Pelikan will open registration for Pelikan Hubs 2025 on Thursday, July 24, so mark your calendars. The event will be held on Friday, October 24, instead of the usual September date. That is all we know for now as Pelikan has yet to update the Hubs webpage. I’m sure more details will be shared as we get closer to the registration date.
Pelikan’s Edelstein line introduced Apricot Achat this year, a light apricot color that resembles its gemstone namesake. The ink lacks shimmer and may be too light for some. I expected the ink to be just as it is but I’m rarely in it for the ink these days. Since 2015, Pelikan has paired M2xx fountain pens with their Ink Of The Year line and I’ve struggled to envision what an apricot colored pen might look like. That struggle ended today with news of the M200 Apricot Achat Special Edition fountain pen. Of the eleven pens in this series, this will be just the fourth gold accented M200. I can confidently say that nothing else in the line up matches this color, which is truly unique. The Apricot Achat is expected sometime in July. Continue reading for all the available details.
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A few days ago, Pelikan announced their next Maki-e release, the M1000 Maki-e Goldfish limited edition fountain pen. The theme may seem familiar because of the carp inspired Maki-e Koi, released in 2015. Pelikan explains that “the design showcases two traditional goldfish, one in vivid red on the cap and another in graceful white on the barrel.” It also includes flowing seaweed and gentle waves, elements that “add tranquility and movement, symbolizing abundance, elegance, and good fortune in Japanese culture.” Each pen is hand-painted, and only 123 pieces will be available worldwide, with an expected arrival for sometime in June.
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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.
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Hamelin officially acquired Pelikan (and Herlitz) on December 13th, 2023, bringing hope for a brighter future for these companies, which have faced bankruptcy, takeovers, tough market conditions, and austerity. However, for many employees, that hope has faded. Hamelin has aggressively reduced redundancies in Germany, Poland, Italy, Benelux, and Switzerland. A key change has been the closure of Pelikan Vertriebsgesellschaft (PVG), Pelikan’s German sales and distribution operations in Hannover and Falkensee, affecting around 250 employees. There have also been changes in distribution; Stone Marketing, which distributed Pelikan in the UK for over 25 years, is no longer involved as of January 1st because Hamelin has its own logistics in the UK. Eric Joan, Hamelin’s CEO, aims for growth by offering a wide range of products from a single catalog. Emphasizing the need to reduce redundancy, Mr. Joan recently summed it up like this; “We only want to run one company and not three.” Although Hamelin’s plans for Pelikan’s Peine-Vöhrum manufacturing plant are unclear, there are indications that developments are forthcoming.
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As of this evening, we have a first look at Pelikan’s newest fountain pen, the M200 Marbled Red Special Edition. For their initial offering of 2025, Pelikan chose to revisit the Classic line, known for its marbled finishes since the late 1980s. Previous versions include their Green, Blue, and Gray Marbled pens along with unique variants like the Gray-Magenta/Telekom (1994), Brown Marbled (2017), and Petrol Marbled (2021). The last marbled offering was the M200 Gold Marbled in 2019. The Red Marbled fountain pen is set to release in March/April 2025, alongside the Edelstein Apricot Achat.
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Over the past century, fountain pen users have increasingly gravitated towards larger pens. This doesn’t mean that everyone prefers them, nor that larger models are a novel phenomenon. While this trend deserves its own discussion, the Pelikan M800 stands out as an essential model in the Souverän lineup. Its larger size and added weight contribute to its appeal for a broad swath of fountain pen users. It should come as no surprise then that this is where Pelikan concentrates many of their new releases. Their latest addition to the M800 line is the Cream Blue, unveiled late last year. Although there’s nothing revolutionary about it, the dark blue barrel and cream accents create an attractive package, and if you’re looking for an M800, it won’t disappoint. However, I can’t help but think about the untapped potential of this model. Read on for more of my thoughts on the M800 Cream Blue.
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A new cycle of Pelikan news begins for 2025, starting with this year’s Edelstein Ink Of The Year: Apricot Achat. This year’s ink is a non-shimmering shade of vibrant golden orange, inspired by Pantone 163C (Hex: #ff9d6e/RGB: 255,157,110). The hue resembles apricot agate, making it the fourteenth gemstone-inspired ink in the Edelstein series. Like previous editions, it will be available for one year or while supplies last. Apricot Achat is set to launch in March 2025, offering a fresh shade for Spring.
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