Should you buy the fountain pen?

Whether you are coming to fountain pens for the first time or you are leaving behind the world of cheap fountain pens to explore the fancier varieties, there’s no denying that some fountain pens are expensive.

These high prices can, naturally, lead to hesitance, as some prices can seem a lot of money to pay for such a small item.

However, everything is relative, and a price can be subjective as well as objective. What is the pen worth to you?

In this blog post we take a look at if that fountain pen you want is worth the money for you or not.

Educate yourself about fountain pens

The best way to decide if a fountain pen is worth the money is to educate yourself about the topic as a whole. Read blog posts, watch videos, test a few out to see which you like — and so on.

Learn all about why people use them, how to look after them, which inks work best with them, and also, why the fountain pen you have your eye on is so special.

Where is the pen made? What materials is it made from? What nibs are available for it?

Once you delve into the details of the pen, you’ll no doubt find many subtle yet important reasons for its price.

Consider why you want to buy the fountain pen

Give some thought to the reasons why you want to buy this pen. Are you looking to treat yourself, or reward yourself for something?

Perhaps you want to start using a nicer pen at work that you can show off in meetings?

Or maybe you want to switch to a fountain pen from ballpoints to move away from disposables and do your bit for the planet.

Whatever your reasons, consider how much they influence your decision to make the purchase.

Consider your plans for the fountain pen

The chances are, you are either eyeing this fountain pen up to use regularly or looking at it as an investment piece to be displayed.

If you want to use it on a daily basis, it will soon prove its worth to you — whether you’re using it at your desk to make notes and sign papers, while you travel as your go-to pen for journaling, or at home to write beautiful letters to pen pals.

If you’re looking at a limited-edition fountain pen, the chances are it will sell out quickly. This will result in it growing in both popularity and price, as people often decide they would be happy to pay more for it now it is no longer available through the official routes.

So, if you do wish to purchase a special edition pen — either to use or store away — move quickly!

Consider what the fountain pen is worth to you

Consider how much owning the pen would mean to you. What are you willing to give up for a while to pay for it? Are you willing to wait for it?

Perhaps you could make your own lunch instead of buying pricey sandwiches every day. Or, maybe you could stop buying a copy of the daily newspaper for a while.

You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can save money by cutting out or cutting down on a few small luxuries for a short while.

The love of a pen can be deep when you’ve immersed yourself into the hobby, and you’ll be surprised at what you are willing to give up to get that pen in your hand. Especially a beautifully well-balanced, intricately decorated pen that you can comfortably write for hours with.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Graham Greene, which you may enjoy as a lover of fountain pens:

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane.”

Which fountain pen are you tempted to treat yourself to? Let us know in the comments!