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Thread: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

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    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
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    Question Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    Quite some time ago now I purchased a Lamy Al-Star in Graphite, probably on Amazon. What I received doesn't look like the sort of silver-grey graphite I see pictured on LamyUSA's site.

    Instead, it's sort of a greenish color. It's not as green as a Blue-Green.

    Here's mine (yes, it's seen better days):

    al-star-graphite.jpg

    Compare to what's on the LamyUSA site:



    Anyone know what's up with that? Is my pen not actually a Graphite?

    It more closely resembles the picture that accompanies the pen on Amazon currently (advertised as Graphite):

    Last edited by gbryal; September 11th, 2014 at 12:07 AM.

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    FPG Donor ♕ alc3261's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    There was a Graphite and also a Silvery colour (not sure what they called it). I have both, will take a photo.

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    Senior Member Jeph's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    I ordered a Graphite AL-Star from Goulet and got what you show in the Lamy USA picture.

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    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    Does your pen have a black clip? Or is the first photo deceptive?

    The current Al-Star in Aluminum has a black clip and black nib. But that's a very light color. I think it's a very pure silver color with no tint. Your first photo does not look like the Aluminum, except for the clip.

    Then there's the current Graphite, shown in your bottom photo, and it has a darker tone, like your first photo. But it currently has a silver clip, not a black clip. It does have some sort of tint, unlike the Aluminum, so I could see someone thinking it greenish.

    There used to be an Al-Star called Silver Blue or sometimes just Silver -- here's an old link -- that also has a silver clip. The Silver Blue looks violet in some light, though, not greenish. I don't think that's what you have.

    So, on my monitor, the color of your pen looks like my Graphite, but the clip differs. If your clip really is black, then I wonder if you have an earlier version of Graphite.

    I agree that the second photo does not look like the Graphite Al-Star in real life. But the thing about Al-Stars is the material can look different in different light, so I could see it being hard to obtain an accurate color balance in a photograph.

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    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    Quote Originally Posted by Laura N View Post
    So, on my monitor, the color of your pen looks like my Graphite, but the clip differs. If your clip really is black, then I wonder if you have an earlier version of Graphite.
    The clip is black, so is the nib. The camera does play tricks, but if anything, the photo is less green than the pen. The pen is several years old now, so probably isn't aligned with any of the current offerings, but I'd think they'd keep the color the same if it has the same name.

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    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    I haven't been able to find an image of any Graphite with a black clip.

    They did make a green Al-Star with a black clip. I have one. It's not the current blue green, which is sort of minty, but more of a light foresty green. There was one with a silver clip, more recently, but also an earlier model with a black clip. I think that's the only other possibility. Would you like me to take a photo of mine for comparison?

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    Member brunico's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    I've had all these Al-Stars at one time or another and can tell you - solemnly, assuredly, and without a shadow of a doubt - that you have the later, black-clip version of the silver green. It has the same frostlike intensity of colour as the silver blue, which everyone notes has a violet sheen in certain lights: what's rarely noted is that the graphite has this, too.

    Anyway, this site is your oracle for all things Al-Stellar.

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    gbryal (September 11th, 2014)

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    Senior Member Laura N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    So, sorry for the poor quality of this snap, but it shows the green and black Al-Star that brunico and I think you have, together with some others for comparison.

    The Al-Stars left to right are Blue Green, Green with silver clip, Green with black clip, Graphite, Aluminum and Silver Blue.

    DSC_0231.jpg

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    Bogon07 (September 15th, 2014), gbryal (September 11th, 2014), klpeabody (December 15th, 2014), Replete (September 12th, 2014), velo (September 11th, 2014)

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    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    Mine looks like a green with black clip. Maybe I just got the wrong pen!

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    Senior Member gbryal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Al-Star Graphite: 2 Colors?

    Quote Originally Posted by brunico View Post
    I've had all these Al-Stars at one time or another and can tell you - solemnly, assuredly, and without a shadow of a doubt - that you have the later, black-clip version of the silver green. It has the same frostlike intensity of colour as the silver blue, which everyone notes has a violet sheen in certain lights: what's rarely noted is that the graphite has this, too.

    Anyway, this site is your oracle for all things Al-Stellar.
    Mystery solved after all these years. Thank you! I only wish I had taken better care of it, it used to ride in my jeans pocket with keys.

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