We saw a lot of great pens released by Pelikan in 2016 and that momentum seems to have been sustained thus far into 2017. To date, the company has given us the M101N Bright Red, Pelikano Up, M800 Renaissance Brown, M800 Raden Royal Gold, and the M200 Smoky Quartz which is due out next month. Let’s also not forget the addition of Edelstein Aquamarine to the standard line-up as well as the introduction of the Ink of the Year 2017, Smoky Quartz. The year is just a little more than half over but several additional new pens are still anticipated before the year’s end. News of upcoming releases has been much more scarce this year when compared to years prior. While vendors are taking their contractual obligations much more seriously, word of a new pen always generates excitement throughout the community and gossip can only be contained for so long. Those on a budget often need to plan for a new pen expenditure so any information can be a big help in mapping out future purchases. With that in mind, The Pelikan’s Perch is committed to bringing you the latest Pelikan news as it unfolds. Over the last several months, I have had various, anonymous pen enthusiast approach me to report intelligence of a few upcoming Pelikan fountain pens that they’ve gleaned information about in their travels. This information comes from all parts of the globe and enough credible information has finally come to light to allow me to confidently bring that news to you. While I can guarantee you that Pelikan has more in store for 2017 than what’s outlined below, the two upcoming releases detailed here represent a nice chunk of what’s yet to come. Of course, there have been no definitive announcements from Pelikan or official confirmation therefore the information presented needs to be taken in the context of a credible rumor though I am confident that we will see both of these models materialize. Additional details will surely be forth coming as we get closer to the anticipated release so stay tuned and enjoy the teaser for now.
M605 White Stripe
For those who have been clamoring for an M6xx release, this M605 is surely going to be welcomed news. The White Stripe will have a design very similar to its sibling, the M600 Pink (2015). This model will have palladium plated furniture with all of the usual trappings of an M605 Souverän including a palladium plated cap top, a beak clip, two trim rings on the piston knob, two cap bands, and a single trim ring at the section. The section, piston knob, and cap will be done in a white resin. The barrel will be done in silver with alternating white stripes. Like the Pink, there does not appear to be an ink view window present or translucency of any type which would allow for gauging the remaining ink level. The dimensions of this model should be 5.28 inches when closed, 6.10 inches posted, 0.49 inches in diameter, with a weight of 0.57 ounces. The ink capacity of an M6xx pen is about 1.30mL. This fountain pen is likely to sport a 14 carat rhodium plated gold nib available in sizes EF, F, M, and B. It is reasonable to expect a matching ballpoint pen in the same finish. The anticipated release date is October 2017 so be prepared for an official announcement sometime in September.
M805 Ocean Swirl
If you are a fan of the Renaissance Brown, wait until you see the Ocean Swirl. This one has me very excited. The finish of this upcoming model will be of a similar design as the Renaissance Brown but the color palette of the barrel and cap will be done in a spectacular blue-green. The Ocean Swirl will have palladium plated furniture with all of the usual trappings of an M805 Souverän including a palladium plated cap top, a beak clip, two trim rings on the piston knob, two cap bands, and a single trim ring at the section. The section and piston knob will be done in a black resin. The barrel should have translucency such that the remaining ink level is able to be determined by holding the pen up to a light source. The dimensions of this model would be 5.59 inches when closed, 6.57 inches posted, 0.52 inches in diameter, with a weight of 0.99 ounces. The ink capacity for an M8xx model is around 1.35mL. This fountain pen will most likely sport an 18 carat rhodium plated gold nib available in sizes EF, F, M, and B. It is also reasonable to predict the simultaneous debut of a matching ballpoint pen. The anticipated release date is also October 2017 with an official announcement expected around September.
*I have it on good authority that we can expect these two models but I have no inside information so the above should not be taken as confirmation of a definitive release or a solid timeline pertaining to those releases.
Thanks for letting us know.
I’m not sure what to make of the M605, it seems a bit uninspiring to me.
The M805 seems to be very interesting andI’m excited about it.
Given the number of blues and browns they have been releasing, there is hope that next year they’ll come up with some other color (one would hope they can only do so many different browns and blues 🙂 ): I’d love to see a red in the same pattern; a grey marbled wouldn’t seem so bad either; they rarely release a yellow pen…
Any rumors of a M400 this year?
And any rumors of a M1005 this century? 🙂
You’re welcome and I agree with your sentiments. I too would like to see more reds, oranges, and yellows injected into the line-up. Blues and browns are getting a bit stale. The Burnt Orange was very exciting to me for this very reason. I think though that traditional German sensibilities tend to run more conservative.
Thank you for keeping your ear to the ground Joshua (or maybe to the beak?). Great work as always!
The M805 Stressemann didn’t really wow me when it first came out, but it’s grown on me and now I quite like it (full confession: I don’t have one yet, but wouldn’t pass one up if it came by at a decent deal). I’m suspecting this M605 will be similar. I’ll have to see when it actually ships and some reviews come in to make the decision.
I always wait to see the models in person before passing judgement but even then I like to let them breathe a bit. I didn’t like the M205 Taupe at first but it really grew on me. Same for the M600 Pink. My wallet doesn’t appreciate that though.
The M805 Ocean Swirl sounds really interesting! Good info as always!
I really like the color palette for that one. I’ll have photos up as soon as they become available, probably in the next 1-2 months.
Thank you Joshua! I’m liking the White Stripe much better than the Pink. Hopefully they got that out of their system 😉 And the Blue one sounds interesting, especially if it is truly different from the Blue’O’Blue and the Vibrant Blue. I’m in for both new pens!
Blue – Green swirl? Hello Seahawk fans. But 8XX model is a deal breaker for me.
Hi Josh, I wonder how similar the Ocean Swirl will be to the Aurora Optima Auroloide Green?
Distant cousins. Think darker teal with a much more granular appearance. Hard to describe but definitely easy on the eyes.
I really like the white stripe M605. I like simplicity in design, and white is so pure. For those who like to match ink colors, the white stripe allows us to put any color of ink in it. I know matching ink to the pen color may seem silly to some, but I like it. I also have the pink stripe version, and it is absolutely my favorite pen. That’s saying a lot, considering how many fountain pens I own. I’ll be watching to see what kind of deals I can get on the white one!
I was never really into matching colors with pens but its something that I’ve started doing more of. I can see the merit in it. I don’t think this is the last we’re going to see of Pelikan riffing on this M6xx striped theme.
Thanks for the wonderful posts, Joshua. Love to buy another Pelikan. One thing annoys me a bit is that some Pelikans post nicely and some (actually just one among my meager collection) .. the cap keeps falling off when I write. I hate to force the cap to make it stay on. My former favorite, the white tortoise cap is cracked, now retired in the display box. Is there an easy way to fix the posting issue? Joshua, do you prefer to post your pen? When you buy a new pen, do you take how it post into consideration? But then online purchases make this impossible to judge!!!
In my experience, most Pelikan pens post nicely, particularly the Classic and Souverän series. Which one of yours has trouble posting? The cap cracking on the white tortoise was a known issue. You might want to contact Pelikan to see if they will provide some remedy for that so you can get the tortoise back into service. Unfortunately, there is no way to make a pen that doesn’t post well, do so. I post almost all of my pens personally and do factor in the ability to post with new purchases.
Just interested in your comment and question about posting pens. I only own one pen that doesn’t post; that’s the only time I’ll make that mistake. I prefer to post all my pens. Before I buy a pen online, if it doesn’t say or show whether it posts or not, and I don’t already know, I contact the seller to make sure it does. That’s how important it is to me.
JOSHUA & FARMKITI, your comments make me so happy to know that I am not the only one fuzzy about posting. I am generally low profile (favorite color navy & grey), so it is a bit embarrassing to admit I own a Souverän M600 pink Special Edition. The Pelikan writes very well, but it catches too much attention at work meetings – and making things worse the cap keeps falling off… So the pink is also in the display case next to my favorite white Tortoise (so beaten up it is beyond repair I am afraid!). My working pen is the reliable M120N Black/Green 🙂
I’m surprised to hear that the cap of the M600 pink falls off. These should post fairly securely. How gingerly are you putting it on there? They don’t need to be forced but should be seated. Hard to describe. I’ve had no issues posting most modern Souveräns.
Retraction (re: 7/31 post). My apology to Pelikan for saying that my M600 Pink doesn’t post well. The problem is I was “intimidated” by the hot pink and the elegant look of the pen, subconsciously I must have put too light a pressure when posting the cap. Furthermore I discovered a trick: When posting, slightly twist the cap a tiny bit to let it clicks in a more secure grip then it doesn’t fall off anymore. So sorry for the misleading post earlier. Though I am keeping the M120 for meetings – low profile, totally.
Glad to hear that you got it sorted. That M600 wants to be inked and writing, not sitting in a case.
Joshua,
Love your site and your great articles. The Pelikan official site doesn’t have much info. I suppose I will take the other opinion when it comes to the company’s use of white. I have and use regularly a Pelikan “White Tiger” and the white body and gold inlays makes it magnificent to look and use. Thanks for keeping me fed and nourished on every thing Pelikan.
Robert
Thank you very much. These aren’t officially announced so you won’t find any info on Pelikan’s website. Even when announced, I find that the official site is not as informative as I’d like. The White Tiger is an awesome pen. I’m jealous.
Not a huge fan of white pens — I think something made for ink probably shouldn’t be white, but I’m curious about the “white stripe.” Is that a real image in your post produced by Pelikan, or is it a conjecture?
I get that perspective but haven’t had any staining issues personally. The image included in the post is a real company pre-release photo to the best of my knowledge, not conjecture.
It is true that I do have to be careful when I’m filling my pink M600. It has ivory threads near the nib and I have to make sure I don’t dip those directly into the ink pot. If I get ink on it, I clean it up right away. So I agree, it is somewhat troublesome to have to be so careful. But to me, the pink Pelikan is worth the extra trouble. I’m an extremely “girly” girl, so I love my pink fountain pen! Just looking at that beautiful pink makes me happy. Not saying guys can’t love that pen, too. It’s a beautiful pen for anyone!
I’m really looking forward to the white M600. I will be watching for its release. It looks like it will be a beautiful and eye-catching pen. Thanks to Joshua for keeping us updated on all things Pelikan!
I think we may see more variations of this white M600 in the future based on the fact that we’ve seen this motif done twice now. Just a hunch. You’re most welcome for the news. I’ll keep it coming as soon as I hear it.
It’s amazing how Pelikan can dream up pen after pen, in this and that, and never consider their pen users might like a cartridge pen that fits in with the rest of the range. They dump the Ductus, and nothing to replace it. Do Pelikan users always sit and desks, surrounded by bottles of ink, and never traverse the globe? What would be wrong with a M600/800 cartridge pen? Or would such a suggestion mean being burnt at the stake. Great website, great forum…. thanks
I agree that there is a gap in Pelikan’s line up and certainly room for a high end cartridge model. The P200 and P205 are nice but a little basic. I assume that the company has some market data to back up their decisions. I find that Pelikan pens hold a lot of ink and traveling with a bottle of ink isn’t really a big deal but I can understand the perspective of someone who prefers cartridges. You never know what they’ll release. Maybe you’ll get your wish someday.
LCdC just sent the email with the release of the M600. It seems slightly different from above, and I must say that I really like it. How do you like the final version?
I wonder if they don’t leak these pre-release pics with the explicit intention of gauging the reactions and making final adjustments… I’m looking forward to seeing that M800!
Actually, a closer look shows that it is exactly the same as above, just seems different due to the angle of the shots. Really nice looking. Any chance of a pic of that Ocean Swirl yet? 🙂
Hopefully we’ll have pics of the Ocean Swirl soon. Can’t wait to see a few more myself but it’s definitely worth the wait from what I’ve seen.
I like it well enough but not enough that I feel I have to have it. Should be a good seller though.
There is no “leak” of pics from Pelikan to gauge reaction, trust me on that. Their feathers get quite ruffled when these pics surface. Pelikan gives vendors early details so they may plan accordingly. Big penalties can result if a leak is traced back to a vendor.
Yes, now I remember that you commented about Pelikan getting mad at vendors due to some leaks a few years ago.
This M605 is very interesting, it seems that depending of the angle it looks a bit different. I was very tempted by it, but so far resisted getting one – I can always use the one from my wife (she didn’t stop pestering me until I put a pre-order for her 🙂 ). I can barely wait for that M800 Ocean Swirl.
Thanks a lot for all the info.
You’re welcome.