane Orion Magic Garden
As I said in my brand “discoveries” post, I finally did it. This is a delightful pen, and I’ll likely get another next year.
The Orion was my 1st Drewnem Pisane pen.
11: Stanford Pen Studio x Carla Nel Intwana Chameleon, Stanford Pen x Brandon Lodewyk Studio Intwana Kitten, and Stanford Pen Studio x Lisa Strachan Intwana Seahorse
Another three-way tie, for a similar reason. These are all the same model, although each has art from a different artist. Chosen partly because I didn’t yet own pens with their art, Carla’s Chameleon and Lisa’s Seahorse were my selections for Stanford Pen Studio’s crowdfunding campaign. The Kitten was a delightful surprise present and let me add Brandon’s art to my collection.
The Chameleon, Kitten, and Seahorse were my 13th, 15th, and 14th Stanford Pen Studio pens, respectively, and my 1st, 3rd, and 2nd Intwana models.
10: Cypress Maki-e Goldfish
I’ve lusted after the Namiki goldfish pen for years, and this is the closest I’ll ever get to owning it. Not that I mean to disparage this gorgeous pen in any way, it’s beautiful, and certainly has its differences.
The Goldfish was my 7th Cypress pen, and my 1st in their Maki-e line.
9: Zek Pens Tezhib Blue and Turquoise
This pen is what originally drew me to the Zek Pens table at the DC pen show. The design was unlike anything I’d seen before, and the color scheme was a delightful hint of winter in the middle of summer.
The Tezhib blue and turquoise was my 1st Zek Pens pen.
8: Zek Pens Tezhib Butterflies and Flowers
While I didn’t notice this pen immediately, it’s through no fault of its own. The butterflies are beautifully rendered, and the various design elements are pieced together like a puzzle.
The Tezhib Butterflies and Flowers was my 2nd Zek Pens pen.
The Best
7: Retro 51 Tornado Wings of the Monarch
Amazingly, a pen friend took me up on the offer to trade the fountain pen version of this for the rollerball. I’ll be using this far more than I did the fountain pen version, and I’m super happy to have it in my collection.
The Wings of the Monarch was my 35th Retro 51 ballpoint pen.
6: Den’s Pens Baetylus “Twister”
I love Den’s “fidget pens” and I lovingly refer to them. They are so fun to play with, but are perfectly comfortable to write with. The material is lovely, but it’s the design and hand-shaping that really sets all of Den’s pens apart from the crowd.
The Baetylus “Twister” was my 4th Den’s Pens pen and my 3rd Baetylus, but my 1st in this style.
5: Atelier Lusso Taurus Ragazzone
I’ve wanted a Ragazzone from Eric for several years now, and kept missing them in his drops. He was my second stop at the San Francisco pen show, and this beauty was what I left with.
The Taurus was my 3rd Atelier Lusso pen, and my 1st of the model.
4: Stanford Pen Studio x Lana le Roux Jabulani Bi Pride Celebration
This was a special commission, I’ll tell the story in its pen porn post — coming soon. I left it up to Lana to choose the motif; I only asked that she use the bisexual pride flag colors.
The Bi Pride was my 15th Stanford Pen Studio pen, my 10th Jabulani model, and my 1st pen with Lana’s art on it.
2: Stanford Pen Studio x Yulia Glas Jabulani Catstellations and Magenta Moths
Yulia has an art style that calls to me, and I have a hard time not buying all of her pens. I snagged the Catstellations before it was even finished, and the Magenta Moths waited for me for several months until I simply couldn’t resist it anymore.
The Catstellations and Magenta Moths were my 16th and 17th Stanford Pen Studio pens, respectively, my 11th and 12th Jabulani models, and my 4th and 5th pens with Yulia’s art on them.
1: Stanford Pen Studio Artists Jabulani The Royal Tribute
This was also a special commission, requested as a tribute to my dearly departed familiar, Bumbledore. The Stanford Pen Studio artists knocked it out of the park, down the road, and into the next city with this one.
The Royal Tribute was my 18th Stanford Pen Studio pen, my 13th Jabulani model, and my only pen with multiple artists’ art on it.
TBD
I have two pens yet to arrive, so they will be ranked next year.
Pilot Custom 74 London Fog
I know I’ll love this pen; I just have to be patient until Endless Pens gets it to me. Their pre-orders are usually much less expensive than other sites, but you also have to wait much longer to receive your pen. I ordered it with a SF nib, which should be glorious.
Retro 51 x The Pen Addict “Pen” 2025
As I mentioned in my New Pen Releases post, I couldn’t resist this release. I finally gave in and ordered one, and it may actually arrive later today.
Do you agree with my rankings? Do you own any of these pens? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks for reading to the end, I hope you enjoyed my post. Make sure to subscribe to my blog or follow me on Instagram so you don’t miss any posts. I generally post at least once a week.
