There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
Now I appreciate smoothness and the line variation I get from stub nibs.
I also find that I like smaller/sleeker designs. I have a TWSBI Vac 700R and find it clunky even when unposted. I do like the stub nib, though, and the ink capacity is great.
Having experienced a gold nib, I'd like to try another. Love the buttery smoothness.
I keep several pens inked up with different colors:
Lamy 2000 EF, Makrolon. My only premium pen. Love the design, love the way it feels, love the smooth gold nib. This is my go-to pen for daily use, filled with black ink (currently Waterman). Wish the line were finer. It writes more like a medium.
Pilot Metropolitan F. Nice fine line, reasonably smooth nib, super-affordable, comfortable in the hand. This occupies the pen loop in my journal; if it gets lost no biggie. Also filled with black ink. Wish it had more ink capacity. A little ink does get into the cap over time... I rinse the cap out once a week or so. I have a few F nib Metropolitans, and also keep one inked with red Sheaffer Skrip for editing.
Pilot Metropolitan 1.0mm stub. As far as I know, only available from Goulet. Like this a lot, keep it filled with various purple inks for when the mood strikes me. Don't use it much at the moment but might to to it.
TWSBI Vac700R demonstrator, 1.1mm stub. Decent variation on the line, quite smooth. Huge ink capacity and a funky filling mechanism that appeals to me (the reason I bought it, to be honest). A large pen... I find it too large to be my go-to, but it is the pen I take with me to meetings as a backup/alternative to the Lamy 2000. Currently filled with Noodler's Liberty's Elysium blue ink.
Lamy Al-Star, 1.5mm stub. Really like the design and feel of the pen. It too is large but doesn't feel like it...maybe it's the shape and size of the grip, or the light weight. I love the easy-swap Lamy nibs. I keep this inked with Sheaffer Skrip red and use it for headlines in my journal. Thinking of getting another one and fitting it with a 1.1mm stub for more regular use as an alternative to the TWSBI.
Other pens in the collection: A Waterman I inherited from a former boss. Very slim and it's what got me hooked on fountain pens, but I find that the F nib is too wet and broad for my tastes.
Misc. cheap fat Chinese pens. All of these are too big for my tastes.
Pilot Parallel. A special-purpose pen... I keep a 3.8mm one inked up with Noodler's Firefly highlighter ink.
On the wish list... but I don't act because I don't really need more pens: Another Al-Star for more regular use. Nemosine Singularity demonstrator - Want to check out another thin stub nib pen and it's under $20 Another stub-nib Metropolitan or two... for different ink colors.