The Numbers:
Weight: 22g
Length (capped): 135mm
Length (uncapped): 115mm
Price: SGD $23
Body Material: Metal
Nib Material: Stainless steel
Filling Mechanism: Cartridge and converter
Colours: Black and white
Intro:
My thanks to YJ Brothers for offering the pens for review. I will be giving away the pen at the end of this review, read to the end for more details.
Platignum (no, it’s not a typo) is not a brand found commonly in Singapore. It is a UK brand started in the 1919. It is a familiar sight in UK schools in the 1960s and 70s but was brought out by Snopake in the 1990s when the company run into problems. Now Platignum is committed to introduce a quality but affordable pen range. YJ Brothers Pte. Ltd. is the Singapore distributor of Platignum fountain pens.
Performance:
Platignum Vibe is a stylish slim fountain pen that comes in two colours, white and black. The Vibe is made of aluminium with brass fittings which makes the pen feels solid in the hand, that’s important because of the slimness of the pen body. The added heft gives me an assurance that it isn’t going anywhere but where I want it to. The white version of the Plagtinum Vibe has a white body with black accents, very storm-trooper like.
The clip on the white Platignum Vibe is really stiff, I couldn’t lift it up slightly to slip the clip over the loop in my pen case to secure it. However, the clip on the black version is a lot more manageable. I suspect this is probably an QC issue at the factory for the difference in stiffness. The centre band is also black and slim. The logo and the text “Platignum” is printed tastefully on the cap in black. The cap pops open with an audible sound and closes with a satisfying click. The Platignum Vibe has a nice balance in my hand even without posting the cap. The cap posts at the end of the barrel but you’d only know if you have done it right if you hear a click. It’s a little cumbersome as it might take a few tries to get it right. However, I don’t post my pens so that’s not an issue for me.
The grip is a black plastic that tapers down towards the nib. The plastic is smooth and unadorned but it is comfortable to hold. It provides enough grip to hold onto to the Vibe. I had initially expected to have trouble with the narrow grip but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it’s very comfortable for me.
The Platignum Vibe comes standard with a cartridge only. The converter is available separately. Both the cartridge and converter look standard international sized but the pen didn’t work with my other standard international cartridges and converters from Faber-Castell or Pelikan. After a quick check with the distributor, I was told “Platignum Pens follows the Asian International Standard compared to the Western International Standard.” There is a difference of 1mm between the two standards. It would be easier to think of Platignum’s cartridge and converter as proprietary than not.
The Platignum Vibe comes only in a fine or medium nib. The medium nib that I have is an unstamped one. At first, I thought mine was a factory error, turns out that’s not the case. All M nibs are unstamped and the F nibs comes with “London 1919” stamped. The stainless steel nib that the Platignum Vibe comes with is a smooth, wet nib. It’s not so wet that it gushes ink but I found it harder to control as a lefty as opposed to a finer nib size. However it held up admirably when I used it during my InCoWriMo writing.
Conclusion:
The Platignum Vibe is an affordable pen. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for an entry level fountain pen that do not like the Lamy Safari’s triangular grip. However, the stiff clip on one and not the other spoke to a QC inconsistency.
My thanks again to YJ Brothers for allowing me to give away one Platignum Vibe. You have a choice of either the white or black, it will come with a cartridge of blue ink. All you have to do is to leave a comment stating if you prefer the white or black. The giveaway will end 3rd March 11.59pm and I will announce the winner the following day. The winner will have one week to claim the prize. The giveaway is open only to people residing in Singapore.
Pros:
* Smooth and wet writing experience
* Durable body
* Affordable
Cons:
* Too slim for larger hands
* QC might be inconsistent
Additional Reading:
Platignum Vibe fountain pens are available at:
- Kinokuniya’s Liang Court and Ngee Ann branches
- NBC Stationery and Gifts’ Raffles City branch
- Times Bookshop’s Waterfront Point
- Stationery Superstore’s Funan IT Mall branch
- City Luxe’s Ion Mall branch
- Straits Pens
