Happy Autumn! Here in Maryland, we are on the cusp of fall; the trees are still mostly green and the weather is mild, but I feel the days getting shorter and shorter, and a crisp chill in the morning air. On my walks around the neighborhood, bright orange, golden, and russet leaves lay sporadically scattered along the paths, and the late-summer flowers are slowly becoming endearingly ragged and faded.
I'm always a little ambivalent about the arrival of fall, but when I started to brainstorm pen ideas for this article, I almost got carried away! I love thinking about categories, and fall's colors and themes are particularly fun and inspiring to contemplate, so my list started to get very long. However, I soon realized that too many suggestions would be overwhelming both for the reader and the writer. So, instead of bombarding you with every autumnal pen I could come up with, I decided to make it simple. For this article, I will focus on the fall pens that I would most want to actually own. You'll find old favorites, new releases, and a few surprises you may not know about.
Perfect Prera
Pilot's latest launch, which just came out this week, is an exciting new color twist on one of my all-time favorite pens, the Pilot Prera. I got my Soft Blue Prera back in February 2019, and I liked it so much that I bought two more, in Vivid Pink and Slate Gray. I don't usually collect different variations of the same pen, but I just really love my Preras. I have used Prera to write down the most crucial information in the most harrowing of situations, to compose long letters and rambling journal entries, to draw whimsical nature illustrations in the woods and beside the ocean, to scribble notes on the backs of envelopes and on napkins and in a spiral notebook at work. It’s always there for me, through thick and thin.
Although I admire the clear demonstrator Preras, I'm more of an opaque pen person, so when I heard that Pilot was releasing four new opaque Preras, I was thrilled. Empress Teal, Honey Yellow, Porcelain White, and Cinnamon are wonderful additions to the Prera lineup, and Pilot has timed this release perfectly for autumn. Maybe wearing white isn't appropriate after Labor Day, but I think the other three colors are ideal fall shades, and the soft white will be beautiful for this coming winter.
I finally got to see the pens in person today, and they are just as nice as I'd hoped! The teal is a quiet and slightly moody shade, like a restful overcast autumn day, perfect for staying inside and curling up with your cat or dog and a good book.
The warm rich brown reminds me of milk chocolate with a dash of cinnamon, or my old friend, my bear, Teddy. My coworker Harsh says, for him, it brings to mind the earthy color of clay pottery. It's a comforting, homey color.
When I saw the stock photos Pilot sent out with their announcement, I didn't think I'd like the white as much as the other colors, but I actually love it in person. It's a softer and friendlier white than I expected, and reminds me of irresistibly delicious whipped cream. The more I look at it, the more attracted I am. It's such a nice shade of white, and looks fresh, clean, and airy, like a Swedish coffeehouse.
The yellow is my favorite, even though I'm not usually a yellow lover. There is just something so warm and joyful about it, without being too bright or cloying. It's a nice, clean, happy yellow, and reminds me of a welcoming kitchen, an egg yolk from a contented and healthy chicken, and late summer or early fall flowers like sunflowers and black-eyed susans. It also brings to mind the sunshine that I begin to value more than ever as the days grow shorter and shorter.
Pilot says each hue is inspired by "the cozy, nostalgic ambiance of traditional Japanese coffee houses, which evoke warmth, charm, and quiet sophistication." I think they hit the nail on the head. Warmth, charm, and quiet sophistication is exactly what these shades convey, and I definitely associate autumn and winter with snuggling up in a coffeeshop to write letters and cards along with my favorite drink.
The Prera uses the same excellent and reliable Fine or Medium steel nib as the Metropolitan/MR, Kakuno, and Explorer, and I adore both nib sizes. I'd recommend Medium if you are a beginner or if you especially value smoothness, while Fine offers a little more feedback and precision, but is also very smooth for a nib so fine. I carry a Fine fairly often in the store, and it's great when you need to write on low quality paper like a drugstore notebook or post-it notes, or in small spaces such as the grid of a Hobonichi planner. I regularly hand my pen to customers and urge them to try to nib, and they are almost universally impressed by how nice it feels, and ask with amazement, "What ink is this?" (For the record, it's Waterman Inspired Blue, or sometimes Anderillium Blue-Ringed Octopus Blue--not particularly autumnal choices, but there are plenty of fall inks that make this nib sing as well!)
Although this pen shares the same nib as the MR, Kakuno, and Explorer, each one of those pens has a very different feel, and, if you haven't tried a Prera, you need to! I love the size (about the same as a Pelikan M200, another one of my favorites) and the simultaneously friendly and sophisticated aesthetic. It looks helpful, neat and clean, but not overly serious or boring, and, although it's fairly lightweight, it feels like a high-quality, grown-up pen. Prera's vacuum sealed snap cap, which prevents ink from drying out, is so satisfying to use, and actually has a cult following because it feels so great to slide on and off and click into place. It securely posts, too, allowing this small and portable pen to grow to a size that's very comfortable for smaller to medium-sized hands. The flat ends, shiny silver trim color, great font used for the name, and fantastic color choices all join in to make Prera special.
Two days ago on the Fountain Pens subreddit, a user posed the question, "What's your favorite pen and why?" The top answer, which has received over 40 upvotes already, was "Pilot Prera... due to how it lays down ink, its small size, the satisfying click it makes when placing on the cap and its color. The perfect everyday pen for me." Another user commented, "The capping mechanism is so damn satisfying," and a third added, "Seconding this!! I feel like the [Prera] isn’t talked about enough as a great everyday smaller pen. It feels so good in the hand and the plastic feels surprisingly high quality. The clear plastic ones look so damn cool too. I have it in medium and it feels amazing!! It’s my favourite too tbh." I was surprised only because of the timing with this article. The Prera is mentioned often as a favorite in online fountain pen discussion groups, and the community's affection for this little pen warms my heart.
Sailor Pro Gear Standouts
It's well known by now that I'm a Pilot fan, but I also love my Sailors, and three Professional Gears stand out to me as being especially autumnal. The first is a pen I enjoyed writing about recently, Moonlight Over the Ocean. We no longer have any more of the King of Pens model I featured in my other article, but, if I were to buy another Sailor for myself, I'd go for my favorite size: Professional Gear Standard or 1911L, which feature a wonderful 21 karat gold nib with the perfect amount of feedback, precision, and wetness, pared with a pen that's comfortable in the hand for the majority of writers. My Extra-Fine 21 karat gold nib Sailor is one of my favorite pens.
Moonlight over the Ocean, or Umi to Gekko ("oo-mi toh geh-koh"), is inspired by "the serene feeling of a seaside evening spent watching the moonlight-kissed ocean." The body, grip section, and top finial are an unusual sunset orange, a rich caramel shade infused with metashine, a dust-fine shimmer within the resin that catches the light. The material is very slightly translucent, so it holds onto the light and appears illuminated from within, like the ocean bathed in the fading glow of a beautiful sunset at the end of a languid day. The deep yellow cap and bottom finial represent the moon, low on the horizon, huge and yellow as its light is filtered through Earth's atmosphere. The yellow parts are also translucent, but without metashine, and the two materials perfectly embody the contrast between the steadily shining moon and shimmering ocean.
For lovers of warm autumnal yellow, orange, and brownish tones, it is truly a spectacular pen whose calm, feel-good colors evoke good vibes with a nostalgic feel that reminds me of the 1970s.
The next Professional Gear that jumped out to me as autumnal is pretty on the nose: Autumn Sky. We have this one in both Pro Gear Standard and Slim sizes. It was the second in Sailor's annual Pillow Book series, and Sailor describes it this way:
Autumn arrives, and with it skies rolling with clouds and crisp breezes carrying the earthy scent of leaves. Listen during the quiet fog of the morning and you will hear the call of geese making their long journey south before snow begins to fall. Sailor created Autumn Sky as a way to capture the delicate feeling of an autumn evening as described in The Pillow Book, by Sei Shōnagon. This unique, deep coral colored pen with warm, golden accents is sure to bring you into the present moment, so that you can enjoy the beautiful changes of this remarkable season.
I love the way the warm gold trim complements the "unique, deep coral colored barrel" of the pen, which Sailor says "exhibit[s] the hue of earthy scent of leaves." A hue that portrays a scent?! Fascinating! It's a beautiful and unusual shade of orangish red, reminiscent of fall leaves whose color you can't quite put your finger on.
My final Pro Gear fall pick, the Christmas Spice Tea limited edition, doesn't have an autumnal sounding name, but it certainly looks the part, and was actually one of the pens my customer Mikele chose on our fall-themed For Your Penjoyment episode when picking out the most autumnal pens to share from her collection. Mikele was very surprised when I told her we have this pen in stock again, as it was a pen she really wanted when we originally received them, but it was a challenge for her to get because they sold out too quickly.
This is the perfect pen for someone who, like Mikele, loves rich, earthy tones and the fragrant scents of fall spices. Sailor's evocative description is lovely: "Christmas Spice Tea radiates warmth with a rich glowing amber, reminiscent of the color of spiced holiday teas with a nutmeg brown finial color and twinkling gold accents, clip, and nib."
Pen Boutique owners Leena and Raj's daughter Shriya just bought the Christmas Spice Tea pen for herself to use during her senior year in college, and delightedly showed it off to me in the store this past weekend. She loves what she describes as an "ombre effect" in the translucency of the barrel, and the warm happy feelings this pen brings.
As Sailor wrote, "During the later months in the year, we find reasons to slow down and spend more time with those that mean the most to us as we celebrate together. This homey, holiday feeling" is captured in the radiant translucent resin of this Professional Gear that simultaneously reminds me of spices, late fall leaves illuminated by sunlight, and a flickering bonfire. Apart from the name, it's the perfect fall pen!
Italian-Marbled Pilot SE Stunners
Yes, it's true that Pilot's typical color choices tend to be more restrained than Sailor's and many other brands', but I feel like a lot of people aren't aware of the Custom Heritage SE and Vanishing Point SE pens. Instead of Pilot's usual solid colors, the SEs feature strikingly vibrant Italian marbled resin in five different variations: Ruby Red Marble (a rich burgundy), Fiery Orange Marble, a petrol-y Blue Marble, an elegant Black Marble, and Green Marble (which is more of a teal). I think the Orange, Red, and Green are especially perfect fall colors, but Black and Blue are also autumnal in a swirling-mist-on-an-atmospheric-October-evening kind of way.
When we first got these pens in the store, I couldn't believe how different they were for Pilot! The colors are all spectacular, especially in the sunlight, and I can never choose a favorite. The material is very slightly translucent, which makes the colors hold the light and gives the swirling marbled patterns a radiant depth. When the late afternoon sun shines in the front door of our store and lights up the Pilot case, I love to stop and stare. The angle is especially perfect this time of year, and it still takes my breath away to see how this resin seems to glow from within, with a subtle and very classy shimmer.
Yes, these pens are a little more expensive than other Pilot pens of the same size, but the material is stunning, and they are comparable in price to Sailors and other brands that feature beautiful swirling resins. Both the Custom Heritage SE and Vanishing Point SE have smooth and reliable Pilot gold nibs, in 14K for the Custom Heritage and slightly softer 18K for the Vanishing Point. It's no secret how much I love Pilot's gold nibs and the overall reliability of the brand, and I have been reaching for my new Vanishing Point constantly since I finally got one a few months ago. It's so convenient and such a pleasure to click into action when I get inspired and need to get my ideas down in a flash.
[Pictured: Vanishing Point SE in Fiery Orange. Wow!]
Both these pens are reliable and classic, without being stuffy or predictable. The Custom Heritage SE comes with Pilot's larger converter, the CON-70, another reason it's on my wish list.
The Custom Heritage SE and Vanishing Point SE collections are only available in fine or medium, so at least that will help you narrow down your choices while you agonize over which color to choose. Or will it? We can also swap the Vanishing Points to a different nib size if you wish. Just call customer service to place your order over the phone if you would like to request a nib switch.
Atmospheric AL-Stars and Safaris
To get into the fall spirit this year, I broke out my Lilac Lamy AL-Star and filled it with Sailor Kasasagi, a fascinating rich, smooth, dark ink that I discovered when I was writing my Blue-Black Ink article. Kasasagi is more green-leaning than a classic blue-black, but it's such a deep color that it effectively functions as a blue-black with extra complexity. I had never tried it in this pen before, but the combination of the lustrous Teal-Black, inspired by magpie feathers, and the metallic lilac of my AL-Star, is brilliant. I have always associated this pen with fall flowers like asters, and it's the kind of color I crave this time of year.
I hadn't used my AL-Star in a while because I had been focusing on more recent additions to my collection, but, when I started to write with it, I remembered how much I love it. The feel, and even the sound of the nib on the paper of my Fox Red Leuchtturm notebook makes me happy, and so does this pen's color. Although it's one of the least expensive pens in my collection, it's actually one of my favorites! Lamy AL-Stars and Safaris are just so functional, fun, and comfortable to use.
The Lilac AL-Star is a 2023 Special Edition color that sold out quite a while ago, so I was surprised to recently see it back in our store. Then I found out that we were able to get quite a few retired colors, and are offering those at an incredible 50% off, while supplies last. A lot of the AL-Star and Safari colors we have right now are perfect for fall, so I picked out the ones that I think are most autumnal for this article. We have ballpoints, rollerballs, and even some mechanical pencils in the same colors, too! (Not all the ones I'm featuring are part of the closeout sale, but many are.)
[Left to right: Lamy Safari in Pink Cliff, AL-Star in Dark Dusk, AL-Star in Lilac, AL-Star in Fiery, AL-Star in Autumn Pink, and Safari in Scarlet.]
As I photographed the pens for this article, I really started to fall in love with the Dark Dusk color (on the left in the photo below). It's such a cool and sophisticated dark mauve-y shade, and I love dusky purples. I admired it when it came out earlier this year, but resisted buying it at the time. Now, that pull is getting a lot harder. Pink Cliff, if you prefer Safaris, is a similar color, but with a surprising pop of pink on the grip section and top finial. It has a fantastic matte texture that provides extra traction and has a soft evening look, very different from the majority of Safaris, which are shiny. Autumn Pink is another twilight shade, like fall's muted light and shorter days that remind you the busy summer season is over and it's time to cuddle up and get some rest.
The AL-Star in Fiery features a luminous red translucent grip section instead of the usual smoky translucent grey, and its muted red cap and barrel remind me of fall leaves on a hushed crisp morning, sun still low in the sky.
I couldn't resist photographing Dark Dusk a second time, and the light from my window on the mostly overcast afternoon made the mysterious color even more attractive to me. I want this pen! Safari in Scarlet, its darker shadow, is weirdly named, but such a cool and moody pen. It's a deep, chocolatey maroon, again with the lovely matte texture that is so nice on the eyes and fingers.
Whenever people see me out and about with one of my AL-Stars, they ask about the pen, and I show it to them gladly. I've had many comment on how beautiful it is. That surprised me at first, but, yes... AL-Star and Safari are casual, approachable, reliable, a bit whimsical, avant-garde, quirky, cool... and beautiful, too, in a unique way.
[Pictured: my Lamy AL-Stars in Lilac and Turmaline, along with a sleek and spooky WhiteSilver AL-Star, which is also part of the 50% off sale.]
Sailor Bespoke Beauties
I don't turn up my nose at inexpensive pens like Prera, Safari, and AL-Star, but I do have an eye for more exceptional ones, as well, like the Sailor Bespoke Dealer exclusives. I don't own any yet, but, along with the Naginata Concord nib pen on my wishlist, there are a few of these special Sailors that I regularly admire in our display case. As you may recall, "Sailor Bespoke" are what Sailor calls its products that are only available in North America at its five designated North American Bespoke Dealers, and Pen Boutique has the honor of being one of those five retailers, so we have some really cool pens that you can't find at too many other places. My favorites include the Professional Gear Wajima Bijou pen I that talked about in my recent Raden article; the almost holographic-looking Kirikane (whose "Koufu" maple leaf version is also perfect for our autumnal theme!); the mysterious and lovely Veilio series; and the stunning Nawate series, which I talked about loving in our Sailor-focused episode of For Your Penjoyment quite a while ago.
The Veilio pens, which capture the look of a softly draped veil, aren't a typical Laura choice, but, the more I looked, the more I realized how enchanting they are. They all have a mesmerizing "swirling autumn mist" kind of feel, and each is a beautiful color, but, the one that stands out to me as the most autumnal is the orange. Orange is one of my favorite colors, and this particular shade of orange reminds me of pumpkin, winter squash, and the soft, calming side of October.
Although the Veilios are Sailor Professional Gear pens, they are far from your ordinary Pro Gear. "Beautiful acrylic rods are cut, bored out, and polished to make these transparent pens shine, making each one uniquely special. A limited-edition color-matched converter is also designed to blend in seamlessly." Then, as Sailor tells us, "Each Veilio fountain pen is meticulously shaped and polished using advanced techniques to ensure a flawless finish both inside and out. Sailor Pen uses a special lathe blade, making it possible to polish the inner surface of the pen without leaving any noticeable cutting marks."
These pens are a special size, unique to the Veilio series, in between Professional Gear Slim and Professional Gear Standard. And, they feature 21K gold nibs, available in EF, F, MF, M, B, Z, and MS. Although I'm into the orange one right now because it's autumnal, check out the other colors, too. They are all gorgeous!
The Nawate series is even cooler than Veilio. They are made using the elaborate Aizu-nuri Urushi lacquering technique, which has been practiced since the late 16th century in the humid climate of Japan's Aizu region in Fukushima. The process involves many meticulous steps: 1) soaking the base wood in Urushi lacquer to facilitate Urushi lacquering later in the process; 2) applying a base coat of whetstone powder, diatomaceous earth, and Urushi; 3) polishing; 4) striation marking; 5) applying a handmade washi paper dressing; 6) soaking the washi paper with more Urushi; 7) applying randomly scattered shredded strips of silver foil (which can be blackish, gold, silver, or reddish); 8) adding more unique colored foil decorations; and, finally, 9) lacquering two more top coats. The many layers create a finish with stunning depth and elegance. It is also very lustrous and extremely durable.
The series is named for Nawate, a Japanese word that refers to paths between rice paddies, or long, straight roads. It's distinguished by the vertical striations on the cap, a design element known as “stria shaping.” These give the pen a sleek and elongated, timeless look, and provide a comfortable surface for capping and uncapping.
Although this is a large pen, it's not heavy, and feels extremely comfortable in my hand. The large 21 karat gold nib is available in medium only, and underneath the cap you will find gold plated metal accents and a PMMA resin grip section for comfort and extra strength.
The Nawate pens are available in various shades, but my favorite is the copper-colored Yuu. I also think it's the most autumnal, although all six versions have a mysterious and intriguing fall feel, and the three black pens with contrasting foil bring out the darker side of the season. Even though this pen is nothing like any of my others, I think it would be amazing to add it to my collection.
Emmy award winning sportscaster Gerry Sandusky, the Voice of the Ravens, bought a Nawate from us a few months ago, after reading my Sailor Bespoke blog article. He was kind enough to send me a writing sample and brief video that evening, telling me, "Short answer is, I love it!! There is just something special about this nib. I feel like it can handle big lettering, flourishing, quick side thoughts. It can go where your thoughts take you." He added, "I set out this quarter to get my best fountain pen yet. And I feel like I have succeeded. This can be a special occasion pen, but also an everyday, write in my journal pen."
His enthusiasm and clear love for his new pen come through strongly in the video. "The feel is just perfect! It has just enough feedback to feel it, but not enough to make it scratchy, and it's so elegant.... I think they know what they're doing at Sailor! I've always wondered what the big deal was... now I know! It's pretty special."
I emailed Gerry to ask how he feels about the pen now, almost three months later, and he gave me a glowing update: "I love the pen even more than the day I bought it. It is both a showstopper pen to look at but also an amazingly enjoyable pen to write with. I don’t think any pen maker has nailed perfect feedback like Sailor. I typically go to a nib master to modify my nibs, but this nib is so pure I think it would be sacrilege to let anyone modify the work of Sailor’s craftsman. I hesitated buying a Sailor for years because I didn’t find their pen bodies to be very interesting. I like pens that have interesting bodies and interesting nibs. The Bespoke Nawate Furubihaku is both, at extraordinary levels." Thank you, Gerry! That testimonial speaks for itself!
Delicate Details with Namiki
I promised myself this article wouldn't be a long one, but there is one Pilot in our display case that immediately came to mind when I started thinking about autumn, so I knew I couldn't leave it out. Namiki Yukari Chinkin Kinshu is a pen that stunned me from the moment I first saw it.
This awe-inspiring design was created and signed by Urushi lacquer artisan Yasuji Sumi, and portrays a carp surrounded by elegant autumnal Momiji (Japanese maple leaves), painstakingly etched and filled in with 18 karat gold powder. The softness of the fish is portrayed with very fine pointillism-like carved dots, and it's a different color gold than the leaves.
I love the delicate dots and lines that depict the leaves on this pen. Pilot describes them as "comparable to exquisiteness of brocade silk – richly decorative silks woven with multicolored threads," and I completely agree. The pattern strongly reminds me of beautiful fabrics I have seen.
I was fascinated to discover this pen's name, "Kinshu" has multiple meanings including "brocade," "poetic writing," and "the brilliance of autumn leaves." All three can apply to this pen, and I love that there's a word for autumn leaves' brilliance! What a lovely and poetic writing instrument.
This Yukari size pen is the most petite size Namiki, and feels just right to my hand! It's also the perfect size for a shirt pocket or small pen case, and is a pen that could come with you and inspire you (and those around you) wherever you may go. It has a #10 size 18 karat gold nib, fills using a CON-70 converter or Iroshizuku cartridge, and is as wonderful a writing companion as it is beautiful.
This pen would be a stunning addition to any collection, and, of all the beautiful autumnal pens in our store right now, I would say it is the ultimate. The day I come into the showroom and find it gone from our display, I will miss its delicate and perfect beauty, but I will also be very happy for the lucky new owner.
I actually planned to write about several more pens, but, you know what... I think this article is long enough. Sometimes less is more, and I think ending on an extraordinary Namiki is a good way to say goodnight. Tomorrow, I will pack for my Detroit Pen Show adventure, and next week I'll be back to start another blog article that I'm looking forward to very much. See you in a few weeks, and, in the meantime, be sure to enjoy the small and exquisite details of autumn.
-Laura P.
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