REVIEW: MONTEGRAPPA ZERO FOUNTAIN PEN

I was very excited about the Montegrappa Zero when it was first announced. Not in the least because it's the second pen Montegrappa has made available through their Configuratore platform (I appreciate how Montegrappa's Custom pens offer something completely unique in the pen industry!). But even in this off-the-shelf black/ruthenium colorway, I think it's a fantastic pen - one of my favorite designs so far, from the people in Bassano Del Grappa (The hometown of Montegrappa). 

From a distance, you'd be excused for thinking the Zero is a boring, normal pen. It's eerily normal, even, coming from the creators of the Chaos pen (and many other over-the-top designs). But there's more to the Zero than it lets off. Look closely, and the Zero actually has so many small details, it's really quite beautifully designed! The inspiration is clearly drawn from watch design, with an interplay of brushed and polished surfaces and beveled edges everywhere. 

The cap finial is a 3D Montegrappa logo, inset in a watch-like bezel, and topped off with sapphire glass - great attention to detail. Oh, and the metal trims on the Zero are machined from Br8 bronze, an alloy that's - you guessed it - popular in watchmaking!

Other than that, the Zero is indeed nothing too outrageous. It's a pretty sleek, modern design for Montegrappa, especially in this gunmetal and black finish (there's also an even more murdered-out 'Ultra Black' finish). The cap is straight, and the barrel tapers down gradually towards the back to allow for the cap to post. Trim rings are thick and prominent parts in the design, both on the finials, and the center band. The clip is rectangular, again with nicely beveled edges, and the Montegrappa logo engraved in cursive. The Zero perhaps looks a bit clunky from a distance, but the details are definitely there.

L to R: Platinum #3776, Leonardo Momento Zero, Pelikan M805, Montegrappa Zero, Tibaldi Perfecta, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Zero is a decently sized pen, a bit larger than - but overall comparable to - the Pelikan M800. It measures 14.3 cm/ 5.63" capped, and 12.9 cm/ 5.08" uncapped. The section has a comfortable diameter of around 10.5 mm/ 0.41". The zero weighs 32 grams in total, giving it just the right amount of substance, without being heavy. The barrel is tapered specifically to allow the cap to post, and it does so very securely (the inside of the cap has a plastic liner and threads, so it doesn't feel like you're damaging the barrel when you post. That being said, I don't really like the way the Zero balances in the hand with the cap posted. I don't know why, I just find it much more comfortable and balanced unposted, but maybe that's just me.

The metal block threads are crisp and cleanly cut, and received the same beveled edges and brushed finish as the rest of the trim - they certainly went out of their way to create a very uniform and coherent design down to even the smallest details. While the threads are certainly a bit sharper than on most Montegrappa pens (which are typically rounded off and buttery smooth!), you'll only notice that when you deliberately run your finger over them. While writing, the threads are unobtrusive, and actually offer a comfortable and gradual transition from section to the barrel. 

Montegrappa has always had great nib designs, but now the JoWo-made writing end also performs the part

The Zero, like all other Montegrappa pens these days, carries a Jowo-made nib (this one is steel, but a gold nib is available at a hefty 200€ premium). The fine nib seems to have a more balanced ink flow than some other Montegrappa pens I've tried recently, but that's not a bad thing. 

I find JoWo's finer end of the spectrum tends to have a bit more noticeable feedback, but it's certainly not nearly as pronounced as on Montegrappa's old nibs (which were dry and borderline scratchy). Overall, this fine nib is a very pleasant, balanced everyday writer. I've said it in every Montegrappa review I recently did, but I'll repeat it once more: Montegrappa's switch to JoWo has significantly bumped up the writing performance of their steel-nibbed pens! 

I've been thoroughly impressed with some of Montegrappa's more recent offerings (the highlight definitely being the Mia Meteor Storm, that I reviewed not so long ago!), and the Zero positions itself firmly at the top of my list. It's a distinctly more modern design than what we're used to from Montegrappa, but they made it their own by going all out on the small details - it's like a fine watch, but instead of telling the time, you can write with it. 

Also, like fine watches, the Zero isn't cheap - 350€/ 408$ (at Appelboom) is what you'll pay for a version like this, but of course, the cost can creep up when you start playing around with the Configuratore. That may make it a tough sell against the excellent MIA, but I'd still pick the Zero over Montegrappa's more affordable offerings like the Elmo (reviewed HERE) or Parola, any day of the week!

Note: This product was sent on loan by our site sponsor Appelboom, 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: MONTEGRAPPA EXTRA CUSTOM FOUNTAIN PEN

Montegrappa - despite being a high-end luxury brand very similarly structured to the likes of Montblanc or Visconti - seems to be mostly known for either their "more affordable" (certainly a term you should use with a grain of salt) products in the 200-400$ range (like the Fortuna, the Game Of Throne collection, the Monte Grappa or even the latest Elmo...), or their extravagantly over-the-top limited editions (looking at you, Chaos). But one pen that always spoke to me a great deal sits somewhere in between: their flagship fountain pen, the Montegrappa Extra.

Being the Italian brand's top of the line production pen, the Extra model comfortably resides in the 1000$ (and up) range and is therefore - quite understandably - not immediately the most accessible to a wide audience. I also actually never get around to trying one out for myself. However, Montegrappa recently offered the opportunity to test out their latest addition to the Extra product line: the Montegrappa Extra Custom.

That name already gives away the cool part: the Extra Custom is not just an off-the-shelves luxury pen, it's a complete customizing service called the "Configuratore". The entire concept is simple. So simple actually, that I now wonder why it took so long for a brand to come up with something like this (to my knowledge there's nothing comparable out there, definitely not with the same degree of customisation)! 

Montegrappa's Configuratore website (from: www.montegrappa.com)

Here's how it works: head to Montegrappa's Configuratore website, and you'll be greeted with an online platform in which you can mix and match a host of materials and finishes on 8 different parts of the Montegrappa Extra fountain pen or rollerball. Choices range from the materials on cap, section, barrel and piston knob, to the emblem on the cap finial or a gemstone on the clip. 

When you settle on a configuration (It's not easy to choose!), Montegrappa's team assembles your custom pen and sends it to you within 2 weeks. The pen comes packaged in a beautiful large wooden box, accompanied by a bottle of Montegrappa ink. The box has a metal plaque on the lid with your name engraved on it. They even accompany it with a polaroid of the craftsman working on your very pen. If one thing, the entire experience is definitely worthy of a four figure $ pen! 

I'd tell you there's a lot of options, but that probably doesn't mean much so I unleashed my inner geek (heck, I'm always a geek) and did some maths: There are 2.802.470.400 possible combinations, that's not counting the option to engrave your initials on the center band, the choice between fountain pen or rollerball, and of course the full range of nib options between extra fine and double broad!

[cue jaw drop]

That's right! Close to 3-freaking-BILLION combinations to piece together, so I'm pretty certain you'll find at least one that you'll truly love. 

Now having such a wide range of options doesn't mean every one of those 3 billion will turn out great... in fact it's fairly easy to go bonkers and make it look somewhat gaudy (or very gaudy). On top of that, a lot of the more exotic materials will cost you a pretty penny. Nevertheless, you have the possibility to do whatever you want, which is nice.

Of course you can also do things my way and keep it simple. You could argue I'm boring for sticking with a fairly basic configuration and I honestly can't even blame you! But there's a good reason why I stuck to a simple combination of Montegrappa's Shiny Lines celluloid with sterling silver trim, and that's to show that the Extra Custom also makes for an excellent opportunity to easily get your hands on one of Montegrappa's exclusive celluloids. 

More and more brands are steadily moving away from celluloid, as the production process is dangerously combustible and time consuming. Remaining stock is already being used quite sparingly and almost exclusively for special editions. For all we know, there may come a time where stock of these exquisite materials runs out (as has already happened with Omas celluloids, for example). So it's nice to see Montegrappa go the other way and give their customers access to all the different materials. With that reasoning in mind, I went with their fantastic silver-grey Shiny Lines celluloid, which also spoke to me because of its' resemblance to the legendary Omas Arco Bronze! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

The design of the Extra Custom has always been on my radar. It's definitely one of Montegrappa's simpler and more subdued pens. The stout, bulky flattop shape provides an excellent canvas to experiment with (combinations of) exotic materials like wood, hand-engraved precious metals, celluloids or even mammoth ivory (!) as you please. The simple design is accentuated by a curvy clip and wide center band. In true Montegrappa style, all metal trims come in solid sterling silver, so you definitely get your dose of luxury. If that's not enough, you can upgrade most - if not all - parts to gold-plated vermeil or even solid gold with hand-etched designs. But with prices easily jumping up in the 20k (!) regions I doubt if those options are very realistic, even for the seasoned collectors among us.

L to R: Pelikan Souverän M805, Visconti Homo Sapiens Oversize, Montblanc 149, ASC Bologna Extra, Montegrappa Extra Custom, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

For a flagship pen, I expected the Extra to be a sizeable piece, but it turns out I was wrong. Measuring only 13.8 cm (5.4") and with a maximum diameter of 1.7 cm (0.7"), the Extra is a chubby, rather compact pen. Uncapped it measures 12.7 cm (5"), which - in my opinion - is long enough but definitely not large by any means. Obviously the final weight depends on the materials you choose. But as a reference, the pen I created is almost completely celluloid and already weighs a hefty 44g due to the extensive sterling silver trim.

The Extra Custom scores high marks on comfort for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the grip has a nice, gently concave shape, and you can opt for a different material if metal sections are not your thing. Behind the section are quite possibly the smoothest threads ever, which is definitely a strong suit of many higher-end Montegrappa pens. The threads are rounded and shallow, which makes them unobtrusive and also gives a buttery smooth capping-uncapping action. The relatively short size of the Extra when uncapped may be an issue for some people, although I find it just long enough. The cap can be posted, but adds a considerable backweight to the pen (again, depending on the materials you choose). 

The Extra is fueled by a pretty neat differential piston filling system. What that means is that it fills just like any piston filler, by twisting the piston knob at the back. But in contrast to most piston fillers, the knob does not extend and retract while turning it. Montegrappa says this helps you to always find an orientation in which the material on the piston knob aligns with the barrel, which is a nice detail (all celluloid parts do indeed always line up perfectly!). I did find that the mechanism is rather stiff, probably to prevent accidentally rotating it. The Extra does not have an ink window, so you're left guessing how much ink is inside.

Under the hood, Montegrappa's flagship is equipped with a flagship-worthy nib that's recessed a bit inside the section. This makes it visually appear a bit smaller, although the width still indicates that it's indeed a large #8 variant. Montegrappa's trademark geometrical octagon pattern returns in the nib imprint, providing a clean and intricate look to the nib. Another benefit of the Configuratore is that you get instant access to their entire catalog of nib sizes: EF, F, M, B, BB and Stub, some of which aren't generally available from retailers (especially the BB and Stub).

Seeing a stock BB always brings a smile to my face, so I obviously had to go with that. It's definitely not the widest nib I've ever come across, I'd say this BB lays down a line that's typical for a Western broad. The large ebonite feed provides an excellent consistent flow that I'd describe as medium-wet. The nib is very smooth with just the slightest hint of feedback (definitely way less feedback than on other Montegrappa pens I've used) so it's not glassy smooth. There's occasionally a slight hard start when you first pick up the pen, but flow picks up right after that first stroke, a common issue with broader nibs. I expected the large #8 nib to offer a slight amount of bounce, but it's actually stiff-as-nails. Overall it's a very pleasant and well-tuned nib that offers a balanced, consistent performance.

At the end of the day, the premium for the Montegrappa Extra Custom built in their Configuratore is about 300$ over a production version of the 'stock' Extra fountain pen, so yes, you certainly pay for the possibilities it offers and the service that comes along with it. Price is a hurdle that's hard to ignore, and at 1400$ or up you can question wether or not a pen can actually be worth THAT much. 

How I see it, a high-end luxury pricetag should yield something unique or special in return for it to be worth a premium like that (and even then, 'worth' is of course always a matter of personal opinion). In that regard, I think Montegrappa certainly delivers just that 'something special' with the Extra Custom. It's a blank canvas ready to become your own masterpiece, or as Montegrappa puts it: 'The most interesting pen in the world'! 

In a day and age where everything is digitized and automated, the kind of custom aspect that Montegappa's Configuratore offers, could be the next big thing that sets products apart in our very specialized and niche market. I'm certainly hoping this is something we'll see more brands do in the future...

NOTE: This product was provided by Montegrappa, 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.