2023 Recap: The Best Pens and Inks of the Year - The Write Stuff ep. 23
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- Опубліковано 22 чер 2024
- In this episode, we wrap up 2023 with the bestselling pens and inks of 2023, Tom shares his thoughts on vintage versus modern flex nibs. Plus, our subscribers have the chance to win an $800 flex nib fountain pen giveaway.
Plus, enter to win one of (4) $24 gift cards by including your name and e-mail address in our yearly survey. Please complete this survey by January 31st, 2024 to be considered for the giveaway.
Goldspot Yearly Survey Link - forms.gle/YvhJxG4W8gZeLsQHA
(0:00) Intro
(0:28) 100K Milestone
(1:52) Opus 88 Mini Baby Beluga - goldspot.com/products/opus-88...
(4:14) Retro 51 Autumn Leaves - goldspot.com/products/retro-5...
(6:28) Nahvalur Peter Plume - goldspot.com/products/nahvalu...
(7:53) Kaweco AL-Sport Mercury Orange - goldspot.com/products/kaweco-...
(9:38) Benu Talisman Sakura - goldspot.com/products/benu-ta...
(11:17) Top 5 Pens Recap
(11:41) Leonardo Momento Zero Nebulosa Laguna - goldspot.com/products/leonard...
(12:55) Top 5 Inks of 2023
(16:01) Vintage vs. Modern Flex Nibs
(17:33) Giveaway and Outro
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Congratulations on reaching 100,000 subscribers! 🎉 💃🏾
My dream pen collaboration would be a combination of Pilot and BENU - I would love have a pen with Pilot nibs and the bling of BENU.
Since that is not likely to happen, I would pick Pilot, and request a more colorful barrel - larger and with more bling than the Pilot Custom Heritage SE from a couple of years ago.
I think the body of the new Omas Ogiva would be a perfect canvas for a collaboration, there are definitely some interesting combinations to be found between the translucency of the barrel and the trim that could make for a stunning pen.
A great collaboration would be with Gravitas. If only just to be have them sourced in the US, would be awesome. I recently got one, and I love it!
Can you picture JRR Tolkien's original artwork on the dust cover of The Hobbit? Now imagine a Pelikan M600 with the forest of Mirkwood on the barrel, and the Misty Mountains on the cap. Trimmed in mithril, of course.
And hurray for 100K!
I dig this better than mine
Lamy 2k demonstrator
Congratulations on hitting 100k subscribers! I love the channel. There have been a lot of collaborations with modern art and designs but I would love to see one that intersects old world design with modern technology, like a vintage-style nib and classic design but with all of the modern improvements (well tuned nibs, great ink delivery, etc.). Fountain pens are back as a mainstream writing instrument and I believe it will continue to grow - especially since there is more consciousness about waste from disposables. An old/new collab would be perfect no matter the manufacturer you choose ! Of course this could kick off a whole new series of body designs and themes for Goldspot limited editions well into the future 😊
Congratulations on 100K! A collaboration with a Magna Carta flex nib, ebonite feed, and a manufacturer with old stock celluloid. A new pen with all the vintage pen features.
My dream collar would be Galen Leather and Sailor, I think Sailor's Pen of the year could be expanded into a leather case and notebook of the year. I just love how Sailor plays with materials and colours, and how Galen Leather's products take on patina and a bit of an attitude over time. I think this combination could yield great results and become some sort of amazing kit all the lovers of the written word can truly enjoy.
Yay! Grats! I think a colab with some nib meisters giving you a chance to offer a range of pens from budget friendly through high end with some less common grind options would be a unique and interesting addition!
Congrats on 100,000 subscribers. Since it is the Chinese Year of the Dragon, I think it would be neat for a collab between Benu and the World Wildlife Organization. Maybe they could use the scales that have been shed from some reptile. If it goes well, continue on with animals that are on the endangered list. I don't have a Benu but they put all sorts of things in their creations, and I can't wait to get one.
Congratulations on the 100K (and then some 🎉). The collaborations with Jonathan Brooks and Leonardo never dissapoint. I love the magic they create together! Maybe a warm dark brown and gold with a splash of black and white or even silver…. To look like a sparkly pearlescent cup of coffee swirling before fully mixed. ❤
Excellent video, Tom. My "dream" collaboration would be a set celebrating the seasons with accompanying inks. Winter's fountain pen would be a Nahvalur Nautilus with stunning sky blue, forest green and snow white with diamondcast with a Kirk Speer Katana nib and a Dominant Industry ink in icy blue; Spring's fountain pen would be a Benu Talisman with a pale green body with crocuses, tulips and daffodils sprinkling the body and cap, adorned with a Kirk Speer Waverly nib together with a soft green (not too blue and not too yellow) ink from Scribe inks; Summer is Wancher fountain pen made of a resin with dark to medium blue that represents the beautiful sparkling rivers and streams and crowned with a Wancher 14K nib in cursive italic, together with a stunning blue shimmer ink from Sailor to match; Autumn is a Leonardo Momento Zero in a Jonathan Brooks resin in browns, reds, oranges and yellow with diamondcast with a Leonardo flex nib (either steel or 14k gold available), and paired with a stunning DeAtramentis ink in a red-orange-yellow reminiscent of turning aspens.
These are some excellent, very specific pen design ideas!
Congrats on reaching 100K pen lovers! I think more of your collabs with Leonardo would be awesome (I love the pens you both are creating)! Maybe (since we're in winter), one that echos the glow of the moon on snow with a hint of purple for the cold. I need more purple pens, so that is where my mind went!
Congratulations on the number of subscribers Tom, Happy 2024! My favourites are the Leonardo pen and the Phantom of the Opera ink.
Congrats 10k!
Matte Ebonite Pilot VP with Matte brass trim. Heard it here first.
Congratulations on 100K.
Collaboration with BENU and TWSBI will give me an extra life for sure :)
Congratulation on 100K Subs, you were the reason I started my fountain pen journey back in the Spetember 2023... I have always love the Bue Ink with Red Shin, and just imagine a smooth writing nib of TWSBI, Classy Body of the Lamy 2000 and the mentioned color which changes as how light drops on the pen. Woohoo..!!!
I love James Gurney. It seems like there's nothing he can't paint & make you fall in love with the subject. He even used a fountain pen with brown ink in one of his paintings. I haven't been in fountain pens long enuff to know what pen his art would be best on, but anything he touches is usually something people want.
Wow! What a milestone achievement for this channel. It would be awesome to have a pen that would form into anyone's hand and be comfortable with writing with it. Almost like pumping air when needed and let some go. The nib would be nice with a crossflex nib but in 18k gold. That would be ideal pen for me. 😊
Yes guys you are doing a great job. Thanks for your support of the community and your excellent service. You very much deserve the 100K subscribers. I guess the best is yet to come. I would suggest a collaboration with scribo for instance with a translucent demonstrator pen and some speciality nib.
I would suggest a series called "Peace on Earth", a worldwide collaboration of interested fountain pen manufacturers who design different versions of one basic model. In this way, we - 'the fine people of Goldspot Pens' - could send out a signal that, despite all their differences around the world, so many people have lovely interests in common: they want to be creative, write and communicate with each other instead of fighting. Less guns, more fountain pens!
Congratulations on 100k subscribers, you totally deserve this, you make great content. Love to see Benu x goldspot translucent gold pen. More gold is always good.
Great job Goldspot!! I would love to see more collaborations with Benu. I can never get enough of Benu. Keep them coming !!
14:39 Just a heads up for my watercolor peeps. Chou Kuru is not suitable for Watercolor painting. I've tried it, the ink is so heavily pigmented that if you add water on top it will smear. Just to be clear, the ink is waterproof, the writing doesn't disappear if you put water on top, but the pigment that does not adhere to the surface of the paper smears.
Isn't that just like every other waterproof ink?
@@ichirofakename I do not have the same issue with Rohrer & Klingner sketchINK
I love Chou Kuro but I’m discovering it has a “dark side” (pun intended). It’s so heavily pigmented that there is significant “lift” when writing on the next page. What I mean is, much like the phenomenon when using soft lead pencils in a sketchbook, the pressure when writing on the new page may cause pigment to transfer on the underside already dried pages. Like an old school carbon copy type of effect. It’s not SUPER pronounced but you’re working on some nice brilliant white paper, then it might annoy.
@@drew...... That's very interesting, I've only been using it to write envelopes and postcards. I'll keep that in mind when using it for journaling.
@@drew...... well that's a drag
I'm one of the new subscribers this year to make it to 100K and loving it!!! I would love to see a Montegrappa pen with a Black Stallion design. I know black is not unique, but there aren't many pens out there directed to the horse lover, and there's no greater horse than the Black Stallion (which was partially filmed in Sardinia, and Montegrappa is Italian) ...and Montegrappa is already known for making AMAZING special edition pens... Just saying...
Congratulations to 100 000 subscribers! I'd like to see a Pilot or Platinum pen using kintsugi. It's a Japanese art of repairing broken things with urushi lacquer mixed with gold dust. If the resin was purposely broken and fixed it could look stunning.
Yay 100K! We need a collab of The Write Stuff with the book/movie The Right Stuff and a Pilot Falcon.
Congrats on the 100K! This isn't strictly a collaboration, but I think implementing the light/heat exposure technology which changes the colors of things into a pen would be a super unique pen. Maybe when there is less heat you have a winter theme design, and upon exposure to heat a change in appearance to a summer theme design. That would be awesome and unique!
I’d love to see a Goldspot X Pelikan collab; a deep purple or lime green would be wonderful. Congrats on reaching 100K subscribers!
Congratulations! What a great opportunity. I would love a classic movie collaboration with Magna Carta. A Casablanca pen, a Breakfast at Tiffany’s pen, a To Catch a Thief pen.
Congratulations on the 100K!! I would love to see an Opus with Gullivers Travels or Treasure Island~ so fun!!
Congrats on 100k! I would love to see another benu collab. The benu has quickly become one of my favorite brands! ❤
As an artist I think having the wild collaboration of a surrealist painter. Imagine Leonora Carrington’s sculptures etched and carved with a Montegrappa level of detail. Cheers and here’s to a successful 2024🤠👍
Congrats on 100k!! 😁😁!! My dream pen collab would definitely be with Ben Walsh and Gravitas pen designs. This is only accessible directly from Europe, so to open a market for this amazing peaces of engineering, would be amazing for Goldspot and for the American fountain pen community. Let's get our first Goldvitaspot fountain pen ❤
I'd love to see collaborations with nibmeisters - maybe custom grinds on featured pens? Or even just the option for tuning prior to shipment would be cool.
Congrats on 100k!
I’d love to see a custom Lamy Al-Star. I have a bunch of different pens but the Al-Star and the TWSBI EcoT (with a stub nib) are the ones I have in constant circulation. Congratulations on hitting such an amazing milestone!
I would love to see a collaboration with The Good Blue. I really like the other collabs they have done and would love another place in the US to carry them. Great channel! I can't wait to see more and congrats on 100K!
I just started learning about fountain pens and i am enjoying your videos.
I think a great collaboration would be with Conklin, perhaps their Duragraph. As for the body of the pen, if the would make one with a wood burl it would be awesome. If it is a resin, I would suggest Diamondcast or even one of their suppliers who have made stunning resins like on their 1898 Misto pen. Perhaps an 1898 model with wood burl would be awesome.
❤ I enjoy collaborations with small companies, which are kind of creative, exclusive, and in the need of partnerships. Most than the already stablished big companies.
Congrats on 100k! My dream collab would be with Benu and Montblanc. The two brands couldn't be further apart in style and design, but if Benu could design a blinged up version of a Montblanc, I'd fall in love. :)
You guys rock!!! If I could make a pen, it would have to be an omage to the beautiful game...soccer. There have been some very interesting soccer balls used in the World Cup that would make for really cool pens. I would make a gold version with the World Cup trophy theme and a stainless steel version with more of the ball theme. Thanks again for the great post, Brady.
Congrats on the 100K!! Love to see a collaboration with Santini Italia. Though lesser known than other Italian brands, they have beautiful resins with classic timeless designs.
For me, Goldspot is already killing it with its collaborations with Leonardo and Opus 88, but I'd love to see a Goldspot exclusive Diplomat Aero, or Gravitas Sentry!
Congratulations on your huge milestone! My dream collaboration or Frankenstein pen would be a flex nib (the only one I've tried has been by Conklin) and Opus 88 or Benu. I love both of those pens so to have another nib to try in those lines would make me a very happy camper
Congrats on reaching 100k. I would love to see a series of themed crossover pens inspired by the planets of our solar system. Each pen could attempt to represent the unique look of one of the planets.
Congrats!! A Jonathan Brooks Estie would be cool! Love the content!
Congrats on the 100K. Dream collaboration would be Esterbrook. Something like the Raven but in vintage brass or copper. ❤
Congratulations on a successful 2023 and the best of luck for this upcoming year. Am sure u will break into new hights.
My collaboration idea would be the efficiency of LAMY with jazz of Benu fountain pens and with a break through in Nibs 4m pilot adding the colors of the Indian festival of Holi to it.
This will be the best of all the worlds. Wow, gives me jitters just imagining this wonderful combination
Congratulations! I think a collaboration with either Visconti or Aurora would be something great and unique.
Here’s to another year of fountain pens! I guess my dream collaboration would be between Pilot and Sailor. Would love to have a Pilot with one of Sailor’s wonderful colour schemes!
Congratulations on reaching 100K subscribers. Excellent collaborations so far. I think a collaboration with Ben Walsh (Gravitas Pens) with one of his new designs and unique new nib options would be awesome.
Congrats on the 100k! The beluga is stunning! My dream collab is Opus88 + Star Wars branding with gold nibs from Platinum.
I would love to see a collaboration with Schondsgn. He makes some of the most unique designs, and I always marvel at the brilliant color combinations he is able to produce. Goldspot + Schondsgn = Fabulous Pens!
Wow! my dream collaboration is pretty easy to suggest: I would love to see a Lamy 2000 in a different color: a turquoise or green come to mind and that would be awesome. Alternatively, nothing writes better than my pilot e95 s but a green one would be a step ahead! Thanks for the videos
Cheers on your milestone!
I think an amazing team to make a pen would be Leonardo with their beautiful resins and thoughtful elegance, paired up with sculptor Anish Kapoor. He does really cool stuff with reflections (like Cloud Gate, aka the bean, in Chicago) and I would love to see what his take on a pen body could be!
I love the top pens of the month videos. My top collab would be diamond cast with Jonathan brooks resin and a celestial design on a momento zero. I know similar designs have been done but they look great.
Congrats on 100k! my dream pen would definitely begin with a Jonathan Brooks resin, something deeply shimmery & chatoyant. One of those resins that you just get lost in, rotating it to catch the light. Add in the Regalia Cross-flex nib & a piston filling mechanism & you have a winner!
Congrats on reaching ing 100k. Though I love writing with fountain pens I really love Retro 51's and like to see a different hanging paintings especially Starry Starry Night, but I also believe many of his paintings would make great Retro 51's. Have a great new year and look forward to many more episodes.
A dream pen would be between Aurora and Pilot.... the Aurora materials used for a Pilot custom 828...
Congratulations on the 100,000 you truly earned every one on them.
Congratulations on the 100k!! I’d love to see more colorways on the Decimo so honestly any collabs they decide on is a win for me 😂
Congrats on the milestone. I actually really like the Opus 88 collaborations.
Congrats on 100K subs Goldspot. Tom: bravo, well done. You keep me Inspired. My dream collaboration: Benu in a purple hue ~ a la Prince. Love 💜a purple rain design.
Really great recap to the year Tom, thank you. My dream pen design collaboration would be a Benu Talisman designed by Chicago artist Hebru Brantley. For the talisman element, I would have him include threads from the game-worn jersey of one of his subjects, Michael Jordan.
Woukd love to see a collaboration with Goldspot and Delta! Congrats!
It might not be realistic, but I'd love to see a collab involving the Pilot Custom 823. I think something along the lines of a stealth black version would be an interesting blend of classic design with a modern touch. I'd also love to see a Kaweco Supra in that Mercury Orange color!
Faber castell Loom+benu aesthetics, that gonna be blessing.
Congrats on reaching 100K subs in 2023. A fountain pen design collaboration with Ferrari would be exciting.
I'd love to see a Pineider Tempi Moderni special edition made by you guys, this triangular shape pen deserves a nice and special custom material to achieve its full potential. Congrats on 100k subs!
Im excited to see if any companies come out with a collaboration with Pantone for 2024 color of the year. Sailor has peach pens I know but I am looking for one a bit more saturated in color like peach fuzz 😍 Maybe a Opus 88 with little peaches! So cute!
Congrats on hitting 100k! Lamy collab would be cool!
Thanks Tom for a wonderful year in pens!
A collaboration I would like to see is your artist with Pelikan - a Sakura or Autumn Leaves M800 would be fantastic.
A collaboration between Lamy and Retro 51 would be awesome! Imagine a Lamy dialog CC with an all metal art deco design that invokes the empire State building or even better, the Chrysler building.
I second a collaboration with Goldspot Pens and Gravitas, you being a retailer and offering a Sentry Exclusive (with gold spots of course).
Anyway, congratulations & thank you!
Congratulations on reaching 100k subscribers!
My dream pen collaboration would be Diplomat and Visconti. Well, specifically Diplomat Nexus and Visconti Homo Sapiens.
I like the mechanism of Nexus Diplomat regarding how it can stop the ink from spilling when you are in specific atmospheres, like flying on airplanes. I also like how you can store a huge amount of ink inside its body for longer usage between refills.
As for Visconti Homo Sapiens, I like how they have used Mt. Etna volcano’s ashes for their bodies, as it gives a unique, warm look and feel. I also like their classy and modern decorations of their golden nibs.
In summary, my dream pen would be Visconti Homo Sapiens’ body and nib, with Nexus Diplomat’s ink lock mechanism and eye dropper ink refill.
A chocolate themed Sailor - with the cap and body of the pen being my favorite - white chocolate (I know...some people think it's not chocolate...but that's a debate for another day 🙂). I would make the grip section milk chocolate (my second fave) and the finials on both ends dark chocolate. Now I want that pen AND some chocolate! 🤤
Congratulations on 100k. I think it be awesome to see a Lamy/BENU collaboration.
Yay! Congrats on 100K! I told my husband to subscribe as I was already subscribed. My dream collaboration would be a TWSBI with the cap and section in a colorful diamond cast resin from McKenzie or maybe a resin from Jonathan Brooks.
Congratulations on hitting 100,000 subscribers. Gravitas. Benu.
Congratulations on hitting 100K subscribers! If you’re going with a dream collaboration, let’s go with something totally unique: Opus 88 eye dropper (with #6 nib), but with a fun acrylic (maybe something from Starry Night Resins). And let’s have a matching special edition ink alongside it. I’ll let you decide if you want a matching electroplated nib. Thanks for the creative exercise!
Congrats. My dream pen would be a Leonardo with Jonathan Brooks with copper, blush pink, white and burgundy swirl.
I would really like to see a collab with Creees lee and retro 51 for an affordable fountain pen with comic book styling. Maybe even a little radioactive glow thrown in here or there. Definitely would buy that! Or, something along the lines of a pilot x scribo crossover. I LOVE the flex on a scribo, but if pilot could lend some of their styling with the materials of scribo and smoothness of their nibs too WITH the flex?! Chefs kiss right there (for the grail pen option lol)
congrats on hitting 100k subscriber. A dream collab could be with waterman their sleek design wit touch of art would make the pen beautiful.
Congratulations on 100,000 subscribers! That's an impressive feat!
As for my dream collaboration....not so much a specific company but any sort of Science themed pens would be fun. I know the notebook brand "Atoms to Astronauts" has some amazing illustrations so maybe involving them would be fun! 😊
Dream fountain pen colab....
Well it has to be a Benu Euphoria. As for design, Some combination of glitter and warm browns.
Ooooo . . . Maybe collaborating with someone who turns oparex pens and offer them with custom nib grinds 😍 Congratulations on 100K!!!🎉
Awesome 100k ; as for a collab, fountain pen would be Gravitas, and a special ink with Diamine of course
Congratulations on the 100k. Great achievement. I'd love to see more of Leonardo type pens in matt ebonite materials.
Congrats on 100k!! Dream pen collaboration? A Pineider exclusive for Goldspot---in which Dante would incorporate an element of Americana into the style of the pen.
I am relatively new to the fountain pen world. I find the Leonardo Momento Zero and Benu pens gorgeous and still at a attainable entry price point. I'd love to see collaboration with the theme of green forestry (leaves various in shades of green)
Wow, 100k subscribers is amazing! I'm newer into fountain pens this year and this was one of the first channels that helped me into the hobby
I'm not sure if this has been done, but I'd love a collab with Visconti about the moon. Like maybe different phases of the moon? Not sure on details, but ever since I got a Mirage Mythos that has been the pen that I've been reaching for above all other pens.
I would love to see an Albert Einstein themed pen, with formulas and the patterns of the universe and bending space time graph marking. Thank you for all your wonderful fountain pen videos and supporting the fountain pen enthusiast community.
Wouldn't it be great to see pilot collaborating with conid to produce a namiki emperor with conid bulkfiller. Although it would be expensive, but I definitely like the idea.
And ofcourse, congratulations to Goldspot for reaching One Hundred Thousand suns 🎉🎉
Congrats on reaching 100k!!!! My dream collaboration would be to see Jonathan Brooks partner up with Elbwood pens. I think it would produce some really dope designs!
Well, you did say DREAM collaboration: M.C. Escher! That would be amazing. Thanks for the giveaway. Good luck, everyone!
Congrats on 100k!!! I think my dream "collaboration" (which is more of a color sequence than a collab would be a Benu but with like an aurora borealis color swirl with the greens and blue swirls with a navy night sky.
A dream collaboration for me would be Jonathan Brook’s materials and Pilot nibs. I love my Pilot pens, but think they would benefit from a more modern look.
Congrats! Looking forward to getting a chou kuro myself soon to try out. Personally use mostly pilots so if a collab with them was possible I’d definitely be interested. Maybe you can even get them to fix that 912 feed! 😂
My dream Pen would be a Parker 51 designed with retro 51 to add a modern touch to the classic pen,
Great video this week 10/10
One collaboration I think would be amazing would be a Cyberpunk 2077 collaboration, possibly with a neon coloured swirled resin and coloured anodised trim. I can think of a few brands that I think would do this particularly well (Benu, Nahvalur, Leonardo etc) but I think it would be a really cool looking pen regardless.
Congrats to you!! My dream collaboration would be any cool color or material put onto the Lamy 2000.