While not officially rumored, an announcement has been expected from Pelikan regarding a new fountain pen from their Classic line in the same color as this year’s Edelstein Ink of the Year, Smoky Quartz.  This model would follow a pattern established by two prior releases emulating a limited edition Edelstein ink, Amethyst (2015) and Aquamarine (2016).  Of note, both of those models were designated as part of the M205 line which is characterized by chromium plated furniture which is silver in color.  Fritz-Schimpf, an awesome retailer based out of Germany, has given us our first look at the much anticipated Smoky Quartz demonstrator.  While the release has been expected, I did not anticipate that it would be part of the M200 line-up, distinguished by its gold-plated furniture.  It shouldn’t take long now for this pen to show up for pre-order via your preferred retailer.  Consistent with past timelines, expect the M200 Smoky Quartz to be available sometime in August.

This M200 will be a demonstrator in the hue of Smoky Quartz corresponding to this year’s Edelstein limited edition ink.  The M200 line has not seen a new edition since the very limited edition (just 100 pieces) M201 Mars Red from August 2015.  This will be the third special edition model that takes on the hue of one of Pelikan’s inks and I’m really enjoying the trend.  I’m already anticipating what the next release may look like which is promised to be an olive-green hue planned for 2018.  The M200 is part of Pelikan’s Classic Series,  an upscale, entry-level line of pens.  The line is characterized by gold-plated furniture with styling which features a printed one chick logo cap top with a gold-plated crown, a single cap band, a single trim ring at the piston knob, and the traditional pelican’s beak clip.  The pen will be equipped with a gold-plated stainless steel nib in the standard sizes of EF, F, M, and B.  Since the pen is a demonstrator, the piston mechanism and ink reservoir will be visible for your viewing pleasure.

M200

K200

The M20o Smoky Quartz will be a special edition release with a finite production run though pens usually remain available for sale even after production ends.  It will be available as a stand alone pen or as a set that includes a bottle of Edelstein Smoky Quartz ink.  If you purchase the set, the Edelstein ink bottle will feature gold lettering, a unique feature available only with inks purchased as part of the set.  A  complimentary K200 ballpoint pen will also be available.  Retail pricing is likely to vary but Fritz-Schimpf is asking €100 (~$111.83) for the fountain pen, €116 (~$129.72) for the set, and €92 (~$102.88) for the ballpoint pen.

M200 Fountain Pen & Ink Set

I like the look of this M200 a lot but have learned to temper expectations until seeing the pen in the wild as pre-release product shots can be deceptive.  Seeing the color of the cap and barrel realized, I think that it was a smart design decision to trim the pen in gold rather than chromium as we’ve come to expect.  I like the shade though the product photos remind of darker versions of the previously released Amber (2003) and Cognac (2014).  Hopefully the real world manifestation will be able to distinguish itself (it looks up to the challenge).  It goes to show that Pelikan considers every release individually in an effort to craft the best pen possible.  What are your thoughts?  Will you be picking one of these up or have you had enough with the array of browns recently released from Hannover?

Find more information on Fritz-Schimpf’s website;

• M200 Smoky Quartz Fountain Pen
• M200 Smoky Quartz Fountain Pen & Ink Set
• K200 Smoky Quartz Ballpoint Pen