Lamy Imporium

[chojo]

First I've heard of this one, apparently it's due out in September in Germany prices around €350. What do we think? It's seems to be a spin off from the Persona.

lam_imporium_vb.jpg

[Armstrong]

Interesting pen, I like the look. Have to wonder how comfortable the section will be for long writing sessions.

[inklord]

This is great news! However, I wish they had revived the tubular nib of the Persona - but this will include it in the 'swappable nib' circle of Lamy pens. To me, the similarly ribbed grip section of the persona felt quite comfortable. I assume it will use the normal (and in my view utterly sub-standard) Lamy converter Z26. This is the one pen part that keeps me from fully embracing the 'upscale' Lamy C/C pens - one of the worst converters on the market! Thanks for reporting this!

[inklord]

It's not even on the Lamy Website!?!

[Wile E Coyote]

This is great news! However, I wish they had revived the tubular nib of the Persona - but this will include it in the 'swappable nib' circle of Lamy pens. To me, the similarly ribbed grip section of the persona felt quite comfortable. I assume it will use the normal (and in my view utterly sub-standard) Lamy converter Z26. This is the one pen part that keeps me from fully embracing the 'upscale' Lamy C/C pens - one of the worst converters on the market! Thanks for reporting this!

If it had the tubular nib, wouldn't it just be a Persona?

[inklord]

This is great news! However, I wish they had revived the tubular nib of the Persona - but this will include it in the 'swappable nib' circle of Lamy pens. To me, the similarly ribbed grip section of the persona felt quite comfortable. I assume it will use the normal (and in my view utterly sub-standard) Lamy converter Z26. This is the one pen part that keeps me from fully embracing the 'upscale' Lamy C/C pens - one of the worst converters on the market! Thanks for reporting this!

If it had the tubular nib, wouldn't it just be a Persona?

Yeah, I guess so...

[chojo]

It's not even on the Lamy Website!?!

I noticed that myself, for some reason they're really not making a big thing of this one. At least not yet. I can't find any info as to when or if it will be available worldwide but at this price range it'll have to be good to take sales away from the L2k.

[Jon Szanto]

Hmm. That is a remarkably unattractive pen.

[inklord]

It's not even on the Lamy Website!?!

I noticed that myself, for some reason they're really not making a big thing of this one. At least not yet. I can't find any info as to when or if it will be available worldwide but at this price range it'll have to be good to take sales away from the L2k.

Well, the Price sure is quite hefty. As a pen, it will probably write like any gold-nibbed Studio, Dialog 3, Scala or CP1... so no surprises there; I'd guess the finish and built quality would have to be exceptional, at the given price point.

[inklord]

Hmm. That is a remarkably unattractive pen.

Now you got me interested: could you elaborate where your 'unattractedness' comes from (just because I have always liked this design and hoped it would come back sometime; so naturally, I'd like to see my aesthetic bias challenged )

[Jon Szanto]

Now you got me interested: could you elaborate where your 'unattractedness' comes from (just because I have always liked this design and hoped it would come back sometime; so naturally, I'd like to see my aesthetic bias challenged )

You really don't want that, do you? It was just a personal observation. I could delineate the components of the design that I find jarring, but I never meant my comment to sway another's aesthetic sense. I'd hate for all pens to look alike.

[inklord]

Now you got me interested: could you elaborate where your 'unattractedness' comes from (just because I have always liked this design and hoped it would come back sometime; so naturally, I'd like to see my aesthetic bias challenged )

You really don't want that, do you? It was just a personal observation. I could delineate the components of the design that I find jarring, but I never meant my comment to sway another's aesthetic sense. I'd hate for all pens to look alike.

You bet - that would be boring! I don't think I'll give up my liking of the Lamy Persona/Imporium (by the way: isn't that an odd name?) but I am fascinated by the huge variance of human aesthetic perception, and by the roots of individual as well as collective aesthetics. Thanks,
Peter

[Bogon07]

I like the overall look of the pens but think the ribbed section a little at odds with the barrel. Perhaps a smooth section could look better but maybe the ribbed section was necessary to stop your fingers slipping off that sharp angle of a smooth metal.
However you'd really need to see & hold the pens themselves.

[erpe]

A different bodydesign, not entirely new but still build around the € 5 nib that comes with the first Safari. Not a bad nib at all and one of the most convenient quick-swap systems on the market today but one truly wonders where the the price-tag goes.

[Bogon07]

A different bodydesign, not entirely new but still build around the € 5 nib that comes with the first Safari. Not a bad nib at all and one of the most convenient quick-swap systems on the market today but one truly wonders where the the price-tag goes.

The Emporium comes with a gold nib by the looks of the photos which would account for at least half the price. The nib appears to be a revision on the current gold 14k nibs.
The rest by the prices the Persona commands on eBay.

[erpe]

The Emporium comes with a gold nib by the looks of the photos which would account for at least half the price. The nib appears to be a revision on the current gold 14k nibs.

The displayed goldnib is € 65 retail, far from half the the €350 price-tag. Don't get me wrong, they are great nibs but I really wonder what's in the body to make that difference.

[Jon Szanto]

Don't get me wrong, they are great nibs but I really wonder what's in the body to make that difference.

Marketing.

[inklord]

Don't get me wrong, they are great nibs but I really wonder what's in the body to make that difference.

Marketing.

Indeed - A Pilot Custom 823 retails for just around €500 in some European Countries, for $288 in the US; The Lamy 2000 can be had in a brick&mortar store here for $159, in Germany for €170. Back in '85 when I bought my Peli M400 for DM 150 (at that time equiv. to US$75), the L2k retailed in the same stationery store for DM 170 - incidentally exactly half what's being asked for it now, since 2 DM = 1€, but now the L2k is €170, the M400 is €295 - still in the same old store!! Prices of pens are regulated by whatever the target clientele is expected to be willing to pay... the gold value of common nibs lies usually between $10 and $30 - ever heard of such a low surcharge over a steel nib? When my Peli M600 fell apart, TWSBI-fashion, I was shocked at the poor quality assemblage of injection molded parts in this pricey pen. It's all in the eye of the beholder, or we'd be buying Lamy Safaris with 14 k nibs for about $60.

[Ste_S]

If Lamy are charging €350 for a Gold Z50 C/C Pen I hope they aren't thinking of price bumping the rest of the range.

A Studio with a gold nib looks like a bargain in comparison currently

[inklord]

The pen is now available from Lamy Germany. The nib is different from previous Lamy box nibs in that it has no breather hole. Apparently the body and cap are machined titanium, which explains the somewhat exorbitant price. It sure looks like a magnificent luxury pen, and discounting the fact that this is a Lamy, a brand usually associated with less expensive pens, I feel that in comparison with other top shelf pens, the Imporium really delivers, if you like its styling.