It’s time for us to learn about the first Souverän for this year: the M815 Metal Striped Blue fountain pen. Many may remember the original M815 Metal Striped from 2018, a pen that is now being retrospectively dubbed the M815 Metal Striped Black. It’s hard to believe it has already been 7 years since that original release. Pelikan is refreshing the design with this new version featuring a deep blue resin and brass body with palladium accents. The design adds extra weight to what is already a hefty pen and seems to vary only in color from the earlier model. This new M815 is expected to be released in June 2025.
What does Pelikan have to say about their newest model? The product literature describes the M815 as “A bold evolution of a classic, the Pelikan Souverän Metal Stiped Blue Fountain Pen brings modern elegance to the iconic M800 series. Following the success of the M815 Metal Striped Black, this special edition redefines refinement with a rich, vibrant blue barrel accented by polished palladium-plated brass stripes, creating a dynamic interplay of color and shine.”
The M815 features alternating palladium stripes that give a fresh twist to the classic Stresemann design. It has a blue resin cap, section, and piston knob, with a light blue ink view behind the section. The trim includes two rings on the piston knob, one at the section, two cap bands, a pelican’s beak clip, and a plated crown clip nut on the cap top. All of the furniture is palladium plated. Measuring 5.55 inches (14.09 cm) long and 0.53 inches (1.35 cm) in diameter, it weighs 1.31 ounces (37.13 gm) and holds about 1.35mL of ink. The nib is a rhodium plated 18C-750 gold which matches the rest of the design. The pen comes in a box unique to the M815 line.
The M815 Metal Striped Blue offers standard nib widths of EF, F, M, or B. There are no matching ballpoints or rollerballs for this model, consistent with previous releases. The original M815 was priced higher than the M800, likely due to its higher end materials. Domestic prices are not available yet, but Appleboom lists the fountain pen at $814.37.
I’m a fan of the original M815 because it offers the heft of an M1000 in a smaller M8xx size. If you think the standard M800 is too big or heavy, this pen is definitely not for you. Some find the weight tiring during long writing sessions, but I haven’t had that experience. I really like the deep blue resin, which reminds me of the M805 Dark Blue (2003) and the M800 Dark Blue NORD/LB-LBS (1995). I am curious to see how its own pricing and the current global economic turmoil may impact this one’s sales. What do you think of the new Souverän? Is the added weight of the brass components a nice change or too much? I’m curious about how the M815 Metal Striped Blue will be received by the community but my guess is that the reception will be a positive one. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
It looks so great I pre-ordered one from Appelboom.
Nice choice. Congrats!
The pen looks like an interesting twist on the original Metal Striped. I like the color. I will re-visit the weight and balance particulars, and if good, this one may very well come into my flock. I generally prefer a lighter pen, but if the balance is good, the extra weight is for me less of an issue.
Something with the heft of an M1000 but with a feed that is a less wet is also appealing.
Thanks for the announcement!
The weight is well distributed and not a particular issue, at least for me.
What a beautiful pen! Thanks for giving us a first look at it!
You’re most welcome.
I like the look of this one, and the M8XX size is my favorite for writing. (I prefer the M6XX for carrying in a shirt pocket.) I like ink windows and have found the classic Pelikan dark green ones frustrating. I anticipate this light blue one will be more functional. I will probably order one with a B nib and have it ground to cursive italic.
Thanks for the review!
It’s a double edged sword. Some of their dark ink windows are too dark to be functional, I agree. The lighter windows are more functional but come at the cost of easily being stained. Still, either way, its nice to see an ink window here.
What a great looking pen. I love the original metal stripe which I have and this one looks even more beautiful. Thanks for another great review.
Yes, I’m definitely liking the look of this blue one more so than the black myself.
What an amazing pen. I just spoke to Phillip Landsiedel and he will sell the new M815, too. They should be visible in his shop, shortly. As he is able to customize the nib, I just pre-ordered over e-mail from him. Looking forward to this new one!
Hello. I wasn’t familiar with Landsiedel Fine Writing so thank you for bringing them to my attention. What type of grind did you select for this nib?
I wish it will come in M600…
I expect there will be more than a few people saying that before it’s all said and done. That said, we should get another M600 Art Collection pen this year that will be made with similar techniques as the last therefore it will have that added heft as well if that is any consolation.
Beautiful! The color is elegant. I don’t object at all to the additional heft.
It’s funny how the weight can be a deal breaker for some and inconsequential to others. I have rarely found a pen that I cannot get comfortable with so it is a bit of a foreign concept to me and likely a bit of a curse.
I’m trying not to buy any more pens; however, this one is impossible to resist! 💙💙
It seems like Pelikan has a way of getting you, even when you aren’t “trying.”
I’m embarrassed to say that I own the Black Metal Striped but have never used it. So I didn’t realize that it has more heft. So I guess I will pull it out and play around with it.
In any event, this new blue model is a stunner, and I’ve already pre-ordered it from my local dealer.
Definitely worth pulling out. Great pen and different than most other M800s. Congrats on the new purchase.
I usually don’t, but I find I’m liking the publicity shots for this one. Got me to preorder. Sigh.
Something about this pen reminds me of the M640 Niagara, a very different pen, but kind of similar motif.
Of all the pens that I thought this one reminded me of, I had forgotten about the Niagara. Now that you say it, I can’t unsee it. It’s kind of like if the Niagara went on a diet and slimmed down.
Sardonic thanks. Now I will always see the M640 series as needing a diet. (I love the look of my Sahara, but always did think the nib undersized relative to the pen body.)
Have we seen US retail pricing yet?
That would be in the neighborhood of $872 (MSRP $1,090)
The price is decent. Market prices for the black 815 are higher than this. That may contribute to the popularity of this one. Despite my rules, I immediately ordered one. I find the 815 consistently enjoyable to use, for the reasons you indicate, especially the ergonomic comfort.
I think that the interesting thing is that you don’t see a lot of M815s on the secondary market. I also think that some of the prices being asked for these are ridiculous but that likely speaks to the relatively low supply. I’m curious as to what rules you have set for yourself that this one made it so easy to break them.
It’s undoubtedly a smart-looking pen. I, too, thought of the Niagara, at least from a distance. The ink window is certainly a promising re-development, but I can’t see the need for more heft in a pen that already has a brass piston. Plus, it’s going to nudge the price up: £715 in the UK as opposed to £300/£400 for a standard finish.
The ink window never really left their more solid designs limited/special edition designs. Certainly, there are many models in that category that omitted it in favor of the overall design but I’d say a good number continue to be included with it such as the M815. It is really the striped pattern that comprises their standard model that eliminated the ink view all together.
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This email unfortunately went into a file folder where I didn’t find it until now. Currently, my M800 Red Pelikan is my favorite pen, and I think that size is the right heft for me. I just ordered a Conway Stewart and am anxious to see how
I compare it with my M800.
In that matchup, I’d have to take the Pelikan over the Conway all day long.
It’s a beautiful pen. I skipped the original version, early in my Fountain pen journey, thinking that the heft would be an issue.
This one is so stunning that I immediately placed my pre-order too. Excited to get it in hand. (The M800 is my fav for my female hands. I find the M600 shirt and light. I love my heftier M600 Art. )
I was surprised that the additional heft of the original Black version was not a put off at all nor did it affect my ability to write with the pen. I guess different people with have different views and experiences on that.
This blue version is even more beautiful than the original version, which I own. But I do find the heft to be a problem. I don’t like to use it. The price on this one is also a bit too much for me to stomach. (Maybe that’s partly because I just found a tortoise M800 for under $300.) But this blue one really is a stunner!
Well, if the heft was too much than a fresh coat of pain won’t do anything to improve upon that. I do like the blue over the black. The Tortoise M800 is not too shabby a consolation prize though.
I have an M800 and ink is always creeping up and collecting a little bit on the TOP of the nib. I have an M600 and M400 and it doesn’t happen with either of those pens. Is this a common behavior because of the larger nib of the M800? Would it happen with this M815 too and also with an M1000? Thank you!
A lot of variables might play into this. Is the nib assembly seated in the section completely? If it is a little loose, ink might seep as you describe. Also, the M800 is a large nib and puts down a wet and generous line. Depending on the ink selection, you might certainly notice this compared with the other models. Have you tried using a variety of inks and gotten the same result? Pelikan’s inks are known to be a little drier to help tame this. I do occasionally get some ink collecting on the top of the nib but it is not pervasive, intrusive, or bothersome. Usually just a quick blot with a rag takes care of it.
I’ve owned the M815 Blue since yesterday.
Don’t compare it with the black one! The silver-coloured stripes of the black one sparkle and shine in the light. Not so with the blue one. They look thinner and somehow dull.
On the one hand, I think that’s a pity. On the other hand, the discreet design of the blue one is pleasantly understated and unobtrusive. Seen in this way, it even shows more self-confidence. It doesn’t have to ‘impose’ itself. On its own, it is a very nice pen that I always like to hold in my hand.
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I think the Blue and Black Metal Striped models stand on their own merits though I find the blue color overall more appealing personally.
I saw this on stilografica.it
15 July 2025 – Pelikan has decided to postpone deliveries to all markets of the new M815 due an imperfection found in one phase of the production process, to make the necessary corrections. WE DO NOT YET HAVE A PRECISE DATE FOR THE RESUMPTION OF DELIVERIES!!!
I wonder how many people received their pen with a potential imperfection.
I was wondering about the delay…thank you for the information.
That is interesting news as mine arrived on 6/12/25. I cannot see any issue per se. I do not see any other outlets relating the same news but I see what you are referring to. I wonder if it was a specific batch rather than the whole production run. I’ll see what I can figure out.
Which blue matching ink would you recommend with this pen? Thank you.
Perhaps Scribe Indigo would be a good ink to match this one. I believe that you can get it at Pen Realm.