In addition to the Maki-e Dragonfly, Pelikan’s retail channels also broke news of the M605 White Transparent due out in the second half of next month (October 2017). News of this model was first announced here at the Perch way back in July and much of what was expected at that time has materialized in the final release version of this new model. Many will appreciate the fact that the M6xx line is getting some attention as this is the preferred size for many who find an M400 too small and an M800 too large. Pelikan bills this model as a modern reinterpretation of the classic Souverän. The official statement reads;
“Gracefully with a gentle appearance. That‘s the look of the new Pelikan Souverän M605 White-Transparent. Thanks to its tone-in-tone design it seems to be inconspicuous but it is absolutely not. The bright but not cold white colour shades underline the very modern interpretation of the true classic Souverän.“
If you’ve been waiting for Pelikan to release a new M6xx, this might be the one for you.
This new M605 will have a white-transparent body made of cellulose acetate adorned with silver stripes. The section, cap, and piston knob are made from a white resin. The furniture will be palladium plated which seems to complement the silver stripes nicely. The nib is a 14C-585 rhodium plated gold which is likely to be available in sizes EF, F, M, and B. The transparency of the barrel will allow you to visualize and gauge the ink level remaining in the pen. In addition to a fountain pen, a matching ballpoint will also be available. This model will come packaged in a specially designed gift box that is reminiscent of what we saw with the M600 Pink. Overseas retailers are quoting a price of around $375 for US customers. Domestic pricing is likely to be higher once announced.
As far as white fountain pens go, some may have misgivings due to the ease with which they stain. While it is true that they can be more stain prone, a little extra care is usually all that is required. Personally, I’ll likely be passing on this M605 in favor of the M800 Ocean Swirl anticipated to follow on its heels. What are your thoughts on the White Transparent and will you be picking one up?
M605
K605
Pelikan M605 White Transparent specially designed gift packaging
UPDATE 9/23/17: The US MSRP for this pen is now being reported at $475 with US vendors offering it for around $380. That is significantly lower than the M600 Pink which carried an MSRP of $625. I’m not sure why the unusual reduction but what this means is that most US vendors will actually be able to price this pen competitively with overseas markets. Also, the fact that purchasing domestically brings the addition of a warranty via Chartpak, that price has even more added value. While I wasn’t going to pick this one up, the pricing has changed my mind and I’m happy to support one of my domestic vendors. Let us hope this is a trend in future release pricing and not just a one off.
It seems to lean toward ivory, and if so, I like it. A lot. If it’s white, I’ll definitely be giving it a pass. So: I’ll be waiting for further information from those who have one in hand.
I agree. Some pics look more ivory and some look more white. Will need to see some examples in real world lighting to be able to accurately assess.
It does look ivory in the images. So they changed out the pink ribbon for ivory for this year’s “ladies” issue. Order in anyway. 🙂
I think that a good number of men will like this pen just fine. I think assigning a targeted gender to a pen is silly. The packaging could use some rethinking though.
This looks very special and tempting. It will be interesting to see what the price is here in the UK.
I haven’t seen any U.K. vendors list this yet but I don’t expect that it will be long before they do.
I think I will pick one of these up. The M6xx size is my favourite chassis (still waiting on that Stresemann! 😉 ) so I’m excited to see another pen in this size. I normally lean towards gold trim, and I originally thought that this would feel ‘cold’ to me, but on the contrary, I find the ivory warms it up, and it has a sleek and elegant feel. These would make a great wedding gift. Makes me want to run out and get married, so I can register for them 😉
Clearly, Pelikan has ignored my previous rants and rage regarding the wretchedly cheap, Victoria’s Secret ribbon box, instead of returning to the classier packaging as befits these pens. Sigh.
I believe the M205 black and white models were targeted to brides and grooms. This would be a nice wedding gift. I definitely agree with your take on the packaging.
Thanks for the update’s Joshua.
You’re most welcome!
I wonder what it looks like with ink in it?
No word on that yet but given the white substrate, I’d imagine it would be much more conspicuous than darker striated models. I’m wondering if it won’t actually take away from the appearance a bit.
I’m ordering one of these because I think it will look very tempting with ink in it. I did at first think it looks like a wedding cake, but once my blue-black ink is in it, I think that will change everything. The ballerina slipper package will end up in the trash.
The packaging does leave a lot to be desired. I’m curious to see what an inked pen will look like and whether or not it would ruin the aesthetic. Blue-black seems like a good choice.
You are correct, Joshua. If the color of the ink took up the entire barrel, I think it would look very cool. Since the color of the ink only takes up a part of the barrel, I think it does take away from the color of the pen, at least with violet ink anyways. The next ink to go in will be lighter.
The pics that I’ve seen with the pen inked look better than I expected them too. I do wonder how many stained ink chambers we’re going to see after the first several months.
Hello, derweil64, you don’t keep your pen boxes? I do and am quite fuzzy about the look and presentation of every one and the box condition if buying a used one. I often wonder what other people do. One of my friends who has a few high-end Montblanc and Pelikan. To my dismay, he throws away all his boxes (with all the paper documents). Joshua, with your 160+ pens, do you keep all the boxes?
This is a problem for me. Yes, I keep every single box. I never marked boxes though and not all boxes are labeled. So, while I have them, at this point, I’d be hard pressed to match a lot of pens with their proper boxes.
This is a beautiful pen for the ladies. It’s much more elegant and understated than the pink one. It should sell well.
I agree that it looks sharper than the Pink but the pink sold well. You can’t find one anywhere. I expect we’ll see the same occur with the White Transparent.
You mentioned an M800 Ocean Swirl coming later. Has there been any communication or pics to show what this may look like?
Thanks!!
You mentioned an M800 Ocean Swirl coming later. Has there been any communication or pics to show what this may look like?
Thanks!!
Thanks for the heads-up, Joshua. I’ll seriously consider this as; 1) M6XX fits my hand best, 2) Prefer the Rhodium trimmings than Gold, & 3) Been sourcing previous M605s – all but the Blue Striated seemed elusive due its availability & being too pricey (NOS).
The blue striped M605 is on my short list. It is indeed near impossible to find and not all that reasonably priced when you do. Good luck with your deliberations. A collection of M605s would be wonderful.
Always wanted to add a white pen to my collection, this looks like an option.
Very impressed with the M205 variants I have and hopefully this M6xx will live up to the expectations
I don’t think it looks to disappoint from what I’ve seen so far.
Well, with the updated price that was posted, it certainly becomes a strong contender:-)
Much to my wallet’s dismay. It thought it had at least a little reprieve.
i hear you:-(
There is a lot of talk about white pens being “ladylike” but I seem to remember that Aurora casein pens were issued to soldiers in WWII. I may be mistaken.
White pens were also historically “doctors” and “nurses” pens.
I had been hoping for a M605 version of the Stresemann. Does this announcement effectively mean that there won’t be one?
Not at all. I don’t think that the White Transparent rules out an Stresemann but I also don’t think an M605 Stresemann is in the immediate blueprint either. Only Pelikan knows for sure. My gut though is that it will be a few more years before we see this come to fruition, if at all.
I really like this “sister” pen to the Pink M600. Since I have the Pink one, of course I’ll have to have the White M605, too! Especially with the U.S. price being more in line with the worldwide market. I’ve read some people say they’re not crazy about the pale monotone color scheme, but to me, it is understated, classy, and nicely represents the classic stripe design of many Pelikans. I’m afraid I have already fallen in love with this pen and have pre-ordered one from Classic Fountain Pens, with a stub modification to the nib. I can’t wait for this pen to come in. My Pink M600 is very excited to know that she has a new little sister coming to join her. lol
I have a feeling that Pelikan may continue to expand on this theme for next year as well. You might want to start anticipating an M600 along similar lines for next year. No definite knowledge, just rumor but…
Good to know. I’ll be sure and keep an eye out for more “sisters.”
Mine is being delivered next week; it has been some time since I have been this excited about a new pen! I will probably use a dark purple ink… Akkerman Violet or Levenger Regal, perhaps.
I believe that my pen should also be delivered sometime this week. Not sure what I’m going to ink it up with yet. Given the white nature of the pen, I’ll probably be careful with ink selection and stay away from super saturated inks to avoid any risks of staining.
You are wise.