Waterman
Pens and Ephemera

Moxie the cat is helping to model this handsome Waterman Carene Deluxe rollerball pen. It has a bronze barrel and vermeil cap. In this case, vermeil is a silver plated cap that has been plated over in gold. It is one of the less common Carene models. There are no dents or long, deep scratches. There are a few very short shallow scratches and other marks of light wear. Happily enough, these preowned luxury pens take regular Waterman rollerball refills AND Pilot G2 gel refills. This one sports a blue G2! There is just enough weight in the pen to really make it write smoothly with some gentle momentum. These are among our favorite rollerball pens. Click the headline for close-ups. Meowy Christmas. 14.5cm capped.

Here's a little treasure of a preowned luxury ballpoint pen. Before you is the Waterman Carene Deluxe. More than any Deluxe model, it has the bronze-colored barrel with a plated vermeil cap. A normal Deluxe cap has a sterling silver plating. This cap was first plated in silver and then in gold! You will find minimal, if any, wear. Twist the tail cap to advance or retract the black ballpoint refill. We prefer these ballpoints over standard Montblanc resin ballpoints because the are sturdier with a lovely heft that helps the ballpoint write much more smoothly across the page. 13.9cm.

Waaaay too overlooked are Waterman Carene ballpoint pens. Waterman doesn't seem to have the same luxury cache as Montblanc, but the Waterman Carene ballpoint pen feel like writing with Cadillac compared to the Honda Civic of a Classique. The difference is in the weight. A Waterman Carene is made with a heavier brass-barrel construction that helps the pen glide along with some momentum as you write. Very smooth. This model is in the "amber shimmer" design, and it comes with its original box (just slightly scuffed) and papers. It also comes with a red-ink refill. 13.8cm.

Made of sterling silver with a basket-weave design pattern, our Waterman L'Etalon is a very distinguished luxury pen. As a pre-owned pen we are happy to report it has no dents or deep scratches in the silver or trim. You can see a little ring of wear where the section snugged with the inner cap. Click the headline for a close-up. Other than some micro scratches on the golden trim, this pen looks amazing. You'll notice its 18k gold nib has some nice accent swirls that other Waterman nibs don't usually have. You will write a firm, smooth fine line. It comes with its original converter and boxes. The lights hide yellow spots inside the white box lining. There's also a big stripe of black ink across the band that looks like it holds down the pen. 13.9cm capped.

The 1990s saw Waterman return to luxury pen making. One of their first hits was the Waterman Exclusive. This pen is made of solid brass and is decorated in a burgundy lacquer. It comes its original converter and its original boxes. You will write a smooth medium line with its 18k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. There is a little wear where the cap posted on the pen. The lacquer is a little bumpy near the clip of the cap. And you can see in the nib photo that the section trim is a little spotted and scratched. 14.2cm capped.

Sooo, we're lookin' at this pen for at least an hour, trying to identify it. The sterling silver cap and barrel in the Godron design looks just like a Waterman Gentleman. That part was easy. It comes with an age-appropriate box with a little scarring on the outside. What is wrong with it?! Then it hits us. It has a 2-tone, 18k gold Waterman Rhapsody nib and section! We don't see modern married pens all that often. We call it Waterman's Gentle Rhapsody. The cap snugs tight with friction fit to the section, which is half a turn from threading in flush with the barrel. It is tight and won't wiggle. There are 4 or 5 pinhead size dimples spread across the cap and barrel. You will write a luscious, thick, buttery smooth double broad line. Includes converter. The golden tail jewel spins but seems tightly affixed to the barrel. Click headline for close-ups. 14.3cm capped.

For as handsome as this moss green-grey vintage pen is, it features some of the weaknesses of 1940s Waterman manufacturing. Our Waterman 2 has a crack in the top of the cap and in the lip of the cap. Its pocket clip spins freely. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. You'll find nice Canadian Waterman imprints. Click the headline for a close-up of the 14k gold nib. When you find the sweet spot on the nib, you will write a smooth broad line. It gets a little scratchy when you lose the sweet spot. Oh, and its inkfeed is a modern replacement feed. 12.8cm capped.

Many of Waterman's pens of the 1940s looked very similar to one another. We think this is the mid-sized Waterman Stalwart. It might be difficult to see in the photo, but it has a beautiful pearlescent sheening. We restored it with a new ink sac and a hand-made pressure bar to replace the missing original pressure bar under the lever. No cracks, a little brassing on the clip and a dark ring around the very top of the cap. The clip jiggles just a tiny bit but is still secure. There's a scratch on the section. You will write a dry, extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib. However, you can flex it to .75mm if you are slow and gentle. 11.6cm capped.