Graf von Faber-Castell Tamitio Collection
When you want a substantial pen, what normally comes to mind? What attributes help you define what you’re looking for? Graf von Faber-Castell knows exactly what to bring to the table when it comes to substantial pens. In fact, the Graf von Faber-Castell Tamitio Collection is a fairly new line (compared to their older models) that holds up perfectly to the test. I’ve placed the Tamitio fountain pen and ballpoint next to my Intuition Platino Wood fountain pen and ballpoint for comparison.
The first thing I noticed when opening each box is Graf von Faber-Castell’s perfect presentation. They clearly take great care to present a perfectly packaged pen. For instance, the outer gift box is clean and elegant, opening like a fancy tri-fold wallet. There are carefully crafted grooves in the box with enough space for storing or temporarily holding multiple pens. Next, I noticed the tissue paper in between the warranty booklet and the pen itself. Not only was the pen embedded in a high-quality cloth pen sleeve, but also placed inside plastic to further protect the pen. Wow, this level of attention to detail is truly impressive.
Secondly, the attention to detail doesn’t end with the packaging. The Graf von Faber-Castell Tamitio Collection incorporates a streamlined, peaceful, and pure look and feel. I love the detail in the engraved, fluted lines running down the length of the barrel. Believe it or not, this is a lacquer finish over a brass barrel with so many layers which gives it a matte finish. I fully expected it to be a different material since I usually associate lacquer with a shiny finish.
Third, there are many colors available in the range. Specifically, the six color choices are: Rose, Night Blue, Black, Stone Grey, Black Edition, and India Red. The two newest colors are the India Red and Stone Grey. I love that each pen has matching ink and paper options to accessorize with. For example, the India Red fountain pen has a matching India Red ink that pairs perfectly with the India Red GVFC Linen Journal. I truly hope they introduce green soon to this great collection.
Fourth, the Graf von Faber-Castell Tamitio Collection is made in all four modes of writing: fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint, and mechanical pencil. The Tamitio is also made in a Calligraphy Set. It’s not often you can find a higher-end fountain pen calligraphy set like this. It comes with three nib sizes (1.1mm, 1.4mm, and 1.8mm). While the size, shape, and weight of the fountain pen and rollerball match each other, these attributes match between the ballpoint and pencil.
Noticeably, the fountain pen and rollerball pen are thicker and slightly shorter than the ballpoint and mechanical pencil. I found the fountain pen to be perfectly balanced and weighted whether you post the cap or not. It seems to me like the ballpoint is slightly back-heavy. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since that helps the longer barrel seat backward comfortably in the hand. The only thing I didn’t find aesthetically pleasing was the cap-to-barrel ratio on the ballpoint. The cap size on the fountain pen felt much more appropriate for this pen.
Finally, the fountain pen employs a smooth, high-quality steel nib. It’s available in extra fine, fine, medium, and broad widths. Enjoy your favorite inks with an international size cartridge/converter filling system. The rollerball refills with Schmidt 888 or 5888 rollerball refills. Since the ballpoint uses a Parker Style refill, I recommend as usual the Monteverde Parker Style ballpoint or gel refills. The mechanical pencil uses a thicker .7mm lead mechanism, and houses a replaceable eraser under the cap.
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