The newest contender to the budget everyday-carry fountain pen battle, I bought one when I was in Verona in December 2015, shortly after it had been released. After going back to the hotel and to the sweet embrace of free wifi again, I realised that there weren’t any reviews then available…

That didn’t stop me from enjoying the pen itself though. And here it is:

Made of brass, it weighs just a little more than the Pilot Metro, though the straighter pen barrel makes for a very different experience when actually holding it. It definitely feels more expensive than it actually is, which is something the Lamy Safari/Al-Star can’t boast about. It also came with a long international cartridge in Pelikan Royal Blue.

I have yet to drop this pen, so I cannot comment on the build quality with regards to picking up dings and scratches. But it is hefty and solid, and if you like to put pens in your pocket, you’ll definitely miss it when it’s not there.

The cap has also been redesigned to fit in with the more modern aesthetic of this pen. Instead of the face-and-beak clip of the usual Pelikan offerings, there is an outline that still resembles the traditional shape but looks very minimal and utilitarian. The black accent also goes well with the flat top and the black single-chick Pelikan logo on the finial.

Pelikan very helpfully explains how the cartridge system works for this pen. A standard international converter or a long cartridge may be fit in, but if one doesn’t have a converter (I don’t) or wants for whatever reason not to use one, that is easily remedied by sticking a spare in reverse in the barrel. That helps to hold the one in use in its functioning place.

Unfortunately — and this is a major strike against Pelikan — the nib is only available in medium and the body only available in silver. I’d like one in blue or black with an extra-fine nib, as I usually do; this medium certainly ranks as among the broadest nibs I currently own. It is firm and offers no line variation whatsoever, though it is smooth and really pleasant to write with, and can definitely earn its keep as a daily writer.

Here is a writing sample:

Sadly, the other Stola lines don’t have a fountain pen option, which is a pity, because the Stola I design is in matte-black.

To finish: instead of an Instagram post, here is the first-ever review of the Stola, which I wrote almost immediately after putting the cartridge into the pen.