Waterman Carène Deluxe Fountain Pen, Gloss Black & Silver Plated with 23k Gold Clip, Fine Nib with Blue Ink Cartridge, Gift Box

Writes great - beautiful pen

Wow. I am not one given to writing "gushing" reviews about products. However, I am making an exception for the Waterman Carene Amber Shimmer Fountain Pen. Three months ago I purchased a different Waterman fountain pen with the intention of using it as an everyday pen. The pen is a Waterman Expert black with gold trim and a fine nib (S0951640). The pen performs well and I have no complaints. However, when the Waterman Carene (the basis of this review) arrived today and was loaded with ink I was absolutely blown away.The balance, the ink flow, the quality of the nib, everything was head and shoulders above my other Waterman (Expert) Yes, the price is significantly higher for the Carene but what a difference in quality! I d0, however, want to add one more thought. I also ordered a higher quality ink with the Carene while with the Expert I ordered the standard Waterman black ink. I'm certain the ink helps but is only a small part in the difference between the pens. My recommendation: Save your pennies and buy the Carene. You will have absolutely no regrets going with the Carene. Enjoy!

I have a lot of fountain pens, but once I picked this one up it became my instant favourite, even though usually I prefer very fine Japanese nibs. (Fortunately, the Carene Fine nib isn't unreasonably broad as in some Western pens.) This pen feels like an organic extension of my hand, fits me like no other pen I've tried. It's fairly heavy (about 34 g with cap, 22 without), but so perfectly shaped and balanced that it gives me no fatigue at all, and the nib glides over paper like the ship sailing through the sea that Waterman compares it to. Usually I laugh at fountain pen advertising hype, but I'm giving Waterman a pass this time. The variegated Amber lacquer is hard to photograph, but truly gorgeous, and then there's that beautiful inlaid nib. The overall design is impeccable; understated and refined. What really gets me though is that this thing feels in the hand as elegant and well-thought-out as it looks to the eye; it's for use, not just to show off with. Of course, all that is my personal experience, everybody is different, but now I understand why I see so many fountain pen addicts praise this pen. I still smile every time I pick it up, so call me a satisfied customer.

Within the fountain pen community there is a lot of talk about many other fancy manufacturers but rarely about Waterman. I think because Waterman doesn't thrive on trends of the moment - their designs are timeless and their quality uncompromising. I enjoy a pen that can put down a solid continuous saturated line - this inlaid nib has no flex and performs flawlessly every time. This is my third Carene - probably not my last. Every pen has been a gem to write with. The housing is indestructible - even after a few years use the pen looks new. It write every time I pull it out - even after having sat for days.

There aren’t enough o’s in smooth to describe writing with this pen. The Carene exemplifies everything you would expect from a luxury fountain pen. I have never written with a smoother pen. I have written on several types of paper and have yet to see smudges or blotches. The pen is perfectly weighted for long writing sessions. The only negative I would see for the pen is that the cap doesn’t post securely on the barrel (for those of you posters out there). That being said, this is hands down the best pen I have ever owned. A must have for any pen addict and well worth the price.

This pen is a very good writer. It writes very smoothly, but it does have a tiny bit of feedback that I find very pleasant to write with, even though I really like my pens as smooth as possible.The clip is well-designed. It's thin and holds very closely to the cap, but it pivots outward on a spring, allowing you to easily slip it over a jean pocket or something similarly thick. I personally don't use clips, but it's a plus for anyone who does.The nib is particularly interesting because of its shape, the reason I decided to buy the pen. But I think it's because of the shape (in part) that the nib has a particularly stiff feeling. I usually prefer a bouncier nib. The Pilot Custom 823 has a very bouncy nib, and even if that alone was what I preferred in that over the Waterman Caréne, I would use the Custom 823 far more than the Caréne. But the grip on this pen is also very wide. I like grips very thin if possible, something that is not common in fountain pens. But I don't think most people are bothered by a thick grip. But as said before, even though I prefer butter-smooth pens, I am not at all bothered by the little bit of feedback given by the Caréne.But, because of the stiffness of the nib, I do like the pen for one job in particular: editing. When making quick marks, I like how stiff the nib is. The nib feels very secure on the pen because of how stiff it is, so those quickly-made marks when editing are easy to control. If you think you would like the secure feeling of this pen over a bouncer nib that moves around more, for writing, editing, or anything else, this pen is a good option for you in my opinion.Overall, the only thing I have against the pen is the size of the grip. It's a very good writing experience, even though I wouldn't call it a workhorse pen, and it's a good value for what I paid. The Caréne writes well, though there are other pens that might write better. But nonetheless, the pen has character and it is a very good value for the money paid, both for a collector and someone who buys fountain pens to write with them.

Review for pen Waterman Carene in Marine AmberThis pen is a grear writer.Excellent Performance.Nib is smooth.Great value for the money.The cap is pop-up cap so is faster to uncap than pens with a twisting mechanism.Highly recommended.