Tag Archives: M205

Review: M205 Rose Quartz (2023)

December 14, 2023 By in Reviews Tags: , , , 16 Comments
Pelikan M205 Rose Quartz Fountain Pen

Pelikan has had a busy and slightly turbulent fall season. A large slate of October releases was marred by several delays, the most significant of which turned out to be the M200 Copper Rose Gold which is now tentatively planned for release in the Spring of 2024. The long awaited M205 Rose Quartz was likewise held up due to production issues which seem to have been more easily remedied. Retailers started receiving stock in early November which makes this one ripe for a review. The 2023 release that has towered over all others remains the M600 Glauco Cambon. I would place the M1000 Maki-e Dragon in the same company but that is an eminently less accessible model for most. Pelikan has been releasing pens to match their Edelstein Ink Of The Year line since 2015. The Rose Quartz is the latest special edition fountain pen to continue that trend. The majority of these pens have hailed from the M205 family, a model line characterized by chromium plated trim, giving the furniture a silver appearance as opposed to gold. The Rose Quartz fountain pen is no exception, its warmer pink tones blending well with the cooler silver elements, making this one of the nicer looking pens in the series. That is saying something when you consider the eight other models released to date, including the M205 Amethyst (2015), M205 Aquamarine (2016), M200 Smoky Quartz (2017), M205 Olivine (2018), M205 Star Ruby (2019), M205 Moonstone (2020), M200 Golden Beryl (2021), and the M205 Apatite (2022). Pelikan thankfully avoided any major gaffes with this one, leaving the glitter on the shelf and bringing back the chromium plated crown nut. Continue reading to discover whether or not the Rose Quartz deserves a place amongst your flock.

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Contest: WIN A Pelikan M205 Rose Quartz Fountain Pen & Ink Set

September 3, 2023 By in Contest Tags: , , , 148 Comments
The Pelikan's Perch 9th Anniversary Contest

It seems that Pelikan and my humble blog here were fated to collide this year. If you’ve been a regular visitor to this site, you might recall that September 1st marks the day in 2014 when I officially launched The Pelikan’s Perch. On September 2nd, Pelikan had a celebration of their own, commemorating the brand’s 185th anniversary. This blog isn’t quite that old, having only been up and running for the last 9 years, a milestone which I can still hardly believe. I’m not sure what I expected when I jumped into this endeavor nor was I certain how my efforts would be received. This community has been very supportive of me and has given me the energy to continue doing what I love. From the start, I have aspired to bring you relevant brand news, product breakdowns, historical insights, and more in a thoughtful way, approaching the task with a scholarly diligence. Bringing together the multitude of interesting but fractured tidbits of information regarding the brand and its products from across the internet and beyond has brought me great joy, providing a vital outlet for stress relief. As a bonus, I have gotten to correspond with countless people about the brand and its products and look forward to future conversations. While time constraints continue to limit my ability to publish content as frequently as I would like, I remain committed to keeping The Perch going. This site does not solicit for reviews or accept gifts of merchandise as I take the integrity of my work very seriously which is why you don’t see me hosting many contests (all giveaways occur at my own expense). Still, I have enjoyed hosting an annual contest for The Perch’s birthday over the last several years so let’s do it again. Up for this year’s giveaway, in honor of the blog’s 9th birthday, is a 2023 Pelikan M205 Rose Quartz Demonstrator fountain pen and ink gift set once it becomes available later this month. I once again have to give a special thanks to the amazing team at Fritz Schimpf, without whose assistance this giveaway would not be possible. Read on to discover all of the details about how you might enter for a chance to win.

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News: M205 Rose Quartz Special Edition Demonstrator

August 4, 2023 By in News Tags: , , , , 21 Comments
Pelikan M205 Rose Quartz Demonstrator

It is the summer of Barbie and pink is in the air. Since the moment the new Edelstein Rose Quartz ink was announced, talk of a matching pen took flight. To say expectations were high for this one would be quite the understatement. Perhaps even Warner Brothers took note, colluding with Pelikan to cash in on some of the pink fervor. While I say that tongue in cheek, I’m very serious about being blindsided just 48 hours ago when Pelikan announced yet another new model, the first to grace their freshly minted Art Collection, the Glacuo Cambon M600. While still reeling from that news, Pelikan comes in for the body blow with today’s announcement of the upcoming Pelikan M205 Rose Quartz. The practice of marrying a matching fountain pen to their annual Edelstein Ink Of The Year release has been a tradition that goes all the way back to 2015, making the Rose Quartz the ninth such pairing to make an appearance. Six of the prior releases have been M205s whereas only two were M200s, the two being distinguished only by their trim. Before I move on, it’s worth recapping just what we’ve been given to date. Past models have included the M205 Amethyst (2015), M205 Aquamarine (2016), M200 Smoky Quartz (2017), M205 Olivine (2018), M205 Star Ruby (2019), M205 Moonstone (2020), M200 Golden Beryl (2021), and M205 Apatite (2022). Despite every model mentioned being a demonstrator, Pelikan used the line to experiment some, bringing out their first glitter impregnated finishes. The Rose Quartz appears to have none of that, relying instead on its delicate pink features to capture the eye. Keep reading to learn all about this new model’s secrets.

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Review: M205 Apatite (2022)

January 14, 2023 By in Reviews Tags: , , , 44 Comments
Pelikan M205 Apatite Fountain Pen

While 2022 was a year of tumultuous, rapid fire news cycles, things were overall slow in terms of new releases from Pelikan. This is a pattern that Pelikan has been getting us increasingly accustomed to in the post-COVID world. Even when overlooking the paucity of new pens, there certainly weren’t many earth shattering, “must have” releases. With only six new models introduced this past year, two of which were ultra-exclusive Maki-e releases, there hasn’t been a lot to review. While the standout for 2022 was likely the M605 Tortoiseshell-Black, it’s worth taking a look at a few of the latest releases from the company. First up is the M205 Apatite special edition fountain pen which became available to consumers last month. The Apatite is the newest release in Pelikan’s line of fountain pens designed to match their Edelstein Ink Of The Year series, the eighth such model in that line-up. The majority of pens released to date have been in the M205 family and the Apatite is no exception. That means these models are characterized by chromium plated trim which gives the furniture a silver appearance. The seven other models in the series to date include the M205 Amethyst (2015), M205 Aquamarine (2016), M200 Smoky Quartz (2017), M205 Olivine (2018), M205 Star Ruby (2019), M205 Moonstone (2020), and M200 Golden Beryl (2021). Unfortunately, compromises were made resulting in an aesthetic that makes the Apatite stand on its own, and not necessarily in a good way. Also, the Apatite departs from the glittered styling that was a major feature of the Star Ruby, Moonstone, and Golden Beryl. Read on to learn just how much of an appetite you should have for the new M205 Apatite.

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Contest: WIN A Pelikan M205 Apatite Fountain Pen & Ink Set

September 17, 2022 By in Contest Tags: , , , 85 Comments

September 1st is always a special day for The Perch because it was on that day in 2014 that I officially launched the blog that you’re now reading. I can hardly believe that this endeavor has spanned 8 years already. I can still remember when the idea first came to me. It was when I was studying for my boards in the hospital library, distracting myself with pen research during study breaks that my “flux capacitor” moment occurred. The pen research that I was doing up until that point was simply for my own edification, but it occurred to me that others might enjoy the fruits of my fact finding as well. I found so many interesting tidbits fractured across the internet, like a puzzle that needed fitting together. Some pieces clicked easily into place and others didn’t fit at all. Being able to sort through all of that to get as complete a picture as possible has always brought me joy. What started out as a diversion from studying has now become a primary stress reliever from a very stressful career as a pulmonary and critical care physician. Being able to combine my background in science with my writing skills has been a life saver for me and a way to give back to the pen community. Over the years, I have appreciated each and every one of you that have reached out via email or who have commented on this blog. Time constraints have limited my ability to publish content as frequently as I would like but I remain committed to bringing you all of the Pelikan news as it breaks as well as release my own independently researched articles. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll even publish my research in a book format. This site, of course, will continue to run ad free and not be corrupted by solicitation or gifted products in an effort to bring you a clean and bias free experience. That is my ongoing pledge to you. I continue to take the blog’s integrity very seriously.  Consequently, I don’t have the resources to run very many giveaways since they are at my own expense. Still, I have enjoyed hosting an annual contest for The Perch’s birthday so let’s do it again. This year’s giveaway is in honor of the blog’s 8th birthday. What I am offering up is a 2022 Pelikan M205 Apatite Demonstrator fountain pen and ink gift set once it becomes available in November. I have to give a special thanks to the good folks at Fritz Schimpf, a world class retailer whose assistance has made this giveaway possible. Read on to discover all of the details about how you might enter for a chance to win.

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News: M205 Apatite Special Edition Demonstrator

August 18, 2022 By in News Tags: , , , , 20 Comments
Pelikan M205 Apatite

Pelikan has been releasing special edition demonstrators to match their annual Edelstein Ink of the Year since 2015. These pens have invariably belonged to Pelikan’s lower tier Classic line which includes the M200 with its gold plated trim and the M205 with its silver colored chromium accents. Since their inception, these gemstone inspired models have been a popular and highly anticipated mainstay of the company’s annual line-up. Pelikan ended any speculation about what an Apatite inspired fountain pen might look like today with news of the upcoming Classic M205 Apatite. This is the eighth pen designed to match Pelikan’s Edelstein line of limited edition inks. The M205 Apatite joins a distinguished group which includes the M200 Golden Beryl (2021), M205 Moonstone (2020), M205 Star Ruby (2019), M205 Olivine (2018), M200 Smoky Quartz (2017), M205 Aquamarine (2016), and the M205 Amethyst (2015). Some of these models are now quite hard to come by thanks to their curb appeal and popularity. The Star Ruby (2019), Moonstone (2020), and Golden Beryl (2021) took the concept a step further and included a shimmer effect embedded within the barrel and cap, a feature which does not appear to have been included on the M205 Apatite demonstrator. Pre-orders should be going live in this week with the official release slated for some time in November 2022. Read on to learn all that we know of this new model thus far.

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How The New M205 DUO Stacks Up To Its Predecessors

December 24, 2021 By in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , 19 Comments
Pelikan M205 DUO Neon Yellow Highlighter

The M205 DUO was originally introduced in 2010 as part of the Classic line, taking the novel approach of combining a fountain pen with a highlighter. The Pelikan brand was no stranger to either product, but this was the first time that they sought to integrate the two. The concept was well received, and the design went on to win several awards the following year (ISPA Award at Paperworld, the IF Product Design Award, and the Red Dot Award). Equipped with a double broad nib (BB), the pen could be used to highlight pertinent text but also to annotate the margins. It was a serviceable if not perfect solution to an issue faced by many students and scholars. If nothing else, the sustainability and positive ecological impact of the pen was a major focal point, perhaps even more germane today than it was eleven years ago. The first entry in the series was a yellow demonstrator followed a few years later, in 2013, by a neon green model. Each pen came with a special ink in a matching, fluorescent shade specially formulated for the DUO. Fast forward to 2021 and we have a new release in the series. Rather than a straight re-hash of a past product, this one is a new model featuring some different design elements as well as a different shade of fluorescent yellow. Instead of one of my traditional reviews, I thought that it would be more constructive to take a closer look at just what separates the current offering from past releases. Read on to discover all of the highlights that this one brings to the paper.

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News: M205 DUO Highlighter Makes A Comeback

September 18, 2021 By in News Tags: , , , , 10 Comments
Pelikan M205 DUO Highlighter Yellow

Thinking back to the good old days of 2010, many of you may recall the birth of the Classic yellow M205 DUO Highlighter. This was a special edition product which merged a fountain pen with a highlighter, hence the name DUO. In essence, you could highlight text with the double broad nib using a special ink but also jot notes at the same time. In 2011, the design went on to win several awards including the ISPA Award at Paperworld, the IF Product Design Award, and the Red Dot Award. The DUO came packaged in an attractive gift box that included a bottle of yellow highlighter ink. In 2013, a green version was released based on the same premise. The product’s accolades derived from taking two long held standard-bearers of the analog world and combining them in an innovative way. The end result was a reusable product that cut waste making for a pen that reportedly sold quite well in markets like Germany thanks to its reduced ecological impact. It seems that Pelikan has decided to resurrect this model but in a distinctly different hue. This past Thursday, notice of a new M205 DUO highlighter quietly dropped thanks to Fritz Schimpf and Pen Chalet. Expected to be available sometime in mid to late October, the new DUO looks to have a more neon appearance than its predecessor. Read on as I attempt to highlight all of the pertinent details surrounding this new model.

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