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To begin with, there's the design. Collectors of vintage
pens will immediately spot the resemblance to one of the all time American
classics, the Doric. For that matter, one of the all time Italian classics,
the OMAS Extra! Even the modern OMAS is not inexpensive. Of course, they sell well, because the design is very good. Great proportions, and the faceted shape is very elegant. Well, now you can have the same classic looks, in a
much more affordable package!
The cap and barrel are cellulose acetate, and so the Double Eight is a light weight pen. I find the size and weight perfect, but I know that a lot of folks who prefer larger pens find this one a bit on the slender side. The section is rounded, not faceted, so there are no edges to interfere with your hold on the pen. Again, I would make a comparison to the Parker 51 in
terms of size when the Double Eight is in use. I am finding that I can
write for considerable periods of time with mine, without my hand tiring.
Oddly enough, the price seems to be the same for both! Given that, I went without hesitation for the Green Marble, it's a great color! It has perhaps more of the "vintage look" to it than the Blue or Brown Marble. Packaging is slightly different in terms of the outer box for the limited edition version. The inner box is very similar on both editions. That's not really bad news, as I found the packaging to be very nice. Of course, in the end, it's just a box, and I'm writing with the pen, not the box, but it's always nice to see a pen presented nicely when you first get it and open the package up! Inside the outer box is a heavy textured cardboard inner box, octagonal in shape (to match the shape of the pen). This slides open, revealing the pen inside. Considering the price point of the Double Eight, this is really very effective packaging for a presentation standpoint, nicer than I've seen on some pens costing quite a bit more! The nibs on both versions are the same, and in fact, look to be the same as those used on other Retro 1951 pens, for example, it's identical to the one on my Tornado FP. Good news, as that pen has been a long time performer for me!
The nib and feed are well made. The nib itself has a nice smooth tip, and is available in fine or medium size. I would love a nice broad italic nib on this pen, the bold design just cries out for a bold line, but I'm more than happy to settle with a reliable, smooth writer with a fine line! The feed seems well matched with the nib, and ink supply is reliable, with the line on mine being somewhat on the dry side. No skipping, though, and it has a good record so far of starting "fist time" when left unused for a while. Filling is via cartridge converter, and again, no surprises there, it's set up as with other Retro 1951 products.
The only down sides to this pen would be the silver color nib on the gold trim Green Marble version, and I suppose the slim size, if you're a "big pen person". Given that both of those points are based on aesthetics and personal preferences, instead of on reliability, design, or fit and finish, I think the Double Eight comes out quite nicely, all in all. This is going to be one of those pens that should prove quite difficult for the folks at Retro 1951 to top. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with as an attempt, though!
copyright 2005 William Riepl |
You
want a pen... A good looking pen, light weight, classic style, and works
perfectly, without "fussing". OK, sure, get yourself a Bic!
But if you really like the looks of the 1930s Wahl Dorics, but want
something a bit more affordable, you might consider trying the Retro
1951 Double Eight. It's got all those other attributes I listed at the
start, and tops them off with a street price of under $100!
Retro
1951 has been making some great pens for years, perhaps best known for
their Tornado series of capless rollerballs. Their fountain pens, however,
are usually great as well. They use steel nibs, and arealways priced
at the "under $100" range. The Double Eight is no exception.
In
terms of looks, the Double Eight is available in three colors. The Blue
Marble and Brown Marble are the "regular" colors, and come
with silver color trim. The Green Marble with gold trim is a "limited
edition", 
On
the other hand, the nib, as good as it is, is the only problem I can
really find with the Green Marble version. The nib on the Double Eight
is left in plain steel. While this looks just fine with the Blue and
Brown Marble versions and their silver trim, with the Gold trim on the
Green Marble, it's a bit jarring. It really needs a gold color nib!
That
might as well be the summation of my experiences with the Double Eight
to date: "no surprises". It's exactly what I have come to
expect from Retro 1951, a good, reliable pen, and a great price.