Father's Day 2021 Gift List
Father's Day is coming up pretty soon and you don't want to be caught out without a gift but your in luck because this list will go over some ideas to give your father the gift of writing this year! Whether it's a pen or something to go with it like paper or ink, we've got you covered. Please keep in mind that this list is in no way a definitive gift list and that the items are in no particular order, Pen Boutique carries a lot more than what is mentioned on this list so treat this as more of a starting point and check out our website for more options. I will be showcasing 6 different pens, 2 roller, 2 ballpoint and 2 fountain, and then go over a couple of ink and paper options as well so without further ado let's get into the list starting with the pens.
Fountain Pens
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MONTBLANC 149 FOUNTAIN PEN :
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Montblanc 149 is considered as one of the best fountain pens. It is also called a Diplomat or called big papa of fountain pens. The fountain pen has the same cigar shape since 1952. It has been improved over the years but it is considered as the epitome of the fountain pens. The pen is a piston filler and has a vintage aura saying that time stands still for this beautiful Montblanc fountain pen. The Montblanc 149 came originally in Gold trim. But over the years it now has the platinum, Red Gold trim added to the family. The nibs are extra fine, fine , medium, broad. There are speciality nibs which can be ordered - Double broad, oblique broad, oblique medium.
To own it is a privilege.
- Pelikan M1000 Green Stripe- Pelikan's flagship model of their Souverän line is one of the best flagship pen models offered from any modern brand and just happens to be my favorite as well because it has a spectacular nib. The M1000 has an eye catching design that is classic but still has a bit of an interesting look which is pretty difficult to pull off, the clip is shaped like a Pelican's bill and the body has an interesting striped design that allows the user to see the ink level when the pen is held up to light. The green and gold color combination is also one that feels very regal and elegant and would be a fantastic addition to any shirt pocket or pen case! The M1000 is a piston filler which means that it has a larger ink capacity but can only be used with bottled inks which is something to keep in mind. The nib is comparable to the larger #8 size and lays down a rather thick and wet line which feels excellent but if you don't prefer a thick line I would definitely recommend going down one from your regularly preferred size. The Pelikan M1000 can be purchased from Pen Boutique for $832 and with this you get a fantastic luxury pen that is one of the best performing in it's price bracket!
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Pilot Custom 823- My other favorite pen to recommend as a gift is this beautiful Vac filler, the Pilot Custom 823, which is one of Pilot's most cost effective pens and one of the best value pens in the whole hobby. This is another pen that doesn't stray too far from the classic look but also has a bit of an interesting design feature in that it is a massive demonstrator. The pen comes in the above amber smoke and a regular smoke that is more of a translucent grey color but both allow you to keep an eye out for your ink level before leaving the house which means you won't be caught out with an empty pen.
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- Another nice aspect about this pen is that it comes in a very nice looking gift box and also includes a bottle of Pilot blue ink with your purchase so you can get writing immediately after opening the box. This pen is also an ink bottle only pen because it is a vacuum filler which allows for one of the biggest ink capacities outside of eyedropper and if you get a full fill the whole barrel can actually fill with ink which also adds a little weight to the relatively light pen. The Custom 823 can be purchased from Pen Boutique for $288 and for this price you get a fantastic gold nib pen with a huge ink capacity and a bottle of ink!
Rollerball Pens
- S T Dupont Line D Firehead Guilloche- ST Dupont is no stranger to making luxury, eye catching pens and the firehead guilloche is no stranger to this with it's vibrant colors and meticulous guilloche work that is sealed with Urushi lacquer. The line D is also a substantial feeling pen coming in at around 64g but the ergonomic grip with ridges is sure to provide a good grip for comfortable writing sessions of any length. The snap cap design makes it a good option for quick notes as well because you don't have to spend a long time uncapping the pens like some other more expensive rollerballs. I mentioned a little earlier that this pen was coated in Urushi lacquer which is the hardest naturally occurring lacquer in the world, it is also fairly difficult to work with but is the only way for the guilloche to truly pop and stand out on this pen. Available in the amber color pictured above as well as an emerald green and amethyst purple, the firehead guilloche has a color for everyone for a variety of settings whether its an office or more causal setting. The Line D can be purchased from Pen Boutique for $700 and for this you get a hefty luxury pen that makes even the quickest note fun to write, check it out online or stop by to check it out in person!
- Diplomat Aero- If you are looking for something that's a bit more unique in terms of design look no further because the Diplomat Aero is quite the piece of modern design. Manufactured from Aluminum and then either anodized or flame treated like the one above, the Aero is a very solid feeling pen and similarly to the Line D the cap is a snap cap which allows for easy and quick removal for notes. The grooves on the pen are not actually only for design but also remove weight from the pen without augmenting the overall shape too much, without these grooves the pen would be to slippery and heavy to use really well. The flame treatment is hand done which means each pen will be unique which is why I really enjoy the heat treatment above the anodized colors. The Aero can be purchased from Pen Boutique in 12 different colors for the price of $156 for the anodized models and $292 for the flame treated.
Ballpoint Pens
- Visconti Homo Sapiens- The Homo sapiens is truly a unique pen and nobody really does it quite like Visconti because the materials in this pen are top notch along with the build quality which together make this pen a powerhouse for long and stylish writing sessions. This pen is actually made from lava rock taken from the Mt. Etna volcano in Italy which really reminds you of the brand's heritage along with the unique clip shape which is an homage to the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, the brand's birthplace. All the trim on this pen is brass which means that it will take on more personality the more you use it which is the same for the slightly hydroscopic lava material on the barrel of the pen. This is a twist action ballpoint which makes notes quick so it really is a perfect companion for everyday use. It is available with black and red trim but the lava can also be purchased in a red, sand or white color to add a pop of color. The Homo sapiens ballpoint can be purchased from Pen Boutique in six different colors for between $340-$380.
- Lamy 2000- Inspired by the Bauhaus design principles, the Lamy 2000 is an exceptional example of when excellent function comes from a sleek and minimal design without unnecessary frills or things to take away from the use of the object, in this case it would be writing. The original model was made from Makralon, a form of plastic that is reinforced with fiber glass, the pen can also be purchased in stainless steel or even wood to suit any preference. Don't let the minimalist design fool you, this pen is one of the best performing in its price bracket and if cared for correctly, will last years to come. All of Lamy's pens are made in Germany which contributes to the exceptional build quality and feel of these pens so when you buy the 2000 you are buying a piece of German engineering! The Lamy 2000 can be purchased in all the materials above from Pen Boutique and the price ranges based on which finish you decide on buying. The base Makralon model can be purchased for $62.40, $199.20 for the stainless steel, $103.20 for the wood, and $79.20 for the multi pen.
Ink Bottles
- Sailor- My personal favorite inks all come from Sailor and that's because most of the time when you buy a Sailor ink you are not only buying one color of ink but buying a color of ink that shades or sheens into a variety of other complimentary colors to make for a really stunning page of writing. Inside of the Sailor brand the Manyo line and their Ink Studio line are the ones that I find have the most character and shading, especially when used on a less absorbent paper like Tomoe River. The ink pictured above is Sailor Manyo Haha which is a great example of an ink with extreme color variance from purple to blue to green which is really amazing and changes the ink depending on what nib size you use it with! The Ink Studio line has around 100 colors, each one is unique and stands on it's own while the Manyo line has far fewer but still ones that hold their own against other similarly colored inks. The Manyo line will run you around $21.60 for a 50ml bottle and the Ink Studio will run you a little more per ml at $18.00 for a 20ml bottle but in my opinion you really can't go wrong with any Sailor made ink.
- Diamine- With over 150 inks on offer Diamine is sure to have something for everyone and their inks behave exceptionally well, the price point and volume of their bottles also makes them the best bang for your buck in my personal opinion. Most of their standard line comes in an 80ml bottle but should also be available in 30ml if you just wanted to try a color out or split it with a friend or something like that. They also have a range of reasonably priced shimmer inks that don't really have too much of a clogging problem which is nice to see with a shimmer ink because the last thing you want is to ink your pen with your new ink and then have it clog on you mid writing session. They also have a very nice line of holiday themed inks that can be used year round, pictured above is candy cane which is a nice red that has just a little bit of a dusty look when dried. The standard 80ml Diamine bottles will run you about $15 from us here at Pen Boutique with the shimmer and special editions being a little bit more.
Paper
- Montblanc- You may have seen their writing instruments but their notebooks are works of art as well, Montblanc makes some of the coolest looking themed notebooks available here at PB and the quality is top notch. Each notebook comes installed with a cloth bookmark to keep track of your place when picking up the book to write again or keep track of a page previously written on. The covers are made from high quality leather and can come with a theme like the homage to Moctezuma which is pictured above but are also available in solid colors for a more toned down and classic look. The paper performs well and the nature of this notebook makes me tend to recommend it for special things like a wedding book or a journal dedicated to one subject in particular because at this point it is more than a notebook. Another great aspect is that they are available in a wide variety of sizes for different uses, from taking quick notes to things that take larger pages like maybe a presentation plan or something like that. These are luxury products and they come at luxury prices, the Montblanc notebooks at Pen Boutique can be purchased for prices between $45-$150 depending on size and edition.
