Nakaya Milky Way Raden Brief Review

[cj2020]

Ordering: As I looked into ordering the pen, I quickly realized that there are no deals ever on new Nakayas. I was told by PensinAsia owner, Tay, that Nakaya has extremely strict rules that dictate how much a pen sells for and if these are violated, you lose your ability to remain an authorized retailer for the brand. I ended up ordering my Nakaya Milky Way Raden from Nibs.com. The process was smooth and David from Nibs was amazing to work with. When the order was completed, I was told that it could be anywhere from 4-9 months until the pen arrived. Thankfully, the pen arrived in just 3 months!

Impressions:
1. I loved the understated box that the Nakaya arrived in and could not wait to open to the silk pen kimono to actually see the pen. I was completely blown away by the beauty of the pen when I removed it from the kimono.
2. I have owned several not so expensive (below $150) fountain pens in my life time. I have never touched a pen that feels the way the Nakaya does. The best I can describe the feel of the Nakaya is soft and hard at the same time. The finish is also such that it feels "grippy", which is counter intuitive because the pen's finish is so smooth. The pen is relatively light and is extremely well balanced in the hand.
3. The intricate pattern in which the abalone shell pieces have been placed on the pen is exquisite and just plain beautiful. It truly looks like the galaxy and reminds me of what the night sky looked like when I was visiting the grand canyon. The black lacquer finish has a tremendous depth and transparency to it. I ordered the pen without a clip since I did not want anything to take away from the beauty of the raden. Overall, I truly feel like this is the most beautiful pen that I have ever owned.
4. The pen writes beautifully. I ordered it with medium Rhodium nib. The nib is smooth with just the right amount of feedback that allows for the pen to remain stable and in connection with the paper. The line is wet and just the right thickness and I have never had a false start with the pen.

Overall
I am extremely happy with the purchase of the Nakaya. It is truly a work of art and I see it being a life long friend. I only use it to write in my journal where I detail my experiences of the journey inwards / my spiritual life.