Cary Yeager Page 14

An in depth look at the new Uboat Capsoil

Having owned a U-Boat piece, it was nice to have the opportunity to go hands-on with one of their newest designs, the U-Boat Capsoil SS.

First off, lets get a little background on the brand. When I first came across U-Boat, it was on Instagram roughly ~5 years ago. Having a deep love for the sea (pun intended), and being around the ocean my entire life, it was neat to see something that took inspiration from the lines and aesthetics of a submarine. I was immediately drawn to the bulkiness/ruggedness industrial design of the U-Boat. The brand itself has less than 20 years of business under their belt; the brand was founded and created when Ilvo Fontana joined the tender to produce precision time instruments for the Italian Navy in 1942. Although Ilvo Fontana didn’t end up creating any pieces for the Italian Navy, the designs were never destroyed, just merely filed away. In the year 2000, Ilvo Fontana’s grandson, Italo Fontana found the designs and decided it would be great to finish what his grandfather once started.

Now that we have some background, lets get down to the fun part, the details. The case is machined out of stainless steel, housing a new electromechanical movement, which is completely submerged in oil. Yes, you heard that right, it wasn’t a typo, the entire dial and movement is submerged in an oil bath. The case measures 45mm and has a beautiful, almost matte-like sheen to the finish. Speaking of finishing, this case is “rounded”, every angle you look at it. There are minimal sharp edges with tapered lugs, which make the watch appear a little smaller than the normal U-Boat size watches. I typically prefer watches in the 40-44 mm range; this watch wears extremely nice for its size. Since we are on the topic of the case, lets not forget the crown. Yes, the watch is a destro, but with the proper tools, you can swap it to the other side of the case. Whether you wear the watch on your left hand or right, you are thought of in this design.

After strapping the watch on my wrist I was immediately mesmerized by the color of the dial. I have never seen such a “pure” black dial as this; the oil makes it seem three-dimensional. It’s quite hard to take your eyes off of it. Once you are able to peel your eyes away from the three-dimensional dial, you start noticing other qualities close by. The dial has a patina –like color on the numerals and minute markers. There is a vibrant and striking contrast between the dark black dial and the patina numerals. Dive watches have always been know for their legibility, lets just put it this way, whether you are scuba diving in a deep cave or looking for the time in a dark room in your home, legibility will never be an issue.

After having the privilege of wearing the watch for a week or two, it’s easy to come to terms with the fact that I genuinely like this piece. I am still in awe of how well the dial pops in the submerged oil bath. All in all, this piece checks the boxes for someone who is looking for a larger, industrial designed watch. Purely, the history makes owning a U-Boat much cooler knowing that a lot of these designs were thought of ~70 years ago. This piece falls in the sub $2,000.00 price point which makes the purchasing urge much greater due the quality of components you get for the price. Whether you are an existing owner of a U-Boat watch, or have never owned one of their pieces, I highly encourage you to give this piece a try. 

Written by Brett Harmon follow him on Instagram

Call or email us for more information:

Phone: 516-741-0011

Email: contactus@kenroindustries.com

A beautiful expression from Catharine  Misook

“The most valuable thing we can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of room, not try to be or do anything whatever.” -May Sarton

We had a tornado watch, lightning strike downs and a wintery mix all within the span of 24 hours. The weekend is here along with the calm after the storm and I’m ready to stay cozy, unwind and rest. Staycation at mi casa. What are you all up to this weekend?

And what better way for a stationery lover to unwind than with a new pen, specifically a stunning new @esterbrook_official pen? I love the tortoiseshell with the silver, the vintage reprise of this classic pen so beautifully done. A big thank you to @nypenguy and @kenro_official for getting this treasure to me through wind and rain! Oh and if you want to see the green tortoiseshell version, go check out @thepapervoyager on her gorgeous and inspiring account!

Be sure to follow Catharine on her daily journeys on Instagram @CatharineMiSook

Mongrappa releases Gift with Purchase for all Game of Thrones pens.

With the eight and final season of HBO’s successful Game of Thrones series just around the corner (the season is scheduled to premiere in April 2019), Montegrappa will be running an exclusive Gift With Purchase promotion associated to our GoT open editions, namely the Stark, Targaryen, Lannister, Baratheon and Westeros pens. HBO is planning a major campaign and we expect another opportunity for sales from our specialty pens.
With the sale of each pen, you will receive a complimentary mug (see enclosed pictures), which has to be offered as a Gift With Purchase to the end users who will buy the pens.
In attachment you will find separate artworks with the sigils of the four houses or the map of Westeros, which may be used for promotional purposes online and offline.
There are five mug designs: four with the sigils of the houses of Stark, Targaryen, Lannister and Baratheon – which will be gifted with the pens dedicated to the pertaining families – and one with the map of Westeros – which will be gifted with the Westeros pens or at a later date with all pens, once stocks on the other types of mugs are no longer available.
Should you have an existing stock of the above mentioned pens – which you wish to include in the promotion, you are offered the possibility to buy the mugs separately at the special cost of $10 each.

The promotion will start as of February 1^st and will run till supplies last.

For its 100-years Anniversary Aurora Pens launches  “Cento Italia”

Aurora introduces the line “Cento Italia”: 10 “Iconic pens” from the history of Aurora, symbolizing the 10 decades, every one revised and realized in 100 numbered pieces only for the whole world (100 for Italy and 100 for the foreign countries).

Aurora will launch monthly the pens of the line “Cento Italia”, beginning from February, every 19^th of the month, to recall the foundation year of the Manufacture in the 1919.

Every pen will be packed in an elegant box in black leatherette with black interior dressed by a special commemorative red sleeve with the new logo Aurora Cento! realized in cooperation with Italdesign – Giugiaro.

All the pens will be FOUNTAIN Pens.

The first pen introduced will be Aurora Edo in black resin, chrome plated trims and 14 kt solid gold nib, rhodium-treated, embellished by an exclusive shiny red bottom.

Retail Price: 495.00

What your nib says about your personality

Choosing a nib for your fountain pen is like getting dressed in the morning; the nib you use is as much a part of expressing your individuality and creativity as the clothes you wear. From the nib’s materials, to its shape and size, the way your nib writes can say a lot about your personality. In fact, the way your fountain pen writes can indicate more about who you are than the style of the pen itself.  

Let’s take a look at some of the nib’s most important characteristics and how they reflect the character of those who use them. 

Nib Size

The size of the nib determines the thickness of the line the pen produces—the wider the tip the broader the stroke it produces. Typical sizes include extra fine (EF), fine (F), medium (M) and broad (B), though there are others as well. Today there is wide popularity with flexible nibs, which are kind of hybrid line from fine to broad depending on how one applies pressure to the nib. Like choosing the right tie or shoes for the day, choosing a point can also be decided by a person’s mood or plans for how he or she intends to write.  

Now, it’d be a mistake to say that the larger the size, the bigger the personality. However, each size does offer unique differences in how the writer expresses him or herself. For example, extra fine is an excellent choice for those who prefer delicate details, while flex or italic may be ideal for those who like to write expressively. Extra fine and fine points are most popular these days and are used in a variety of applications like bullet journaling, note taking, and sketching. Certainly, broad nibs are great for those who want to capture bold ideas, where medium nibs are perfect for communicating through daily writing and thank you notes. 

Nib Materials

Today’s nibs are commonly made out of stainless steel or 14k and 18k gold. While the materials have less impact on how they write, they can suggest different aspects of a person’s life. It’s important to know that stainless steel nibs have dramatically improved in touch and 

performance over the years, while solid gold points still carry a higher value to the pen and sometimes even the writer.  

Those who want to articulate everyday with practicality most often opt for stainless steel, while those who prefer to subtly express their individuality and elegance might select for gold. Many pens with gold nibs may feature more sophisticated design characteristics and engraving details. 14k nibs tend to offer more flexibility than steel nibs and provide a nice aesthetic and ornate sophistication. Moreover, many limited edition pens often feature an 18k gold nib as a feature that makes them unique. It should also be noted that gold nibs typically feature an ebonite feed, which is the preferred material for channeling the ink from the reservoir to the point. 

To be sure, there are many varieties of nibs available today, and while the nib one person chooses may reflect their personality, there’s almost no reason why they can’t change based on their moods. Whether you want a fountain pain for fine calligraphy, to capture your deepest thoughts, or to emphasize your status, there’s a nib that’s right for you. 

Looking for the perfect fountain pen that showcases your personality? We offer a wide selection of fine writing instruments to suit the needs of those with discerning tastes.