Love this comparison! I always thought they all had a dual reservoir but now it seems only the crystal dream does. I had a Homo Sapiens Dark Ages a few years ago but it was defective. They sent a replacement and that was defective too! Despite those issues, I’ve bought one again and so far no problems. I definitely prefer the 18k gold nib over the 23k palladium.
The two with the dual powerfiller system are the Crystal Dream and the Skylight - really perfect if you want a gallon of ink in reserve! Glad you liked the video and hoping you have more luck with other Viscontis!
I have finally caught up with my wonderful RUclips subscriptions! Camping in a deep valley is a good way to cut oneself off from electronic entertainment. I devoured three books during my exile in nature. This was very detailed and I love that, but I find I am really leaning toward the Skylight. I’ll be looking forward to that discussion when I come back from my next camping excursion!
The emotional turmoil of choosing a pen-rather like choosing a favourite child! I do think the Bronze Age looks beautiful, but agree the Crystal Dream wins for ink capacity. I'd be happy with either.
I watched this video when it first came out in 2020. I finally purchased the CD last week - I am a pilot and your review sold me. It will be interesting to see if the "dual" filler mechanism will prevent bleeding/leakage whilst at altitude. Thanks for the review.
Hi, jetAUS, I will be interested to hear how it goes. I used mine on a flight in 2020 to New Zealand, and it was perfectly happy all the way there and back, as well as being used a lot during the quarantine in Auckland! They really are fabulous pens - hope you enjoy using yours too!
Thanks so much, Domenick. I'm really glad it helped. I cannot advise on the nibs, though, except to say that the fine gives more line variation than the medium - but all Visconti nibs, as far as I am concerned, give unparalleled writing pleasure! Best of luck!
I haven't had the chance to use the Crystal Dream, but the Bronze Age is one of my all time favorite pens. I'm actually a cartridge/converter person. I don't mind the low ink capacity at all, and even prefer it ninety percent of the time or better. If I'm going somewhere and know I'll be doing a LOT of writing, I take cartridges, usually loaded with one of my favorite inks. Regardless of where I am, changing cartridges is very fast and very easy. It takes a LOT to make me stray from cartridge/converter pens. They're just so easy to clean, and make changing inks so easy, that I love them to death. I've gotten rid of a bunch of pens because the fill system got on my nerves, even though the pen was great in every other way. The Pilot Custom 823 is one of these. This said, two pens have what it takes to make me love them, despite not being cartridge/converter pens. One is, of all things, an original Conklin Crescent Fill, preferably from the teens or twenties, and the other is the Bronze Age. There's just something about it that makes me love it. Too, I greatly prefer gold nibs over palladium. It isn't about smoothness. Regardless of the metal in the tip, or how much care is taken, there's a limit to how smooth any nib can get, and I've had steel nibs as smooth as any gold nib. Which makes sense because only the tipping material touches the paper. But there's a forgiveness about a soft gold nib that makes me prefer it. It's the way it absorbs the little twitches and slight jerks my hand starts doing after a very long writing session. I can write all day, and a good part of the night with a soft gold nib that's on a well balanced pen that has some weight to it. Anyway, when and if Covid ever ends, and we get back on our feet, I'll have to try a Crystal Dream.
Thanks for that James. I have to agree with your favourites. When I'm in the middle of writing a book, I don't necessarily want a massive ink capacity, and cartridge converters are fine. But then I find myself doing long stints with research, and suddenly the ability to write 20-30 pages without stopping is really useful! Also, although I've never used one, I can see the attraction of a Mark Twain crescent filler, just as I really like the idea of an old-fashioned lever filler. There's something about the simplicity of those designs, and the idea of refilling without taking a pen apart that really appeals to me. As to the nibs, ah, well. Here I would tend to still prefer the palladium nibs generally, or would have. These new Visconti nibs are just glorious. I was never a fan of fine nibs, but these two have won me over!
Thanks Mike for totally teasing me with such incredible pens! Always enjoy a Visconti video 😀👍🏻 I am waiting for a ‘Fountain Pen Day’ discount later this year and hopefully I’ll get one version of the Homo Sapiens. I’ve had too many very poor online experiences this year so I’m a lot put off at the moment. Edit - just a quick comment to say thanks for taking the time to reply to all of us. I do appreciate it Mike 👍🏻
Hi, Richard, Many thanks! Sorry to hear you've had bad online experiences - with purchasing pens? I have to admit, I would always recommend going to a bricks and mortar shop if possible to try out pens before buying, but it's getting harder and harder, with online firms (and rip-off copies) being less than reliable. But if you ever want a Homo Sapiens, and want to buy from a safe company, I can recommend Cult Pens. Their customer service is second to none. One day we'll meet and discuss William Hannah and pens over a beer or two!
writerlywitterings, yeah it was with pens unfortunately. Even so, I had very good customer service though, so that was brilliant. When we went to NYC in 2018, I dragged the wife to The Fountain Pen Hospital shop. That was just superb for me! The wife, not so 😂😬 At that time I was after a Pilot Custom 823 but didn’t want the Amber coloured acrylic they all stocked, so didn’t get one there. In fact, I didn’t stay long enough inside at all and ran off before getting the credit card out. I hear you about Cult Pens. I love that store too. Thx for the info. I know you get a lot from them and I can’t fault you there at all. We have very few UK places left I feel. A 🍻 would be good Mike! Ya know, I’ve never even been to a pen show! It’s crazy. Mind you, that is probably the best thing for me financially! 😆 Take care 👍🏻
Thank you very much for this video, Michael! I immediately thought how hard it is for you to be torn between these four wonderful fountain pens at once! I would like to write with four pens at once, but the person has too few hands. I hope you somehow cope with this difficult choice.
Thanks for doing this comparison video. Like you, I am a big fan of Visconti Homo Sapiens fountain pens. My one concern is the possibility of window discoloration with some robust inks in the Crystal which will not be a problem with the Bronze Age.
Very fair comment, Nomad. I had wondered about that as well. However, my prototype Skylight has shown no signs of staining, and because the way the Skylight and Crystal Dream are made, and the fact that they have the same capacity, I believe they use identical filling/reservoir systems. That means, I think, they should be as safe as my prototype. Basically I would never put Noodlers near any of my pens, nor any other heavy staining inks. With luck, I would hope that the pens should remain pretty safe. But it is only a hope, not a conviction. All I would say is, that they should be as safe as any demonstrator type of pen - after all, Visconti have lots of experience with their clear acrylic pens generally, and I'm not aware of any issues with them.
Cheers, Jon. I would adore either of them, too! Good choices - although I would be more inclined to Midnight in Florence - I wouldn't be able to use any colour other than blue in the Lagoon version! Happy choice, though. Best of luck!
Have you given consideration to a customized nib? In my experience, it's like any other hobby (cigars, wine, coffee, travel etc) that with more options and exposure and variety, you begin to hone in what you enjoy more than others.
Thanks for the comment, Tartaric. I have considered alterations for other pens, but to be absolutely honest, my four Viscontis, palladium and gold, are as near perfection as I imagine they could be. I love the way that they work, and adore the thick lines they put down. I wouldn't want these to be changed at all!
Excellent discussion on your original Homo Sapiens and the HS Crystal Dream. I much rather like the look of the ink windows where you can see how much ink you have left. That's a problem with the original HS because you can't tell how much or how little ink there is inside it. Visconti made a good decision to switch back to gold nibs rather than palladium. The used to make gold nibs many years ago before turning to palladium, but recently gold nibs are back! And what was the writing experience on a Visconti notebook feels to you? It certainly looks high quality!
Hi, Harikash, I totally agree with your comment on the original Homo Sapiens. Not having any idea how much ink was left inside was always a pain, although carrying a travelling inkwell did help reassure me. At least I could always see what was left in that. Until the arrival of these two, I would have disagreed with you about gold vs palladium. I absolutely adore my two palladium nibs, which have never given me a moment's problems. But now ... I have to admit that the gold nibs are their equal, if not slightly better. It's a hard one to gauge, but they are superb. I would have no hesitation in recommending them. I absolutely love the Visconti notepad they sent me. It's excellent quality paper, and the pens love it - which really shouldn't be a surprise! However, I have to admit to being disappointed with the A4 notebook. It looks lovely, and very robust, but the paper is not good for fountain pens - especially not Visconti gushers. It feathers, bleeds, and basically does everything wrong (I'm sorry, Visconti!). I'll talk a little about it in the next video. Hope that helps. Many thanks for your comment, my friend. Happy writing! Mike
The Crystal Dream demonstrator aspect serves a practical purpose, but I just can't get past that big space of missing lava. To me the whole point of a Homo Sapiens is the unique material, and to break it up with a clear demonstrator window section negates the reason I would buy one. I think I'm not bothered enough by not knowing quite how much ink there is. Having said that, it is definitely an interesting pen. I'll probably be picking up a Homo Sapiens for my birthday next year, but my sights are set on a Magma. Great, informative review as always!
Very glad you liked the review. I can perfectly understand your view, and if you have a means of carrying ink with you, the capacity of ink or not knowing how full it is wouldn't be an issue. I certainly wouldn't dispose of my original, entirely black, Homo Sapiens - but I admit, the sight of all that ink in the window is addictive to me!
Yes, Benjamin, and I have reviewed it and the Visconti earlier in my videos. I really like it, but it does have a problem with my Visconti pens, which basically don't fit happily! The five cut-out slots for the bayonet fitting break the seal on the Pineider bottle, and I got ink all over my hands when I tried to use it! In terms of comparison (and I may come back to this and make another video because it's a useful subject), I think the Pineider is a brilliant design (as are all Dante del Vecchio's). It holds 10 cc whereas the Visconti holds about 8 cc. That makes either really convenient for travellers. However, the price is based more on the looks of the Visconti, which definitely looks a far more premium product. What is incredible, is taking a Crystal Dream and one inkwell, and having basically about 12 cc of ink. It is also an advantage, I think, to have a Visconti inkwell because it is the same kind of dimension as a pen, and fits perfectly into my two-pen case when I am away working.
Love this video! You’ve actually won me over to the Crystal dream! I do love seeing the ink slosh around! I love my original home Sapiens Bronze Age with palladium nib, but now you’ve got me anxious to try this one;) your writing sample was glorious! Loved both of those inks!!
You are so welcome! I have to admit, the Crystal Dream did have me thinking, "Well, can it be as robust? Won't the window get scratched? Do I really need that much in the reservoir?" and the simple answer is, I think, "Yes, no, and yes again!" I don't know which pens will get used the most in the future, but I can guarantee this will be one of them - the two Skylights will as well, I think - which means that when I use all three, I will have more than 14 cc of ink at any one time. Which means a three month holiday of writing, more or less! Stunning nib, too. I'm trying to evaluate how different the two fine nibs I have on the Skylights are: one gold, one palladium. It's hard to choose between those. Next week's video will take a lot of thought!
I’m looking forward to seeing that one as well! I haven’t had much luck with gold nibs. I don’t have a single one that feels better than my diplomat aero steel nibs!
@@sistergoldenhair0727 It does depend on what you're looking for, of course. But these are soft, springy, give excellent line variation without me trying, and ... well, they're perfect for me!
writerlywitterings I’m guessing the Visconti gold nibs are just a higher quality and the nibs are bigger. The gold nibs I have are in Japanese pens that are really small so I’m not experiencing any of the bounce or line variation people always talk about with their gold nibs.
Personally, there is no ink from Visconti that I'm particularly keen on. I would always go for a Diamine, or perhaps a Dominant Industry, or definitely a Rohrer und Klingner ink. There are so many glorious inks to try! But go for a shading blue, such as Diamine's Prussian Blue, or Akkerman's Delft's Blauw and you can't go wrong! .
Thanks Michael. How could you choose a favorite? It would be like choosing a favorite child. Love the new setup. Really looks great when you are doing the sample writing and closeups of the pens. Looking forward to the next one. Why don't you ask Visconti for one more for a Patreon giveaway? :D
Good question! Thanks so much for the vote for the new setup, John. An interesting idea - I may well ask them for a giveaway, although the cost of another pen might be a little difficult for them to swallow!
Still absolutely fine and clean/clear = but I never use really staining inks like Noodlers Baystate Blue or a Carbon Black. I stick to the kinder inks, like the Diamine range (not the Registrars' version, of course), and Rohrer und Klingner.
Loved that review! I was also asking myself if the construction of this pen with the window would be as strong as the original (i.e. plastic scratching with time, but above all how it is put together). I have bought 2 Visconti travelling inkwell, that remind me of the type of construction (with the ink window) of the Crystal dream. The problem is that one of my inkwells has broken (while in a pen case) and not being forced... So this new pen design scares me a bit. I wonder if other people have experienced this with the inkwells. It sort of unglued in two pieces at the junction of the transparent cylinder going into the top metal part.. I have pictures of it but can't post'm here..
Sorry to hear that, Louis - I haven't had any problems with my two inkwells, I'm glad to say. I did wonder about the acrylic getting scratched, as I said, but I think that the whole mechanism of the powerfiller is formed from one cylinder. I suspect it's made from one piece, and then tubes of the lava and acrylic are slipped over the top. Which is a long way of saying, I don't think they'll break that easily. In the same way, the acrylic itself did fool me - until I contacted Visconti to ask. Before that, having tapped a tooth with it, I thought it could well be glass, But even if it does scratch, I think it would easily polish out.
you prolly dont care but does someone know a trick to get back into an instagram account?? I was stupid lost my login password. I appreciate any tips you can give me!
@Eliseo Randy Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm trying it out atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Yes, but the metal of the nib gives the feel - and yet I cannot honestly say that I know whether there is any difference in feel between the gold and palladium. Both feel fabulous.
No, none at all. No idea what the actual material is that they use. My original prototype had no covering on the window, just a gap that opened into the reservoir itself, but neither shows any marks.
@@Mercy_Pants Ah, now you have me. I haven't the faintest. All I would say is, it's the same as my Conway Stewart Belliver, which I understand is a #6, perhaps protruding another millimetre or two beyond the CS? I don't know how big a #8 would look. I've had a look trying to find out more, but it's astonishingly difficult!
As always, Michael, this is a pleasant and informative video. I really must be saving my quid for one of these beauties. Would you mind to put in writing here the name of that gorgeous blue ink? I am not acquainted with the name you mentioned.
Yes, absolutely. It is Blu Mare from Rohrer & Klingner. I absolutely love this, their Verdigris (more next week) and their Alt-Goldgrün. Those three will not last me very long!
I've just been out to weigh them both. To my surprise the Bronze Age is 45g, the cap 19g; the Crystal Dream is 44g. The surprise lies in the fact that my Bronze Age is empty, the Crystal Dream has at least 2ml of ink in it, so it's probably nearer 42g empty. I suppose that's the effect of the acrylic window being lighter than the volcanic material, and perhaps my old Bronze Age is more solid in construction internally, but that's just a guess. In any event, neither feels too heavy in my hand - they're just satisfying and easy to grip. Hope that helps. Certainly they are about my most favourite pens and I'm always using one or two of them.
@@writerlywitterings Oh, wow! You didn’t have to go thorough the trouble of weighing them, but I really appreciate that. :) Thank you so much! You’re the best. I was thinking they’d be heavier than that, so this is good to know. My pilot Vanishing point LS weighs 40g and that’s not too heavy, so 44 or 45g will be great. This changes things… Stop making want one even more! :)
I've just ordered my very first Visconti, a Van Gogh Starry Night. I like the painting so it was a no-brainer. I wondered if you had any experience with this range?
I'm afraid not - I've only admired them from afar (so far) - but I haven't heard a bad thing about them, and they do look amazing. I love the idea of the magnetic catch for the cap, too!
A nice representation of the Homo Spiens lava versions ... I am very satisfied with mine that also came with the new 18K gold nib ... but I have already seen a few times that the nib suddenly drops a drop of ink without warning on the paper ... have you experienced that phenomenon yet? I don't know why, maybe because I filled it with the Visconti travel inkwell? ... I still have to find out! because it does bother me immensely. Besides this, it writes as soft as butter as if I was writing on glass :) Hopefully we will see more beautiful things from your fountain pen collection :)
I have not had that with any of my Viscontis, no, Patrick. However, if this is something that happens a lot, I would speak to Visconti and ask them. It could be that there is a slight manufacturing issue. Replacing the nib and feed would probably fix it. First, though, I would probably try just checking that the nib unit is screwed tightly into the section. Homo Sapiens nibs screw into the section, and it's just possible that a slight leak is letting too much ink through, I imagine?
Hi Clive - the standard Bronze Age is about £570 - www.cultpens.com/i/q/VS15499/visconti-homo-sapiens-bronze-age-fountain-pen - while the Crystal Dream is about £650, I think - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224530727378?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=7101533165274578&mkcid=2&itemid=224530727378&targetid=4585169652812022&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=412354547&mkgroupid=1305120599331881&rlsatarget=pla-4585169652812022&abcId=9300541&merchantid=87779&msclkid=21ebc29dd99f1835858aa38645c34533 It's hard to tell because the Crystal Dream does not appear to be on sale in the UK right now, so all the prices I've seen have been in foreign currency and I'm not sure how they compare. You'll have to conduct your own research. Hope that helps.
Mr Jecks i am liking the Homo Sapiens especially the Crystal Dream and also the fact that they make a Bronze Age version of the said pen. So thanks to you and your review of these beautiful writing instruments the next pen on my list will be one in the Visconti Homo Sapiens range . Thanks as always Mr Jecks for another excellent review and see you on the next video.
What are your thoughts on the balance of the Crystal Dream? Are you bothered by the back weighted feel of the pen? Does it tire your hand when writing with it?
Not remotely bothered, no. Don't forget that the majority of the weight is in the section and just above the small ink window. Only about 1/3 of the lava material is above the main reservoir window. I find this pen one of my favourites, especially for long writing sessions. It is perfectly balanced for me, and will lay down a good line of ink no matter how I hold it, so I can change my grip regularly if I do get tired. If you're considering one of these, I would highly recommend it. Personally I think it looks a lot better than the Skylight version.
@@writerlywitterings thank you for your perspective. I recently acquired a Visconti Dark Crystal that is beautiful to look at, but the balance of the pen is definitely towards the rear, it’s not in the middle of the pen or towards the section. Because of the backweighted-ness of the pen, my hand gets tired quickly when writing with it. I do have more medium sized male hands, so maybe larger hands would be fine with the balance… I have decided to exchange my dark crystal for a regular lava dark age because of that.
@@101Checks Sorry to hear that - but obviously we all have different sized hands and writing styles, I guess. If your Dark Crystal is giving you grief, that's a terrible shame. I adore my standard Crystal, and it suits my writing perfectly. But I do hope the standard lava will be more comfortable for you - let me know, please, if you have problems with that too. I'd be interested to hear if the smaller dimensions suit a smaller hand better.
Just thought I’d update. Yes indeed, the standard Dark Age is a better fit for me than the Dark Crystal. The balance is right in the center, making it much easier for me to hold with a light grip while writing. Just some data points to share
Was that a quote from a transcript of the video? The lava is basalt, I think - but Visconti owes nothing to TWSBI. They had clear acrylic pens long before TWSBI, I think. These pens are wonderful, though. The lava gives a much better feel than plain acrylic, and is much more robust, but the clear window is just fabulous when you have a good colour in the barrel! Thanks for the comment.
Hi, Aadityakiran - no. My first HS was the plain Bronze Age, when they were still very new. Then I had a pen made for me by Dante del Vecchio, which was superb, and became, I think, the forerunner/prototype of the Skylight model. I was then very privileged, and Visconti let me have a Crystal Dream and Skylight to review and work with - they are all four quite superb. I still adore the original, but for actual use, all the others tend to be constantly inked, just because they all hold so much ink, and I can see how much is still in them all.
@@writerlywitterings So the one that Dante made for you is the one with the ink window? I remember seeing one with a vertical ink window, along the length of the pen and also a smaller ink window that showed how much ink was in the secondary reservoir.
As a owner of a Visconti homosapiens Bronze Age (EF) and a Pilot Custom 823 (F). I still stick with my Pilot a lot more than the Visconti. The Pilot is just superior in almost every way other than the exotic material and the look of the pen. In fact, if I can switch a Pilot nib unit on the Visconti, I could have done it. (Sadly there is no way for that) Now my Visconti is in the hand of a professional nibminster. Hope it will come back better.
I like Pilots too, but I have to admit, when I'm writing letters or anything that involves more than a couple of pages, I will always reach for either my Conway Stewart (the model 58 or my silver Drake) or my Viscontis - and it's usually the Viscontis. There's something about the weight, balance, capacity, and the feel of the nibs that is just perfect for me - but of course these things are always very personal!
Prior to picking up the original Homo Sapiens, I had read a great deal about thier 23k Dreamtouch palladium nibs. I could not wait to use it. I was sorely disappointed. Absolutely terrible. I had stainless steel nibs that wrote and felt better than the palladium nib. Eventually I had the nib tuned. It feels and performs much better, but I am still not a fan, in fact I passed on a number of purchases because the pens came with palladium nibs. I think their Dreamtouch palladium nibs are an overated marketing ploy. I love everything else about the pen.
I've heard a couple of people say that. I cannot understand why some are so bad and others sublime - I've been lucky. I have one medium and one fine, and I wouldn't trade those nibs for anything. Smooth, soft, excellent degree of flex that adds a liveliness to my writing. However, the new pens with their gold nibs are equally amazing. I'd strongly recommend trying out the new ones. I think the issues in the past were mainly due to quality control, and that seems to have been fixed. Thanks for the comment - you aren't alone!
Dear Sir, good review but please don't think that people are interested in looking at you drinking coffee and then having the dirty cup in front of us for the best part of your presentation. A matter of aesthetics. Again, thank you for your review.
![Digital Circus Episode 4 [TRAILER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/abZtsmMUbJo/mqdefault.jpg)
Love this comparison! I always thought they all had a dual reservoir but now it seems only the crystal dream does. I had a Homo Sapiens Dark Ages a few years ago but it was defective. They sent a replacement and that was defective too! Despite those issues, I’ve bought one again and so far no problems. I definitely prefer the 18k gold nib over the 23k palladium.
The two with the dual powerfiller system are the Crystal Dream and the Skylight - really perfect if you want a gallon of ink in reserve! Glad you liked the video and hoping you have more luck with other Viscontis!
Top notch comparison. Two excellent pens from Visconti, thank you and now I will subscribe to your channel.
Thanks so much - it's always good to hear when people enjoy the videos!
I have finally caught up with my wonderful RUclips subscriptions! Camping in a deep valley is a good way to cut oneself off from electronic entertainment. I devoured three books during my exile in nature. This was very detailed and I love that, but I find I am really leaning toward the Skylight. I’ll be looking forward to that discussion when I come back from my next camping excursion!
Won't be long now. Recording tomorrow to talk about Skylights!
The emotional turmoil of choosing a pen-rather like choosing a favourite child! I do think the Bronze Age looks beautiful, but agree the Crystal Dream wins for ink capacity. I'd be happy with either.
It really was difficult summing them up ... and now I dread next week, and trying to talk about the Skylights as well! How to pick between them!
😅😂 i cannot say i can relate😂😂😂😂
Absolutely marvelous. Appreciated the commentary, hearing your thoughts. Thank you for the review!
Glad you enjoyed it! Very kind of you to let me know - thanks!
I watched this video when it first came out in 2020. I finally purchased the CD last week - I am a pilot and your review sold me. It will be interesting to see if the "dual" filler mechanism will prevent bleeding/leakage whilst at altitude. Thanks for the review.
Hi, jetAUS, I will be interested to hear how it goes. I used mine on a flight in 2020 to New Zealand, and it was perfectly happy all the way there and back, as well as being used a lot during the quarantine in Auckland! They really are fabulous pens - hope you enjoy using yours too!
Just the video series I needed. Thanks! Also you are a joy to listen to. Now just to decide between the medium and fine.....
Thanks so much, Domenick. I'm really glad it helped. I cannot advise on the nibs, though, except to say that the fine gives more line variation than the medium - but all Visconti nibs, as far as I am concerned, give unparalleled writing pleasure! Best of luck!
@@writerlywitterings Even that is helpful. Thanks and happy writing!
Thank you for the detailed review. Really helpful in my purchase decision between the two! 👍🏼
Glad it was helpful!
I haven't had the chance to use the Crystal Dream, but the Bronze Age is one of my all time favorite pens. I'm actually a cartridge/converter person. I don't mind the low ink capacity at all, and even prefer it ninety percent of the time or better. If I'm going somewhere and know I'll be doing a LOT of writing, I take cartridges, usually loaded with one of my favorite inks. Regardless of where I am, changing cartridges is very fast and very easy.
It takes a LOT to make me stray from cartridge/converter pens. They're just so easy to clean, and make changing inks so easy, that I love them to death. I've gotten rid of a bunch of pens because the fill system got on my nerves, even though the pen was great in every other way. The Pilot Custom 823 is one of these.
This said, two pens have what it takes to make me love them, despite not being cartridge/converter pens. One is, of all things, an original Conklin Crescent Fill, preferably from the teens or twenties, and the other is the Bronze Age. There's just something about it that makes me love it.
Too, I greatly prefer gold nibs over palladium. It isn't about smoothness. Regardless of the metal in the tip, or how much care is taken, there's a limit to how smooth any nib can get, and I've had steel nibs as smooth as any gold nib. Which makes sense because only the tipping material touches the paper.
But there's a forgiveness about a soft gold nib that makes me prefer it. It's the way it absorbs the little twitches and slight jerks my hand starts doing after a very long writing session. I can write all day, and a good part of the night with a soft gold nib that's on a well balanced pen that has some weight to it.
Anyway, when and if Covid ever ends, and we get back on our feet, I'll have to try a Crystal Dream.
Thanks for that James.
I have to agree with your favourites. When I'm in the middle of writing a book, I don't necessarily want a massive ink capacity, and cartridge converters are fine. But then I find myself doing long stints with research, and suddenly the ability to write 20-30 pages without stopping is really useful!
Also, although I've never used one, I can see the attraction of a Mark Twain crescent filler, just as I really like the idea of an old-fashioned lever filler. There's something about the simplicity of those designs, and the idea of refilling without taking a pen apart that really appeals to me.
As to the nibs, ah, well. Here I would tend to still prefer the palladium nibs generally, or would have. These new Visconti nibs are just glorious. I was never a fan of fine nibs, but these two have won me over!
Thanks Mike for totally teasing me with such incredible pens! Always enjoy a Visconti video 😀👍🏻 I am waiting for a ‘Fountain Pen Day’ discount later this year and hopefully I’ll get one version of the Homo Sapiens. I’ve had too many very poor online experiences this year so I’m a lot put off at the moment.
Edit - just a quick comment to say thanks for taking the time to reply to all of us. I do appreciate it Mike 👍🏻
Hi, Richard,
Many thanks! Sorry to hear you've had bad online experiences - with purchasing pens? I have to admit, I would always recommend going to a bricks and mortar shop if possible to try out pens before buying, but it's getting harder and harder, with online firms (and rip-off copies) being less than reliable. But if you ever want a Homo Sapiens, and want to buy from a safe company, I can recommend Cult Pens. Their customer service is second to none.
One day we'll meet and discuss William Hannah and pens over a beer or two!
writerlywitterings, yeah it was with pens unfortunately. Even so, I had very good customer service though, so that was brilliant. When we went to NYC in 2018, I dragged the wife to The Fountain Pen Hospital shop. That was just superb for me! The wife, not so 😂😬 At that time I was after a Pilot Custom 823 but didn’t want the Amber coloured acrylic they all stocked, so didn’t get one there. In fact, I didn’t stay long enough inside at all and ran off before getting the credit card out.
I hear you about Cult Pens. I love that store too. Thx for the info. I know you get a lot from them and I can’t fault you there at all. We have very few UK places left I feel.
A 🍻 would be good Mike! Ya know, I’ve never even been to a pen show! It’s crazy. Mind you, that is probably the best thing for me financially! 😆 Take care 👍🏻
I have to admit, I've never been to a pen show either. Much though I'd love to, I don't think I could risk the damage to my wallet either!
Great detail in the comparison, thank you as always.
My pleasure! Thanks for the comment, Paul!
Thank you very much for this video, Michael! I immediately thought how hard it is for you to be torn between these four wonderful fountain pens at once! I would like to write with four pens at once, but the person has too few hands. I hope you somehow cope with this difficult choice.
It's not easy, my friend - but we all have our hardships to bear, don't we!
Thanks for doing this comparison video. Like you, I am a big fan of Visconti Homo Sapiens fountain pens. My one concern is the possibility of window discoloration with some robust inks in the Crystal which will not be a problem with the Bronze Age.
Very fair comment, Nomad. I had wondered about that as well. However, my prototype Skylight has shown no signs of staining, and because the way the Skylight and Crystal Dream are made, and the fact that they have the same capacity, I believe they use identical filling/reservoir systems. That means, I think, they should be as safe as my prototype. Basically I would never put Noodlers near any of my pens, nor any other heavy staining inks. With luck, I would hope that the pens should remain pretty safe. But it is only a hope, not a conviction. All I would say is, that they should be as safe as any demonstrator type of pen - after all, Visconti have lots of experience with their clear acrylic pens generally, and I'm not aware of any issues with them.
nicely done. i am in, still flipping between blue lagoon, and midnight in florence. decisions decisions lol.
looking forward to your next vlog.
Cheers, Jon. I would adore either of them, too! Good choices - although I would be more inclined to Midnight in Florence - I wouldn't be able to use any colour other than blue in the Lagoon version! Happy choice, though. Best of luck!
Have you given consideration to a customized nib? In my experience, it's like any other hobby (cigars, wine, coffee, travel etc) that with more options and exposure and variety, you begin to hone in what you enjoy more than others.
Thanks for the comment, Tartaric. I have considered alterations for other pens, but to be absolutely honest, my four Viscontis, palladium and gold, are as near perfection as I imagine they could be. I love the way that they work, and adore the thick lines they put down. I wouldn't want these to be changed at all!
Excellent discussion on your original Homo Sapiens and the HS Crystal Dream. I much rather like the look of the ink windows where you can see how much ink you have left. That's a problem with the original HS because you can't tell how much or how little ink there is inside it. Visconti made a good decision to switch back to gold nibs rather than palladium. The used to make gold nibs many years ago before turning to palladium, but recently gold nibs are back! And what was the writing experience on a Visconti notebook feels to you? It certainly looks high quality!
Hi, Harikash,
I totally agree with your comment on the original Homo Sapiens. Not having any idea how much ink was left inside was always a pain, although carrying a travelling inkwell did help reassure me. At least I could always see what was left in that.
Until the arrival of these two, I would have disagreed with you about gold vs palladium. I absolutely adore my two palladium nibs, which have never given me a moment's problems. But now ... I have to admit that the gold nibs are their equal, if not slightly better. It's a hard one to gauge, but they are superb. I would have no hesitation in recommending them.
I absolutely love the Visconti notepad they sent me. It's excellent quality paper, and the pens love it - which really shouldn't be a surprise! However, I have to admit to being disappointed with the A4 notebook. It looks lovely, and very robust, but the paper is not good for fountain pens - especially not Visconti gushers. It feathers, bleeds, and basically does everything wrong (I'm sorry, Visconti!). I'll talk a little about it in the next video.
Hope that helps. Many thanks for your comment, my friend. Happy writing!
Mike
The Crystal Dream demonstrator aspect serves a practical purpose, but I just can't get past that big space of missing lava. To me the whole point of a Homo Sapiens is the unique material, and to break it up with a clear demonstrator window section negates the reason I would buy one. I think I'm not bothered enough by not knowing quite how much ink there is. Having said that, it is definitely an interesting pen. I'll probably be picking up a Homo Sapiens for my birthday next year, but my sights are set on a Magma. Great, informative review as always!
Very glad you liked the review. I can perfectly understand your view, and if you have a means of carrying ink with you, the capacity of ink or not knowing how full it is wouldn't be an issue. I certainly wouldn't dispose of my original, entirely black, Homo Sapiens - but I admit, the sight of all that ink in the window is addictive to me!
Just buy it with the travelling inkwell and you'll be in heaven!
Have you seen the Peneider Pen Filler? It's basically the Visconti ink well, but it holds twice the ink for a third of the price
Yes, Benjamin, and I have reviewed it and the Visconti earlier in my videos. I really like it, but it does have a problem with my Visconti pens, which basically don't fit happily! The five cut-out slots for the bayonet fitting break the seal on the Pineider bottle, and I got ink all over my hands when I tried to use it!
In terms of comparison (and I may come back to this and make another video because it's a useful subject), I think the Pineider is a brilliant design (as are all Dante del Vecchio's). It holds 10 cc whereas the Visconti holds about 8 cc. That makes either really convenient for travellers. However, the price is based more on the looks of the Visconti, which definitely looks a far more premium product. What is incredible, is taking a Crystal Dream and one inkwell, and having basically about 12 cc of ink. It is also an advantage, I think, to have a Visconti inkwell because it is the same kind of dimension as a pen, and fits perfectly into my two-pen case when I am away working.
Love this video! You’ve actually won me over to the Crystal dream! I do love seeing the ink slosh around! I love my original home Sapiens Bronze Age with palladium nib, but now you’ve got me anxious to try this one;) your writing sample was glorious! Loved both of those inks!!
You are so welcome! I have to admit, the Crystal Dream did have me thinking, "Well, can it be as robust? Won't the window get scratched? Do I really need that much in the reservoir?" and the simple answer is, I think, "Yes, no, and yes again!"
I don't know which pens will get used the most in the future, but I can guarantee this will be one of them - the two Skylights will as well, I think - which means that when I use all three, I will have more than 14 cc of ink at any one time. Which means a three month holiday of writing, more or less! Stunning nib, too. I'm trying to evaluate how different the two fine nibs I have on the Skylights are: one gold, one palladium. It's hard to choose between those. Next week's video will take a lot of thought!
I’m looking forward to seeing that one as well! I haven’t had much luck with gold nibs. I don’t have a single one that feels better than my diplomat aero steel nibs!
@@sistergoldenhair0727 It does depend on what you're looking for, of course. But these are soft, springy, give excellent line variation without me trying, and ... well, they're perfect for me!
writerlywitterings I’m guessing the Visconti gold nibs are just a higher quality and the nibs are bigger. The gold nibs I have are in Japanese pens that are really small so I’m not experiencing any of the bounce or line variation people always talk about with their gold nibs.
That could well be it. I can promise you that the nibs on these two new Viscontis are the equal of the palladium ones. They really feel wonderful!
What order ink u can recommend for this beauty? Aside from their own ink
Personally, there is no ink from Visconti that I'm particularly keen on. I would always go for a Diamine, or perhaps a Dominant Industry, or definitely a Rohrer und Klingner ink. There are so many glorious inks to try! But go for a shading blue, such as Diamine's Prussian Blue, or Akkerman's Delft's Blauw and you can't go wrong!
.
Thanks Michael. How could you choose a favorite? It would be like choosing a favorite child. Love the new setup. Really looks great when you are doing the sample writing and closeups of the pens. Looking forward to the next one. Why don't you ask Visconti for one more for a Patreon giveaway? :D
Good question! Thanks so much for the vote for the new setup, John. An interesting idea - I may well ask them for a giveaway, although the cost of another pen might be a little difficult for them to swallow!
Hi. Just wondering how the clear section of the crystal dream held up in 3 years.
Still absolutely fine and clean/clear = but I never use really staining inks like Noodlers Baystate Blue or a Carbon Black. I stick to the kinder inks, like the Diamine range (not the Registrars' version, of course), and Rohrer und Klingner.
Loved that review! I was also asking myself if the construction of this pen with the window would be as strong as the original (i.e. plastic scratching with time, but above all how it is put together). I have bought 2 Visconti travelling inkwell, that remind me of the type of construction (with the ink window) of the Crystal dream. The problem is that one of my inkwells has broken (while in a pen case) and not being forced... So this new pen design scares me a bit. I wonder if other people have experienced this with the inkwells. It sort of unglued in two pieces at the junction of the transparent cylinder going into the top metal part.. I have pictures of it but can't post'm here..
Sorry to hear that, Louis - I haven't had any problems with my two inkwells, I'm glad to say. I did wonder about the acrylic getting scratched, as I said, but I think that the whole mechanism of the powerfiller is formed from one cylinder. I suspect it's made from one piece, and then tubes of the lava and acrylic are slipped over the top. Which is a long way of saying, I don't think they'll break that easily. In the same way, the acrylic itself did fool me - until I contacted Visconti to ask. Before that, having tapped a tooth with it, I thought it could well be glass, But even if it does scratch, I think it would easily polish out.
you prolly dont care but does someone know a trick to get back into an instagram account??
I was stupid lost my login password. I appreciate any tips you can give me!
@Luis Cayden Instablaster ;)
@Eliseo Randy Thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm trying it out atm.
Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Eliseo Randy it worked and I finally got access to my account again. I am so happy!
Thank you so much, you saved my ass!
There is no gold or palladium touching the paper. The tipping material is the same on both nibs.
Yes, but the metal of the nib gives the feel - and yet I cannot honestly say that I know whether there is any difference in feel between the gold and palladium. Both feel fabulous.
Have you noticed any scratches on the Crystal Dream window?
No, none at all. No idea what the actual material is that they use. My original prototype had no covering on the window, just a gap that opened into the reservoir itself, but neither shows any marks.
@@writerlywitterings Wow that’s great and thanks for the reply! I’ve never seen a Visconti in person, is the nib size comparable to a #6? #8?
@@Mercy_Pants Ah, now you have me. I haven't the faintest. All I would say is, it's the same as my Conway Stewart Belliver, which I understand is a #6, perhaps protruding another millimetre or two beyond the CS? I don't know how big a #8 would look. I've had a look trying to find out more, but it's astonishingly difficult!
As always, Michael, this is a pleasant and informative video. I really must be saving my quid for one of these beauties. Would you mind to put in writing here the name of that gorgeous blue ink? I am not acquainted with the name you mentioned.
Yes, absolutely. It is Blu Mare from Rohrer & Klingner. I absolutely love this, their Verdigris (more next week) and their Alt-Goldgrün. Those three will not last me very long!
That crystal dream 🥹🥹😍😍
It is beautiful!
This is one of my grail pens. One day!!
Hey, how heavy are they? They seem heavy (not that this is bad? Is the Crystal dream lighter at all?
I've just been out to weigh them both. To my surprise the Bronze Age is 45g, the cap 19g; the Crystal Dream is 44g. The surprise lies in the fact that my Bronze Age is empty, the Crystal Dream has at least 2ml of ink in it, so it's probably nearer 42g empty. I suppose that's the effect of the acrylic window being lighter than the volcanic material, and perhaps my old Bronze Age is more solid in construction internally, but that's just a guess. In any event, neither feels too heavy in my hand - they're just satisfying and easy to grip. Hope that helps. Certainly they are about my most favourite pens and I'm always using one or two of them.
@@writerlywitterings Oh, wow! You didn’t have to go thorough the trouble of weighing them, but I really appreciate that. :) Thank you so much! You’re the best.
I was thinking they’d be heavier than that, so this is good to know. My pilot Vanishing point LS weighs 40g and that’s not too heavy, so 44 or 45g will be great.
This changes things…
Stop making want one even more! :)
I've just ordered my very first Visconti, a Van Gogh Starry Night. I like the painting so it was a no-brainer. I wondered if you had any experience with this range?
I'm afraid not - I've only admired them from afar (so far) - but I haven't heard a bad thing about them, and they do look amazing. I love the idea of the magnetic catch for the cap, too!
I like the old style.
A good choice. It is very strong, really robust, and never shows a mark. It does have a slightly smaller reservoir, but it's still fabulously useful!
A nice representation of the Homo Spiens lava versions ... I am very satisfied with mine that also came with the new 18K gold nib ... but I have already seen a few times that the nib suddenly drops a drop of ink without warning on the paper ... have you experienced that phenomenon yet? I don't know why, maybe because I filled it with the Visconti travel inkwell? ... I still have to find out! because it does bother me immensely. Besides this, it writes as soft as butter as if I was writing on glass :) Hopefully we will see more beautiful things from your fountain pen collection :)
I have not had that with any of my Viscontis, no, Patrick. However, if this is something that happens a lot, I would speak to Visconti and ask them. It could be that there is a slight manufacturing issue. Replacing the nib and feed would probably fix it. First, though, I would probably try just checking that the nib unit is screwed tightly into the section. Homo Sapiens nibs screw into the section, and it's just possible that a slight leak is letting too much ink through, I imagine?
Can I ask about the prices of the 2 pens ?
Hi Clive - the standard Bronze Age is about £570 - www.cultpens.com/i/q/VS15499/visconti-homo-sapiens-bronze-age-fountain-pen - while the Crystal Dream is about £650, I think - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224530727378?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=7101533165274578&mkcid=2&itemid=224530727378&targetid=4585169652812022&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=&poi=&campaignid=412354547&mkgroupid=1305120599331881&rlsatarget=pla-4585169652812022&abcId=9300541&merchantid=87779&msclkid=21ebc29dd99f1835858aa38645c34533
It's hard to tell because the Crystal Dream does not appear to be on sale in the UK right now, so all the prices I've seen have been in foreign currency and I'm not sure how they compare. You'll have to conduct your own research. Hope that helps.
Mr Jecks i am liking the Homo Sapiens especially the Crystal Dream and also the fact that they make a Bronze Age version of the said pen. So thanks to you and your review of these beautiful writing instruments the next pen on my list will be one in the Visconti Homo Sapiens range . Thanks as always Mr Jecks for another excellent review and see you on the next video.
Hi, Wayne, and thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the next video as much!
What are your thoughts on the balance of the Crystal Dream? Are you bothered by the back weighted feel of the pen? Does it tire your hand when writing with it?
Not remotely bothered, no. Don't forget that the majority of the weight is in the section and just above the small ink window. Only about 1/3 of the lava material is above the main reservoir window. I find this pen one of my favourites, especially for long writing sessions. It is perfectly balanced for me, and will lay down a good line of ink no matter how I hold it, so I can change my grip regularly if I do get tired. If you're considering one of these, I would highly recommend it. Personally I think it looks a lot better than the Skylight version.
@@writerlywitterings thank you for your perspective. I recently acquired a Visconti Dark Crystal that is beautiful to look at, but the balance of the pen is definitely towards the rear, it’s not in the middle of the pen or towards the section. Because of the backweighted-ness of the pen, my hand gets tired quickly when writing with it. I do have more medium sized male hands, so maybe larger hands would be fine with the balance… I have decided to exchange my dark crystal for a regular lava dark age because of that.
@@101Checks Sorry to hear that - but obviously we all have different sized hands and writing styles, I guess. If your Dark Crystal is giving you grief, that's a terrible shame. I adore my standard Crystal, and it suits my writing perfectly. But I do hope the standard lava will be more comfortable for you - let me know, please, if you have problems with that too. I'd be interested to hear if the smaller dimensions suit a smaller hand better.
Just thought I’d update. Yes indeed, the standard Dark Age is a better fit for me than the Dark Crystal. The balance is right in the center, making it much easier for me to hold with a light grip while writing. Just some data points to share
@@101Checks Glad you've found the right one for you! Enjoy!
"Visconti tell me it is acrylic, with the lava balastic, crystal dream, quite supreme, and thank TWSBI for the aesthetic"
Was that a quote from a transcript of the video? The lava is basalt, I think - but Visconti owes nothing to TWSBI. They had clear acrylic pens long before TWSBI, I think. These pens are wonderful, though. The lava gives a much better feel than plain acrylic, and is much more robust, but the clear window is just fabulous when you have a good colour in the barrel! Thanks for the comment.
@@writerlywitterings It is from the text at 19:16
Thanks for the homo sapien reviews! I'm glad I got to see spotty dog! Almost cuter than your accent!
Surely nothing could be more cute than my accent!
You had a homo sapiens with an ink window didn't you? A small ink window? I thought that was your only homo sapiens.
Hi, Aadityakiran - no. My first HS was the plain Bronze Age, when they were still very new. Then I had a pen made for me by Dante del Vecchio, which was superb, and became, I think, the forerunner/prototype of the Skylight model. I was then very privileged, and Visconti let me have a Crystal Dream and Skylight to review and work with - they are all four quite superb. I still adore the original, but for actual use, all the others tend to be constantly inked, just because they all hold so much ink, and I can see how much is still in them all.
@@writerlywitterings So the one that Dante made for you is the one with the ink window? I remember seeing one with a vertical ink window, along the length of the pen and also a smaller ink window that showed how much ink was in the secondary reservoir.
I have just seen the price of this pen... 😅 I think I’ll stick to my pilots for a while.
As a owner of a Visconti homosapiens Bronze Age (EF) and a Pilot Custom 823 (F). I still stick with my Pilot a lot more than the Visconti. The Pilot is just superior in almost every way other than the exotic material and the look of the pen. In fact, if I can switch a Pilot nib unit on the Visconti, I could have done it. (Sadly there is no way for that)
Now my Visconti is in the hand of a professional nibminster. Hope it will come back better.
I like Pilots too, but I have to admit, when I'm writing letters or anything that involves more than a couple of pages, I will always reach for either my Conway Stewart (the model 58 or my silver Drake) or my Viscontis - and it's usually the Viscontis. There's something about the weight, balance, capacity, and the feel of the nibs that is just perfect for me - but of course these things are always very personal!
Prior to picking up the original Homo Sapiens, I had read a great deal about thier 23k Dreamtouch palladium nibs. I could not wait to use it. I was sorely disappointed. Absolutely terrible. I had stainless steel nibs that wrote and felt better than the palladium nib. Eventually I had the nib tuned. It feels and performs much better, but I am still not a fan, in fact I passed on a number of purchases because the pens came with palladium nibs. I think their Dreamtouch palladium nibs are an overated marketing ploy. I love everything else about the pen.
I've heard a couple of people say that. I cannot understand why some are so bad and others sublime - I've been lucky. I have one medium and one fine, and I wouldn't trade those nibs for anything. Smooth, soft, excellent degree of flex that adds a liveliness to my writing. However, the new pens with their gold nibs are equally amazing. I'd strongly recommend trying out the new ones. I think the issues in the past were mainly due to quality control, and that seems to have been fixed. Thanks for the comment - you aren't alone!
Dear Sir, good review but please don't think that people are interested in looking at you drinking coffee and then having the dirty cup in front of us for the best part of your presentation. A matter of aesthetics. Again, thank you for your review.
Sorry for that but my desk is small, so I can't promise it won't be there again!