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
What kind of nibs do you prefer? Medium to extra-fine, depending, tending towards fine, with a little give in them. Special mention to the Sheaffer Triumphs (never met a Triumph-nibbed pen that I didn't like) and the Esterbrook line, from the most mundane 1551 Medium to the noodly 9128 Flex Extra Fine.
Are there particular models and brands you like? The Esterbrook J and LJ (the SJs are a little too small for me) line is my all-time favorite. They're like VW (Classic) Beetles -- they're easy to restore and maintain, and just last forever, and you just can't go wrong with that gorgeous late Art Deco styling. The above-mentioned Triumph-nibbed Sheaffers are favorites, too. And the Parker numbered line (21, 51, 61, etc) -- I keep a 21 desk set at work, tanked up with Iroshizuku Shin-Ryoku.
Among modern pens, the Pilot Vanishing Point is a good, meaty pen, reliable and sits well in the hand. I've had good luck with some of the modern and recent Chinese pens -- I'm fond of the Jinhao 611 even though it's a very slim pen, but it writes beautifully, and the Wing Sung 233 may be a Sheaffer knock-off, but it's a decent one. These last two have been my regular daily carries for the last couple months, usually loaded up with Private Reserve Sepia and Levenger Amethyst, respectively.