REVIEW: LEONARDO TREDICI FOUNTAIN PEN

Despite being incredibly active in releasing new special editions and unique colorways - it seems like every week they make a cool new pen I want! - Leonardo's product catalog is more or less established around two main product lines: the Furore (or Furore Grande), and the Momento Zero (or Momento Zero Grande). Of course, that's not including the handful of limited editions (like the Cuspide, Messenger, or Speranza), though even those often take strong design cues from pens like the ever-popular Momento Zero. 

But the pen we're taking a look at today - a limited edition that's yet to be officially released, mind you! - brings quite a different look to the table through the introduction of a fully faceted design: the Leonardo Tredici! My thanks go out to the people at Leonardo Officina Italiana, for giving me the opportunity to check out this pen well in advance of its launch! 

The Tredici appropriately gets its name from the Italian word for 'thirteen', the number of facets on the pen. Though the Tredici is unmistakably a Leonardo design (put it side by side with the Momento Zero, and the kinship is easily spotted), it does bring a more angular, tapered, design style to the table, whereas the Momento Zero and Furore are a bit more gently curved and rounded. 

The lack of decorative trim rings on the back of the barrel or section, the fine rolling wheel clip, and the three cap rings, together with the faceted design of the Tredici, make for a pen that - in my opinion, at least - embodies the 'vintage' styling that many Leonardo pens try to capture, even better. The comparison with an old Omas paragon wouldn't be too far off either, I think?

The Tredici wouldn't be a true Leonardo pen if it wasn't for some bright and colorful materials. So for this limited edition (70 pens for each color), it'll be available in two distinct acrylic resins: Hawaii, and Arlecchino (Harlequin). Both materials have already made an appearance on previous Leonardo pens. The Hawaii is of course a tried-and-true staple among many of Leonardo's pens, and it never fails to impress me with its complex mix of blue and brown hues, pearlescence, and translucence, all mixed in through the striped acrylic material. 

The colorful yellow/orange/green flecked Arlecchino material (an acrylic recreation of a celluloid Omas used to use back in the day) is a bit less common and tends to only be used for limited editions. Being partial to orange pens, I quite enjoy the eclectic and vibrant mix of solid colors in the Arlecchino, but it's certainly a love-it-or-hate-it material! 

While I think there's something to be said for both colorways (both will definitely turn heads!) I'd also like to see the Tredici in a different - more muted - material choice, as the emphasis on the faceted shape is perhaps a bit lost in the 'busy' patterns of these two materials. 

Since these are pre-production pens, there are a few (small) details that I was told would still be addressed before final production: While the thirteen facets on cap, barrel and piston knob align fairly well (the cap has triple-start threads, so only one orientation will align them), it's not absolutely perfect. The faceted trim rings on the cap will also be fine-tuned a bit in the final production, making them sit more flush and aligned with the surface of the cap. These are relatively small details, but making them perfect is key (and shows a keen eye for detail from Leonardo), as the facets are of course the centerpiece of the Tredici's design!

L to R: Pelikan M805, Leonardo Furore, Furore Grande, Momento Zero Grande, Tredici, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Tredici is slightly shorter than the Momento Zero Grande and appears a bit skinnier as well (partially due to the strongly tapered shape). Though with a capped length of 14.8 cm/ 5.83", and an uncapped length of 13.3 cm/ 5.25", it still certainly classifies as a large pen. The Tredici weighs just 25 grams, which makes it very lightweight and nimble, especially for a rather large pen like this. For those that prefer an even larger pen, the Tredici can be posted very securely, and the cap doesn't add any noticeable backweight. 

For the Tredici, Leonardo went with a traditional hourglass-shaped section (very similar to the section of the Cuspide, but narrower) as opposed to the stepped design on the MZ. Just like the rest of the Tredici, the section is on average about a millimeter narrower than the Momento Zero. While that's a relatively minute difference in thickness, it is indeed noticeable in the hand. The section on the Tredici is decently long, and the threads are shallow and unobtrusive. Though in terms of comfort, the Tredici does take a slight hit with a fairly sharp drop off towards the barrel, which I did notice in my grip. The Momento Zero Grande has a similar step, but the rounded trim ring on the edge makes the MZ gentler to the touch.

Under the hood, you'll be greeted by a 14k gold nib (no option for steel nibs, as is the case on most of Leonardo's Limited Editions). Leonardo made a complete switch to JoWo last year, so that's what you're getting here, regardless of the nib width you choose. I tried out both a regular medium and one of their 'elastic' (read: soft, not flex) fine nibs. The 14k gold nib is backed up by Leonardo's own ebonite feeds, and metal piston-filling mechanism, the same as on Leonardo's 'Grande' models.

The fine elastic nib - with its distinct cutouts on the sides - has a noticeable feedback to it when you write, and the softness creates a line width on the broader side of a western fine, perhaps closer to medium. The cutouts are meant to create a more bouncy, cushioned writing experience, not for wet noodle vintage super-ultra flex line variation. That said, you can certainly get enough line variation out of it for some elegant flourishes in your writing. 

For the medium nib, I anticipated the fact that all my Leonardos with ebonite feeds have all been very wet writers, so I tried to balance it with the super dry Kyo-Iro Stone Road of Gion ink (lovely shade, but man is it a dry ink!). Unfortunately, even the very generous ebonite feed was no match to the desert-like dryness of Stone Road, so I went with Diamine Evergreen instead. After that, the medium nib performed wonderfully; a very smooth, responsive writer, backed up by a rich flow from the ebonite feed.

The Tredici is a fresh design from Leonardo's stables, a bit outside of the comfort zone of their current pens. In my opinion, it's probably their best representation of the vintage Italian design language, so far, and the attention to detail is on point. 

As the faceted design inevitably increases the production difficulty, this, unfortunately, translates in the retail price of the Tredici: 595€ (653€ for the soft nib). That's 100 euros more than the Momento Zero Grande with a gold nib. Though for a limited edition of just 70 pieces in each colorway, the Tredici still comes in far below other Leonardo LE's (like the 850€ Cuspide)!

NOTE: The pens in this review were provided on loan by Leonardo Officina Italiana. I was in no way paid, or influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE #8 NIB FOUNTAIN PEN

Flecks of green, orange AND blue? A wild color choice for someone like me. But oh my, just look at it!

How to make a great pen even greater? That's the question Leonardo must've been pondering on. And the answer, as it turns out, is simple: just make it physically 'greater'!

Ok, to be fair, it's not that the MZ Grande #8 is effectively a better pen than the regular versions. It's just different, and it's - yet another - choice in the stables of Leonardo. So obviously I think it's warranted to take a closer at this specific version as well! Once again, a quick thank you to Leonardo Officina Italiana, for making this review possible!

To be clear, the #8 is close to identical to the regular Momento Zero Grande (reviewed HERE), and you can get them in the same material options of the regular collection (this particular one is the wild, but lovely, 'Girasole'!) the difference is all about the nib (as you'd expect). While I've never found the #6 nibs on the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande to look particularly out of place (In part because the strong taper of the section transitions quite naturally into the #6-sized nibs), a pen as large as the MZ Grande undoubtedly makes an excellent candidate for a #8 nib transplant. 

Identical, other than the slightly larger cap

The nib isn't the only aspect of the new MZ Grande #8 that is physically greater than the standard #6 version, the pen itself also grew a bit! The change in size is all in the cap, to accommodate for the substantially larger nib, of course. The slightly stretched-out cap doesn't really make the proportions of the pen feel off, though I do think the cap does have a slightly chunkier look and feel. The difference is quite minimal though, I feel like you really have to put both versions side by side to really see which is which. 

L to R: Pelikan M1005, Montblanc 149, Leonardo MZ Grande, Furore Grande, MZ Grande #8, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande #8 measures 15.4 cm/ 6.06" capped - 3 mm longer than the regular version of the MZ Grande - but is otherwise identical to the regular version of the MZ Grande (check my previous review HERE, for the full specs!). If the MZ Grande wasn't a large enough pen, this #8-nibbed behemoth surely will be enough? It's hard to really grasp the scale of these pens until you put them next to a Pelikan M1000 or Montblanc 149, both of which are absolutely dwarfed in the comparison.

Comfort-wise (looking at this mainly in function of how comfort changes with the #8 nib, because it's otherwise identical to the normal #6-nibbed version), I sometimes feel like I have less control over large #8-sized nibs because of the distance between your grip and the paper. However, the MZ Grande #8 handles the large nib quite well because the shape of the section naturally puts your grip quite close to the nib. 

The #8 nib is a standard-issue 14k (only gold nibs available for the #8 size!) example from the stables of Bock (despite Leonardo's recent switch to JoWo nibs for all their other nibs). The engraved details remain the same from the #6 nibs, and I find the way these nibs aren't over-decorated - just the Leonardo logo front and center - quite pleasant. 

The 14k fine nib balances very well between smoothness and subtle feedback, and is an enjoyable and responsive writer because of that. The massive nib rests on an equally massive ebonite feed - I believe also made in-house by Leonardo? - which once again provides ample flow. Especially for this fine nib, the feed easily manages to keep up of course. Depending on your preferences, the ink flow can certainly be seen as overwhelming, probably not ideal for everyday writing (I'm looking at you, crappy office paper!). 

The fine nib runs on the wider side of a western fine, close to medium, which is to be expected by to the rich ink flow and inherent softness of this large nib. Talking about softness: the #8 nib does provide a noticeably cushioned, soft writing feel, but it's clearly not aimed at line variation. You can coax some wider lines out of it with slight pressure, but I wouldn't recommend taking the risk, as you could spring it if you're not careful.

Large nibs carry an inherent large premium, and the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande #8 unfortunately isn't any different in that regard. The #8 will set you back around 660€ / 645$ (The #8 is available only on special order through most retailers, like Casa Della Stilografica! Use discount code 'Firenze' for 10% off!) Though that does net you a 14k nib (no other nib materials are available in the #8 size), it's still a rather hefty 160€ premium over the 500€ of the 14k gold #6 nib version! That's substantial, and to be honest, the choice totally boils down to a personal preference (is the #8 nib worth it for you?). Functionally, you'll be fine with either of the two (heck, even the steel nibs are pretty great writers!).

NOTE: I received a discount on the purchase of this product by Leonardo Officina Italiana, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

QUICK LOOK: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE PURA FOUNTAIN PEN

Yesterday we took a look at the Momento Zero Grande 2020 (review HERE) from Leonardo Officina Italiana, and today I have somewhat of a world-premiere (nothing short of a miracle, given how terribly slow I usually am at publishing reviews!): a first quick look at the all-new Leonardo MZ Grande 'Pura' collection! If you follow Leonardo on Instagram, you may have already caught a glimpse of the Pura in his stories. It certainly didn't get past me unnoticed!

I'll let the photos do most of the talking here, but there are three simple reasons why I'm so excited about this new colorway:

The - now sold out - Stilo&Stile Frosted special edition

1) A few months ago I purchased the Stilo&Stile x Leonardo Momento Zero Grande 'Frosted' - a clear frosted demonstrator - and couldn't help but wonder how cool this would look in colored demonstrator finishes...

2) Since the newly introduced colorways for the MZ Grande 2020 collection focused strongly on bright and colorful materials (with the 'Primary Manipulation' collaborations with Jonathon Brooks being a highlight for many people!)... a more muted, simple, black pen was still missing from the lineup... 

3) As much as I like 'subtle' black pens, the Pura also comes in orange - YES PLEASE! Especially in the version with sleek, black-coated ruthenium trims and nib, this is a winner in my book.

Lastly, a translucent blue colorway completes the set. Although I'm obviously most drawn towards the black/grey and orange colors, the blue one is quite nice too. They make for a nice set, and I wouldn't be surprised if we'd see more experimenting with different colors in the future (what about a green or red Pura, or pink?) 

All Pura pens are finished with a satin-matte (sandblasted?) surface treatment. The finish feels smooth to the touch, almost soft, in a weirdly satisfying way. The frosted effect seems to be applied on both the outside and inside of the pen, for a consistent look across the entire pen. As with any matte finish, I do expect these pens to gradually become shinier with long-term use, so 'buyer beware' if you're not a fan of wabi-sabi.

The Pura pens also offers quite a bit of variety in terms of trim options. Of course, there are the usual rhodium and gold-plated options, but you can also go for black ruthenium trims for an ultra-sleek look, which is a first on the Momento Zero Grande. As I already mentioned, I really like the combo of orange+ruthenium, but also on the black version, it looks really cool. 

Because the pens are completely translucent, the trim option strongly impacts the overall looks of the Pura. The rhodium trims accentuate the color of the acrylic, while the black trims make it appear more muted and darker overall. The gold trims, on the other hand, emphasize the classic Italian design elements on - what I think is - a predominantly modern-looking set of pens. 

The translucent acrylics offer a somewhat rare opportunity to see the innards of the Momento Zero. In my review of the MZ Grande 2020 yesterday, I mentioned that having an ink window is not an option on the standard lineup... well this is your chance if you DO like to see approximately how much ink is left. 

Of course, the risk of a  translucent material is that it will also show the slightest imperfection or finish inconsistency. For the most part though, that's not really an issue, as the finish is consistent and even across the entire pen and construction seems precise. Though if you're really picky, a few areas inside the cap show light machining marks, and around the three cap rings (which are glued in place) the glue is ever-so-slightly visible.

I think the Leonardo Momento Zero Pura offers a nice change from the usual multi-colored, complex acrylics that Leonardo uses for most of their pens. The monotone, demonstrator aesthetic is a nice change of pace, and especially the black demonstrator offers something for those that want a more subdued, business-appropriate pen. 

The Pura collection is bound to release soon. Going by previous pricing of other MZ Grande editions, I expect the MZ Grande Pura to hit the same MSRP of 295€/ 295$ without VAT (at Site Sponsor Casa Della Stilografica, use discount code 'Firenze' for 10% off!). The Pura collection will be part of the standard offering for at least the course of 2021.

NOTE: I received a discount on the purchase of this product by Leonardo Officina Italiana, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

RE-REVIEW: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE (2020) FOUNTAIN PEN

It's of course no secret that I've been enjoying Leonardo pens quite a bit in the last year, maybe even a bit too much! As if they're made from catnip, I found myself strongly drawn towards almost every new pen they released in the past twelve months... and they released A LOT of new pens, mind you! A consistent personal favorite among all those new creations has been the Momento Zero Grande, as well as all the special editions based on this model. I already reviewed the MZ Grande once, back in 2019 when it first came out (review HERE). However, shortly after,  in 2020, the MZ Grande already went through a bit of an update. 

In a - futile - attempt to somewhat keep up with the ruthless pace of new Leonardo releases, I'll be covering the changes that were made in the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande '2020 model', and in two follow-up posts, we'll highlight some hot off the press colorways, as well as the new #8 nib version - So stay tuned for a proper Leonardo overdose in the coming days! 

Before we start though, I'd like to thank Salvatore Matrone - owner of Leonardo Officina Italiana - for being a true enabler, sending a lot of new creations over for me to try! Needless to say, barely any pens made it back to Italy and my Leonardo collection expanded quite a bit in the process of writing these reviews (with my wallet in the background, crying for help!).

Putting the 'old' and 'new' side by side, what has actually changed about the Momento Zero Grande? Four vibrant new colorways entered the standard collection, replacing the mostly darker materials of the original release. The one shown here is the 'Luna Rossa' acrylic, a beautiful red flecked material that's quite beautiful and by far the least 'flashy' of the new colors. But besides that, the differences are admittedly quite subtle. Especially in terms of design, you're looking at an almost identical pen. 

However, the one subtle aesthetic change does manage to alter the looks of the pen a bit IMHO: gone is the vintage-looking 'step' on the cap lip. The new cap design still transitions almost seamlessly into the barrel, but now with a straight taper. Admittedly, it's not the worlds' most exciting change, though the new, more streamlined design does make the MZ Grande tie in a bit better with the shape of the standard Momento Zero.

The major change of the MZ Grande 2020, is one you won't see from the outside! The inside of the pen was reworked entirely, and the MZ Grande meant the first real foray for Leonardo into creating 'true' piston-filled fountain pens. While the original Grande already came with a special, large capacity captured converter, operable from the blind cap on the back of the barrel, this custom piston mechanism adds a filling system that's often perceived as more 'luxurious' - a feature you might come to expect on a pen that does cost close to 300$. The mechanism is all-metal, so longevity shouldn't be a concern. The change to a piston mechanism brings an even larger ink capacity (1.5mL vs. 1.2mL). Though as a trade-off, it takes away the possibility to check the ink level, since there is no ink window. 

Despite the change in filling mechanism, the barrel design didn't change at all

A minor detail about the piston mechanism that might annoy some users, is that the piston knob doesn't tighten extremely securely against the barrel. While it coming loose won't cause accidental ink spills, it is indeed a bit of a pet peeve and it'd be nice if they found a way to improve on it. (Perhaps an idea for the 2021 version, Salvatore?)

L to R: Pelikan M805, Leonardo Momento Zero, Furore Grande, Momento Zero  Grande 2020, MZ Grande (2019), Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

As I already mentioned, the Momento Zero Grande didn't really change much design-wise, so the dimensions all pretty much hold true. While the Furore Grande (reviewed HERE) is now the biggest pen in Leonardo's product lineup, the Furore's streamlined profile doesn't quite convey the imposing stature like the bulkier MZ Grande - though both are of course massive pens without a doubt!

On paper, the MZ Grande measures 15.1cm/ 5.595" capped, and 13.6cm/ 5.36" uncapped. In the hand, those numbers translate to a pen worth every part of its 'Grande' nametag. The attentive reader will notice that the 2020 measures one whole millimeter taller than the old version... though that's negligible, of course. Weighing in at 30 grams - 5 grams less than the previous version, despite the all-metal piston mechanism! - the 2020 version gets rid of the slightly back-weighted balance, which only adds to the comfort of an already comfortable pen.

Under the cap, the section shape remains the same. That's to say: a slightly quirky two-step taper, which isn't as weird in the hand as it looks, though I understand that it might not appeal to everyone. (a good friend of mine - you know who you are - actually doesn't own a Leonardo solely because of the section!) The step towards the barrel also remains present. Though just like before, I find that the rounded-off metal ring creates a rather comfortable transition that doesn't interfere with my grip too much.

Left the 'old' Bock nib, right the new nib from JoWo

While Leonardo started out using Bock nibs exclusively, they gradually made the change towards JoWo. The release of the MZ Grande 2020 was caught in the middle of that change, and so it could be that you either got a Bock or a JoWo nib. In 2021, we should be seeing exclusively JoWo nibs, though I don't know if that's already the case. I own both, and across the (too) many Leonardo pens I own, I've only had maybe one or two behave slightly subpar out of the box. Other than the odd exception, both the Bock and JoWo nibs are fabulous writers - in no small part due to the in-house made ebonite feeds that provide a rather heavy, juicy ink flow. 

Don't take my word for it when I say the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande 2020 is a fantastic pen - I'm a fanboy and I cannot lie. Instead, I think it's quite telling how Leonardo managed to become one of the hippest and trendiest pen brands of the moment on such short notice... they must be doing something right. Right? 

It's nice to see that the inclusion of a piston mechanism didn't drive up the price. As before, the Momento Zero Grande still retails for 295€/ 295$ without VAT (at Site Sponsor Casa Della Stilografica, use discount code 'Firenze' for 10% off!). While that certainly makes the Grande a step up from the rather accessible regular Momento Zero, you do get some worthwhile 'upgrades' for the premium(the ebonite feed and piston mechanism), which the regular version doesn't have. I also just really enjoy the large, oversized footprint, though that's of course a very personal preference!

NOTE: I received a discount on the purchase of this product by Leonardo Officina Italiana, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: LEONARDO FURORE GRANDE FOUNTAIN PEN

I'll be honest with you, the original Furore never appealed to me in the same way that the Leonardo Momento Zero (review HERE) did. I'm just partial to flattop designs, that much is certainly clear when I look at their overwhelming representation in my personal collection. That's not to say that I can't enjoy a good torpedo-shaped pen like the Furore of course, but subconsciously I'll always be drawn towards flattop designs (or semi-flattop, or whatever you'd like to call the Momento Zero's general shape). 

The Furore Grande next to the Momento Zero Grande

And then Leonardo introduced the Momento Zero Grande (review HERE). With the Grande's upgrades over the Momento Zero towards a more 'mature' filling system (now in 2020 even a true piston filling mechanism), a fantastic ebonite feed that's made in-house, and just an overall very nice oversized design, the Momento Zero Grande was Leonardo's #1 product for me. The Grande is a more expensive pen, that's right, but it also feels much more well-rounded. And frankly, for everything it offers, it's still very competitively priced IMHO. 

So the Furore didn't stand a chance, and - for me at least - had to live in the shadows of the MZ Grande for well over a year... Until last month, when we saw the release of the Leonardo Furore Grande, which levelled the playing field! 

As you'd expect, the Furore Grande enjoys the same upgrades as that other Grande, but let's first look at the design. I would've compared the Furore Grande to the regular Furore, but I have to shamefully admit that I still don't own one (I'm trying one out soon, though, I promise!). The simple, streamlined Torpedo shape of the Furore returns almost completely unchanged on the Grande version - except bigger of course -, down to the double cap band (instead of the triple bands on most of the Momento Zero Grandes) and of course the recognizable rolling-wheel clip. 

Comparing the Furore Grande to the Momento Zero Grande, it's clear that they both draw inspiration from the same well. For example: the cap design - which was changed on the Momento Zero for their 2020 updated collection - has the same streamlined gradual transition from the cap bands towards the slightly narrower barrel. I must say I actually enjoy the design of the Furore Grande more so than I anticipated. It looks and feels much more streamlined and uncluttered compared to the MZ... even though they really aren't that different apart from the finial design. 

The Furore Grande Hawaii next to the equally beautiful MZ Grande in Dark Hawaii

The Furore Grande launched in four colors: blue, blue, blue, and... purple. Frankly, I think the color palette could've been a bit more diverse, but you won't hear me complain too much because one of those blue materials is the blue Hawaii spaghetti resin, and it's just spectacular! 

That being said, I do wonder if there's not at least something to be said for a simple and elegant black colorway? If you look at the entirety of Leonardo's portfolio, I feel like a few basic (read: less colorful) finishes may be missing. But then again, things seem to be going just fine for their more colorful and experimental material choices, so it's probably not coincidental that that's the path they seem to be focused on.

L to R: Pelikan M1005, Maiora Impronte, Leonardo Momento Zero, Momento Zero Grande, Furore Grande, Cuspide, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

Where even the regular Furore is already quite a large pen, the Furore Grande obviously takes that a step further. With its 15.6 cm/ 6.14" capped, it's .6 cm/ .24" longer than the - already large - MZ Grande, and it just towers out above all the other pens I put up against it for comparison. Uncapped it's still a very sizeable 13.7 cm/ 5.39". Interestingly, with its considerable footprint, and the addition of a fully metal piston mechanism, the Furore Grande still weighs in at 'just' 30 grams total, which is a very comfortable weight. The streamlined and strongly tapered profile of the Furore Grande makes it so it doesn't feel larger than the MZ Grande, even though it most certainly is. 

The section design hasn't changed from the Original Furore, Momento Zero, and Momento Zero Grande, which will be fine for some people, but a point of criticism for others. It has a comfortable diameter to hold, but indeed the 'stepped' shape is not to everyone's taste, and I get that. In fact; I wasn't convinced by it either, and it took me some time to adjust to it when I tested the regular Momento Zero (maybe it's a mental thing because it looks odd?), but especially on the MZ Grande it managed to persuade me. With the Furore Grande as well, I don't have any issues with the section design. Threads aren't too bothersome to the touch, the step is minimal and rounded off nicely, and the overall larger size of the Grande models certainly does fit my preference quite well. 

I already briefly touched on the piston mechanism, because just like the Momento Zero Grande 2020 model, we're also getting a 'real' piston-filled pen here. I had nothing intrinsically against the captured converter system of the first MZ Grande, in fact it did offer the possibility to check the ink level (something you cannot do with this pen!). But I do think having a real piston - especially the fully metal ones that Leonardo refers to as their 'Vintage' piston - adds a bit to the premium feel. Ink capacity is generous, about 1.5 mL (at least on paper, I haven't actually tested this for myself). 

There has been some discussion online about the piston knob being loose and able to rotate freely when not operating it, and indeed it can come loose when you accidentally twist the knob (though the mechanism doesn't engage straight away, so it's not like you'll have ink squirting out when that happens). However, when screwed closed tightly I've found it to stay put quite well, and it doesn't move or rattle at all while writing.

Leonardo continues to use a mix of Bock and JoWo for their nibs (although it seems that the majority of nibs on the Grande models these days comes from JoWo. The Steel 1.1mm stub on the Grande Furore that I was sent for review is, in fact, also JoWo. It's a nice stub, and I enjoyed getting back into the writing experience that these untipped steel stub nibs offer - after not having used one of those for quite a while. It has some tooth to it, that I find quite enjoyable, and the custom ebonite feed creates a fantastic rich flow for this, somewhat more demanding, stub nib. The 1.1 stub width is also a re-discovery in terms of how practical it still is compared to normal round nibs. It's certainly a beefy nib, but it gives wonderful line variation, and I actually found it to still be relatively usable in day-to-day writing tasks (where a 1.5mm stub would certainly be too wide for that).

The feed certainly helps to provide a responsive writing experience. I'm very pleased to see more and more brands turn back to ebonite feeds, which almost always offer a noticeable benefit in terms of the ink flow consistency, which in turn lifts up the entire writing experience. I have quite a few Leonardo's with ebonite feeds now, and so far they've always been very reliable and juicy writers.

 

On a side note (Probably unrelated to the feed, and more so having to do with the internal design of the cap), I've found the Grande models to be substantially less prone to drying out when capped. That was an issue I encountered on the original Momento Zero, but none of the Grande models that I've tried after that - including this Furore variant - have dried out on me, even after multiple days or even weeks of little to no use.

I've been waiting for a Grande release of the Furore, and it certainly doesn't disappoint. The streamlined shape is something different from Leonardo, and it has grown on me. If you like bigger pens like I do, the Furore Grande - just like the MZ Grande, of course - offers a very enticing option: As always, the Italians don't disappoint in terms of design and beautiful materials, but they're also just very well-made pens, and the piston-filling mechanism and ebonite feed are two great features that - in my mind at least - justify the 295€/ 295$ (at our sponsors Casa Della Stilografica, La Couronne Du Comte, and Appelboom) price tag. 

NOTE: This product was provided by Leonardo Officina Italiana, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.