Why Bibek Debroy Liked Fountain Pens, And How You Can Ink Your Own Journey

Bibek Debroy, who was serving as the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, and passed away on November 1, 2024, which happens to be World Fountain Pen Day, was also a renowned name in the fountain pen fraternity.

He had co-authored the book, Inked In India: Fountain Pens And A Story Of Make And Unmake, which denotes the history and evolution of the fountain pen manufacturing in India, which has served the Indian economy since the days of the Swadeshi Movement during the days of India’s Independence struggle. The authors also contend in the book whether the present-day Indian pen makers “can take the Indian fountain pens to the 5G stage” given that the “transition to modern fountain pen manufacturing is still a work in progress”.

Debroy fell in love with fountain pens as a student and used them till his Master’s in India. Though he made the switch to ball point pens upon going abroad, it was just a temporary phase. He always had a stock of fountain pens with him, and recently began exploring the world of Indian fountain pens again, eventually using them for his daily writing needs, as he told in an interview to Inked Happiness.

So, as the world celebrates World Fountain Pen Day, which is observed every year on the first Friday of November, and if you too want to explore the colourful world of fountain pens and inks like Bibek Debroy, here’s how you can start inking with happiness again, right from the most inexpensive instruments with steel nibs used by schoolchildren, to the handcrafted pens in 18kt and 21kt solid gold nibs costing up of Rs 1 lakh.

Also remember that as writing instruments, fountain pens score over ballpoint and roller pens on several counts. They areeco-friendly, sustainable, are conversation starters, and last but not the least, will leave a leave a personal touch to any piece of writing.

Under Rs 500

As a millennial, you are possibly the last of the lucky generation to have experienced the charm of scribbling on a piece of white paper with a nib, probably as a student of Class IV or V. The pens would be an inexpensive Artex or Camlin (priced around Rs 4-5 or Rs 10 at the maximum) and the ink, a 60ml bottle of blue or black Sulekha, Bril or Chelpark. Wingsun and Hero – two Chinese pens, costing around Rs 20-25 were considered luxury then.

If you are new to fountain pens, here are a few options you can try without breaking your bank.

At the extreme low end of the spectrum, you will find pens from brands, such as Maped and Hauser, priced around Rs 50-100. Some Indian brands, such as Click, Kanwrite, Gama, and Airmail, and also some international brands, such as Parker (Parker Beta) make models in the range of Rs 100-200. These are essentially inexpensive pens meant for students.                                            

If you want to spend a little more, but within the overall budget of Rs 500, then there are two particular brands and models you could consider. The Click Aristocrat would cost around Rs 350-400, depending on the model, and the Preppy from Platinum, a renowned Japanese brand would come for around Rs 425.

The Aristocrat has looks similar to the Parker Duofold. It is neither slim nor thick, and has the perfect girth for long hours of fatigue-free writing. But what makes it special is the array of nibs it offers. Besides the usual extra fine, fine, medium and broad nibs, it also offers flex nibs, which will give variation to your upside and downside strokes depending on the pressure you apply while writing.

The Platinum Preppy,on the other hand, has a transparent body and comes with one of the smoothest nibs you can get for under Rs 500. It carries a rich legacy (as Platinum is one of the oldest and most renowned pen manufacturers from Japan). However, since it has a transparent body, it could be prone to breakage if tossed and thrown around carelessly.

Submarine, another Indian brand, has a few models in this price bracket.Parker also has a few models, such as Parker Vector, as well as full-body steel models, such as Parker Folio and Parker Vector steel, all in the below Rs 500 range.

You could also get some knock-offs of well-known models on e-commerce platforms. However, you could face problems of burping or bleeding or scratchy nibs, which could leave you with a bad experience.

Rs 500-1,000

There are very few options available here, as this is the higher end of the lower price bracket for fountain pens.

International Brands:Parker, Platinum, Sheaffer (the US) and Pelikan (Germany) are few of the international brands with pens in this price range. Parker has the Frontier, costing around Rs 650 upwards, and Platinum has the Prefounte model. The Prefounte has the same nib as the Preppy and has a translucent body, and costs around Rs 850-950. There are also a few student options from Pelikan, such as the Pelikano Junior, and Sheaffer,priced around Rs 750 and Rs 550, respectively.

There are a few good Chinese options also that you could try in this price range. Jinhao, a well-known Chinese pen maker makes a lot of affordable pens with designs inspired from well-known international brands, such as Montblanc, and Lamy (both Germany), and Sailor (Japan). You could check out the Jihnao 82, which resembles the Sailor Professional Gear Slim, and the Jinhao X159, which is a copy of the Montblanc Meisterstück149. The Jinhao X 159 has a very smooth and large no 8 size nib and will cost around Rs 850. The Jinhao 82 is cheaper, around Rs 500-650.

Indian Brands: Click has a few models in acrylic and half-body ebonite, where the barrel of the pen is made of ebonite and the cap is made of plastic. They come for around Rs 700.Submarine has a few models made of metal and wood, priced around Rs 600-1,000. Kanwrite and Airmail also has some plastic pen models within this price range, but the feel of the plastic body could make you feel that the pens are overpriced, though the nibs are decent. Kanwrite makes its own nibs and is also a supplier to many Indian pen manufacturers.

Overall, there aren’t many options in the price bracket. Most of the starter pens from international German and Japanese brands come in the below Rs 2,000 price range.

Rs 1,000-1,500

Depending on your writing preference, you could explore a range of pens here, right from ebonite body models in India to the student line-up of international brands.

Indian Brands:Click has some good ebonite and acrylic options, such as Falcon and Century, priced at Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,400, respectively.Woodex and Mohi, two Indian brands, make excellent ebonite pens in this price range. They are usually eyedropper models, where the barrel or the body of the pen serves as the ink reservoir. They come with Indian nibs, but can be customised for German-made JoWo or Schmidt nibs.Another Indian brand that makes very good pens starting in this price range is Ratnam pens from Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. Legend has that Mahatma Gandhi urged K.V. Ratnam to make pens in India as part of the Swadeshi movement and thus, Ratnam Pens was born.

International Brands:Pilot from Japan – yes it is the same pen maker that makes the 0.5 mm pen we have all used in our school days – has the student model, Kakuno. There are also a few Pelikano Junior and Herlitz (another sub-brand of Pelikan) and some models of Sheaffer and Parker in this price range.

Rs 1,500-2,000

You could get a variety of light weight metal – both stainless steel and aluminium pens from renowned Japanese brands, such as Pilot and Platinum, in this range as well as high quality ebonite pens made in India.

International Brands:Platinum has the Plaisir model, which has the same nib as the Preppy and the Prefounte, but comes with a range of striking aluminium shades in glacier blue, teal, orange, and so on. They are usually priced upwards of Rs 1,500, but some of the special editions could cost up to Rs 2,000-plus or even Rs 3,000-plus. This is probably the cheapest aluminium body pen you will get from a renowned pen maker.

Pilot has a range of metal pens from the animal series. They are made of finely brushed metal in various colours, such as grey, blue, black, gold, silver, and so on. Pilot is known for its high quality nibs and it is with this range of Pilot pens that you will get to experience the smoothness of those nibs.

Rotring from Germany, which is famous for making top-of-the line mechanical pencils and drafting pens that architects and engineers swear by, also makes a few fountain pen models in this price range. However, they could be rare to come by.Kaweco has the student-friendly Perkeo model in this range (Rs 1,600-plus). Pelikan (Pelikano Junior) and Herlitz also have a few models in this range.

Indian Brands: You will also get a fine range of quality ebonite pens from Indian brands, such as Woodex in glossy finish with smooth nibs from Kanwrite in this price range. Kanwrite has a few acrylic models in this price range. Submarine also has a few high-end models in wood and metal priced around Rs 1,900.

2,000-4,500

This price range will give you the starter pack-up of affordable collection from well-known German brands, such as Diplomat, Kaweco, and Lamy; Japanese brand, Sailor, and the US brand, Sheaffer.

International Brands: Lamy will offer you the timeless Safari in a range of colour options, including limited collector’s edition option which they launch every year. One of their most-sought-out collector’s edition was the Lamy Safari Savannah Green and Terra Red, which they had launched in 2021 after an almost 40-year-gap and became an international hit. Kaweco has the pocket-friendly Sport model, which can only be used if the cap is posted on the barrel after opening. Both Lamy Safari and Kaweco Sport start at Rs 3,500.

If these sound too expensive for a starter pen, you can consider the Diplomat Magnum. The plastic body and design could give you the illusion of the pen being overpriced, but that would be far from the truth. It has an extremely durable plastic body, but the gem is the very bouncy JoWo nib that will not only give you a pleasurable writing experience, but also allow you to experiment with line variation in your writing, without having a dedicated flex, italic, stub, or architect nib.

Twsbi is another brand from Taiwan that makes excellent demonstrator pens. The pen is made of a thick transparent plastic bodyand has a piston filler mechanism that allows for drawing a large amount of ink. The pen comes with a JoWo nib. The most popular Twsbi model, the Twsbi Eco starts around Rs 4,000 with some of the special editions going up to Rs 10,000. 

Sheaffer has a few models in the VFM range upwards of Rs 2,000.

Indian Brands: You will also get high-end Indian ebonite pens with the option of German nibs from Bock, Schimdt and JoWo in this price range.

Click has their topmost ebonite and acrylic models with Indian nibs (Rs 2,200 for the Renaissance) and German-made JoWo nibs (Rs 3,500-4,500) for the Renaissance and Yen models.Gama, another century-old pen manufacturer based in Chennai has a variety of options upwards of this range. Most of them are eyedropper models with in-house nibs. They offer one of the finest fatigue-free writing experience over long hours. The only drawback, as with any eyedropper pen is that they will bleed and leak if left unused for long. Some of their most popular models are the Gama Eyas and Gama Raja (priced around Rs 2,000), Gama Hawk (upwards of Rs 2,700), and Gama Commander (Rs 4,400). Kanwrite also has some of its top-end ebonite and acrylic models in this range, with the option of gold nibs as customisation.

Another Indian brand, Ranga Pens, also makes a variety of pens in ebonite and acrylic with the option of German-made Bock, JoWo, and Schmidt, or their own Ranga nibs, all with steel, titanium or even gold nib options. They are typically priced upwards of Rs 4,000 for the acrylic versions and more for the ebonite version. They also offer the option of gold nibs, but the prices will go up of Rs 10,000.

German And Japanese Nibs - Width

German Nibs: Few renowned pen makers, such as Montblanc, Pelikan, Lamy (all German), Sailor, Platinum and Pilot (all Japanese), Visconti (Italy), Parker (UK), Waterman (France) make their own nibs.                      

Most of the other renowned pen makers, such as Faber Castell, Conklin, Conway Stewart, Diplomat, Esterbrook, , Kaweco, Otto Hutt, Graff von Faber Castell, Monteverde, Montegrappa, Leonardo Officina, and Sheaffer, however, use nibs made by either of these three German companies – Peter Bock AG, JoWo, and Schmidt – including 14kt and 18kt gold nibs on their high-end pens.

Japanese Nibs:Nibs are modelled and styled on two family categories – the German and the Japanese, and this is followed almost universally. The Japanese nibs give a thinner line compared to the German nibs. So, broadly speaking, a Japanese Medium nib will be similar to a German Fine nib and a Japanese Fine nib will be equivalent to a German Extra Fine nib. So, typically, an 18kt Medium gold nib from a Japanese pen maker will give a thinner line compared to a nib of the same category from a German pen maker.

Rs 5,000-10,000

This is a very fluid range and will offer a lot of good pens with exceptional nibs for regular use.

Some of the more popular models are Waterman Hemisphere (Rs 5,000-plus), Kaweco Student (Rs 5,000-plus), Kaweco Liliput (Rs 7,000-12,000 depending on the material – brass, steel, copper, and so on), Kaweco Al Sport (Rs 7,000-plus), which is the aluminium version of the Kaweco Sport and Sheaffer Prelude (Rs 6,000-plus).

Other aluminium body pens of well-known brands are Lamy Al Star, which is the aluminium version of the Safari (Rs 5,000-plus), Lamy Aion (Rs 8,000-plus), and so on. Twsbi has a few aluminium (Mini Diamond AL), and vacuum filler models, Vac Mini and Vac700R, in this price range (all Rs 8,000-plus). The Parker 51 from Parker, which was first launched in 1941 with its distinctive hooded nib, and relaunched recently, will cost you around Rs 6,800.

Above 10,000 Or Gold Nibs?

You will get a host of iconic models, such as Diplomat Aero (Rs 17,000), Diplomat Excellence (Rs 23,000-plus),some versions of the Kaweco Liliput in brass, steel, copper, and so on, Kaweco Dia2 (Rs 11,000-plus), Lamy Scala (Rs 16,000-plus to Rs 33,000 for a limited edition), Parker Sonnet (around Rs 23,000), Parker 51 Premium (around Rs 15,000) though, all in steel nibs.

However, you can also spend the same amount of money for a solid gold nib or a gold-plated nib in the same price range.

Entry-Level Gold Nib Pens (Rs 12,000-25,000)

You can get a 14kt solid gold nib from either Sailor, Pilot, Platinum or Waterman for anything between Rs 11,000 and Rs 20,000 after discount.

The cheapest gold nib can be had from Pilot. The Pilot Elite E95s has a very retro look with a large cap and a short body, and is priced around Rs 13,000. It also comes with an extremely flexible nib, which could, however, make it unsuitable for those with a heavy hand or those using a gold nib for the first time.

If you want to try something not so delicate, you can try a few other Pilot models in the affordable range. The Pilot Custom 74 will cost you around Rs 15,000 and cheaper on a few ecommerce sites. You can also go for the Pilot Custom 91 (priced around Rs 11,000-15,000), or Pilot Custom Heritage 912, which offers around 15 different variations of nibs, such as waverly (which will allow you to write at any angle), falcon (which is an extreme flexible nib), and so on. These would cost around Rs 15,000-20,000. Another model is the Pilot Custom Heritage 92, which comes with a piston filler mechanism and costs around Rs 15,000 and upwards.

 The Sailor Professional Gear Slim or Sailor 1911 will set you back by around Rs 14,000-16,000. You could also get it cheaper at renowned pen stores offering festive discounts. The Sailor 1911 comes in a black body and sometimes in other colours, such as maroon, orange, or white, while the Sailor Professional Gear Slim series comes in a range of solid colours or special edition pieces, the latter costing up of Rs 25,000.

Platinum has the iconic Century 3776 in a 14kt gold nib, priced around Rs 22,000.

Japanese pens are also known for their unique handcrafted maki-e lacquer designs on pens. Usually, these are made on high-end pens costing upwards of Rs 50,000. However Platinum also has a cheaper Vicoh model which comes with a 14kt gold nib and maki-e design and is available for around Rs 20,000.

Waterman is the only European brand that will offer a gold nib in the below Rs 20,000 range. The Waterman Carene comes with an 18kt gold nib and will set you back by anything between Rs 16,000 and Rs 20,000 depending on the model and the trim.

Pelikan has the M200 gold plated pen. It is not a gold nib, but a gold plated nib, but offers a good flexibility and is a good entry level pen into the world of Pelikan pens.

Mid-Range Gold Nib Pens (Rs 25,000-50,000)

Pelikan has the Souveran range starting with the M400 and followed by the M600. These are priced around Rs 32,000 and Rs 40,000 (after discount). Lamy has the iconic Lamy 2000, priced around Rs 26,000, which has remained a timeless classic since its launch in the 1960s. The pen body is made of makrolon, a polycarbonate fibreglass. It was earlier available only in black, but is now available in other colours and materials, such as brown makrolon, stainless steel, and even a limited edition pine green makrolon costing a whopping Rs 60,000. All these models come with 14kt gold nibs.

Diplomat has the Aero and the Excellence in 14kt gold nibs priced upwards of Rs 35,000 and Rs 43,000, respectively.

Sailor has the 1911 Large and the Professional Gear, both in 21kt gold nib. In fact, Sailor is the only pen maker in the world to make pens in 21kt gold nibs. These cost anything between Rs 30,000 and Rs 45,000 for the special edition of the Professional Gear.

Platinum also a few special edition Century 3776 models in 14kt gold nib priced around Rs 35,000-plus. Pilot has the Custom 823 available in amber and black resin, priced around Rs 30,000. It comes with a large Pilot no 15 size 14kt gold nib, has a vacuum filling mechanism, and has been a favourite with pen aficionados since its launch, with many even calling it the most-perfect pen.

Midget Luxury Gold Nib Pens (Up of Rs 50,000-60,000)

These could be termed as the ‘midget’ of the ultra-luxury fountain pens. You can also get a starting line-up of the luxury Japanese Urushi lacquer pens starting at this range.

One of the most well-known designs is the Pilot Custom 845, which comes with an exquisitely beautiful solid 18kt two-toned gold nib and will cost you a little more than Rs 50,000. It is the younger sibling of the more coveted Pilot Custom Urushi, which could cost up to a lakh.The pen is available in only two colours – one with a red body and the other in a black body. Needless to say, the red is the most sought-after by buyers.

Pilot also has the Sterling Silver series with an 18kt gold nib pen. The body is made of sterling silver and will set you back by a princely sum of Rs 50,000.

From the house of Pelikan in Germany, comes the Pelikan Souveran M800 with a solid two-toned 18kt gold nib anda brass piston filling mechanism. It is much larger than the M600 and comes for around Rs 60,000, but is usually available at a discount.

Parker has a host of pens in this range, the most famous being the Parker Duofold which could cost anything upwards of Rs 50,000 to more than a lakh.There are a few models from Visconti and Aurora (both Italy) also in this range.

The Luxury Pens (Rs 70,000-Plus)

This category will also include the top line from brands, such as Pelikan, Sailor, Pilot, Parker, Aurora, Visconti, and so on, but usually aficionados restrict the debate to a few marque models from four brands, namely Montblanc (Germany), Pelikan, Sailor, and Pilot.

Parker has a bunch of Duofold models priced upwards of Rs 90,000-1,20,000 (all in 18kt gold).

Visconti has the Homo Sapiens range (18kt gold) with the body made of basaltic lava and resin, costing between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1.25 lakh for various models.

The Fan Favourites: The Montblanc Meisterstück149 has been a classic since its introduction a century ago. Priced upwards of Rs 95,000, it has a timeless appeal and comes with an 18kt gold nib.Another favourite is the Pelikan Souveran M1000 with a dual-toned 18kt nib. It has one of the largest nibs on offer and is an absolute joy to write it. It is also comparatively less expensive, around Rs 76,000, than the others in this elite category, and can be had for around Rs 65,000, after discount. Of course, there are limited editions of the Pelikan Souveran M1000 that could cost anything up of Rs 5 lakh.

Talking of large nibs, there is the Sailor King of Pens, both in the 1911 and the Professional Gear Series, with 21kt gold nibs priced around Rs 90,000, with the maki-e versions costing up of Rs 2 lakh-plus.Pilot has two pens in this elite category – the Pilot Custom Urushi, which has a dual toned 18kt nib rivalling the Pelikan M1000 and costing upwards of Rs 1 lakh. The other is the Namiki range from Pilot, which only manufactureshandcrafted fountain pens with urushi lacquer. Think of the Namiki line-up as being the Maybach equivalent of the Mercedes Benz cars. The Namiki pens are all priced close to Rs 2 lakh and come with probably the largest nibs available. They typically come in red, maroon and black, and sometimes in offbeat special edition colours, such as blue, and so on. The red and the maroon are the most popular ones.

Inks

You cannot leave inks behind if you talk of pens.

If you are using expensive pens, then it is advisable to use good quality water-based inks for regular use. Waterman, Pilot, Pelikan, and Parker make some of the best inks for regular use. They will cost you around Rs 100-600.

Pilot and Pelikan also have an expensive range of inks – Pilot Iroshizuku and Pelikan Edelstein. Iroshizuku is portmanteau of two words – iro meaning colouring, and shizuku meaning droplet. These colours are inspired from the landscape and natural flora of Japan.Edelstein literally means gemstone and the inks are all named after gems, such as garnet, ruby, sapphire, jade, and so on. The Iroshizuku line-up costs around Rs 1,500 for a 50 ml bottle, while a bottle of Edelstein will cost you Rs 2,600 for a 50 ml bottle.

There are also expensive inks from J. Herbin (France), Rohrer & Klinger, De Atramentis (both Germany), Private Reserve and Colorverse (both from the US), Diamine (the UK), KWZ (Poland), among others. De Atramentis is well-known for making document inks, which are permanent, but they are safe for use in fountain pens.

Inks To Avoid, Safe Use Of Shimmer And Iron Gall Inks

Never use calligraphy or India inks in your fountain pens. They will permanently ruin your pen.

There are also shimmer inks and iron gall inks. Typically, use a demonstrator pen, such as Twsbi Eco, or Click Aristocrat, that you can completely take apart for cleaning, for your shimmer inks. They contain pigments that can block your feed or stick inside the barrel of your eyedropper or piston filler pen.

Iron gall inks contain iron and could corrode your pen if left unused in your pen for long.

So, now that you have a fair idea of fountain pens, what better than today to get one and scribble your thoughts on a piece of blank paper. The scratch of a nib on a blank parchment can indeed be an enriching and enlightening experience, isn’t it?