Can A Little Parisian Charm Win You Over? • Waterman Emblème Fountain Pen Review

[@thorhilda]

7:37 In some markets, brands like Waterman have a virtual monopoly. For example, in the local stationery shops in my little corner of the world, one chain only sources from Exaclair, the distributor of Quo Vadis, Rhodia and Clairefontaine papers, J. Herbin inks and Waterman fountain pens. In the competing store, it is the same thing, but this time it is Cross and Sheaffer pens, as well as Parker ink. None of these brands need to be creative with an uninformed and frankly disinterested clientele who just buy a fountain pen as a graduation present. I think this explains a lot about the Waterman product range. As long as their pens resemble the generic idea that many people have, they are guaranteed to sell these otherwise bland models, at local prices that don't reflect their value on the international market.

[@JG3Reviews]

That makes a lot sense.

[@martinlebl631]

@@JG3Reviews Sad, but true.

[@jakublulek3261]

I bought one in red for my wife and nib was dry as desert (and I bought M, by the way). It took some effort to make it write but when it works, it is alright pen. She uses it with Waterman cartridges, no fancy inks, and uses it every day. I bought it on a massive discount because retail price is otherwise basically the same as Lamy Studio (which is a much better pen). I used to have a beautiful Waterman Phileas, which this pen is a very pale replacement of.

[@martinlebl631]

Just another fine product from Newell Brands. They collects brands, and plastics are their forte. They put as much love into their Waterman as they do into their Rubbermaid.

[@Matto5433]

Hey James, could you please review the Waterman Carène?

[@JG3Reviews]

If I Gar get access to one, I will. It’s a beautiful pen, but I haven’t ventured, yet, too that end of the Waterman pool.

[@Matto5433]

@@JG3Reviews Ok, thanks for replying! :)

[@stargazer1359]

Hi James...I have one in white. Lovely looking pen. Nib unusable. Couldn't seem to smooth or get ink flowing well. The Allure puts this to shame in my opinion. Threw it in a box where it sits now.

[@stargazer1359]

I'd be happy to send it to you. 😉

[@andrewdaydreamer5209]

Sound like they used the same nib on the new kultur. My nib is also rough.

[@JG3Reviews]

Very frustrating. I noticed they just introduced a "deluxe" Allure that has a more creative cap design than this and similar colors. If they don't botch pricing, it would be the better of the two as long as they keep making those Allure nibs as well. The Deluxe Allure is supposed to be made in France.

[@stargazer1359]

@@JG3Reviews To be honest...I adore the candy apple red finish on the red one, even more than the writing..which is pretty darn good for a $10 pen. Have blue & black and all 3 write well. More of a note taking pen...Too slim for me as a journaling pen.

[@martinlebl631]

@@JG3Reviews It is "deluxe," so it will be more. This is about making sufficient change to market it at different price level. Ie. Fancier cap for fancier gift, while functionality stays the same. Integrated brands do this to market to differently stratified price levels with minimal extra manufacturing cost. If one writes fine, then the newer one will probably too.

[@user-gl5ld9vm7i]

Hey James! Great video. Thank you for your strong contributions to the niche fountain pen YT community. Looks like a good looking pen. How would you compare this to a Lamy Studio?

[@JG3Reviews]

Thanks! The Lamy is definitely a step up in materials and feel. The only advantage I'd give the Embleme is that the grip is probably more comfortable for most.

[@jakublulek3261]

Studio is more in line with Waterman Expert. And as much as I prefer Expert's ballance and grip, mine has horrible, dry F nib which Waterman refused to service and no amount of home tinkering made usable. Lamy is much more consistent when comes to nibs, and even if you get a dud, you can swap it out easily yourself.

[@paulmchugh1430]

Thank you for your review, James. Yes, the market in this price range is highly competitive. It is a shame, though, that the pen does not offer any new features or performance. It is like Waterman is treading water. The pen reminds me of Parker styling which makes sense as Parker and Waterman are one company. If they reintroduced the Phileas or provided a pen in this price category with an inlaid nib, I think it would sell very well.

[@JG3Reviews]

Funny you mention Parker. I recorded the footage for this a week or two ago, and since then I found myself writing one day with the 51 reissue. The Emblème's cap is snap, not screw, and certainly not a parts bin piece, but the styling side by side of the cap (the only distinctive feature of this pen from others in Waterman's past) is very similar in shape and dimensions. In that comparison, the 51 has nicer materials in the barrel to me, but both suffer from pricing and lack of unique features. I've thought about doing a quick side by side.

[@paulmchugh1430]

@@JG3Reviews you should do an update, comparing the two.

[@martinlebl631]

@@JG3Reviews Well they are made by the same corporate overlord, Newell, so there will be commonalities since they save money. Plus the main market for these now mass market brands is the fancy business or graduation gift, so it will be fairly conservative/classic in looks to satisfy that market.

[@jameswalker7874]

That sounds really scratchy?

[@stephanfeinen3923]

Ah, a Phileas reborn (or rather a scion of the less expensive Kultur). But the Phileas had more beautiful plastics and some nice gold trims. Also the Phileas at its time sold for at about half the price of this version and it looked way more expensive than the Embleme (and the Kultur was even less expensive). To me this is more like a zombie version... I think I'll stick to my Phileas and Kultur pens. BTW Introducing this pen made it much harder to google for information about the vintage Waterman Emblem pens.

[@JG3Reviews]

Agreed. I like the styling of this pen for what it is, but the Phileas was much more original (and the M nib much better). It's another pen that is about 30%-40% higher than it ought to be competing with pens that are priced lower and worth more.