This may turn out to be kind of a silly article. Pointless, more or less. At least in terms of being "up to date" on the latest in pen news. You see, it turns out that the model about which we are writing has just been discontinued. Oh well. We're speaking of the S.T. Dupont Orpheo, and specifically, the Vertigo Lacquer version of this pen.

The Dupont Orpheo is still around, but the Vertigo Lacquer pattern is no more. That is a real shame, this is definitely an eye catching pen. The pattern has been in use by Dupont for several years now, perhaps they simply felt that it was time for something new. Hopefully the replacement will be at least as striking! In the interests of retaining relevance, we've included the plain black lacquer version (still readily available) in this article. You may well be able to find a pen or two in the Vertigo Lacquer pattern here and there as well, so don't give up hope too quickly.

I came across this pen just recently, and was intrigued by the pattern. The Orpheo is one of those quiet pens, they have a devoted following, but they seem to get little attention from the pen collecting community at large. They are a large, fairly heavy pen. Substantial is the word for their feel in the hand. These pens are a lacquer over metal construction, which accounts for the weight. The lacquer work is first rate, as you might expect. S.T. Dupont has been in business since 1872 making luxury goods, and the use of Chinese lacquer began in the late 1930s. This gives them quite a lot of experience in the use of this material.

The lacquer is a great material in use. It's strong, beautiful, and feels great in the hand. It's a warm luxurious material. And, depending upon the way in which it's applied, you can have a plain finish, like the black model Orpheo, or any variety of pattern, as with the Vertigo. On past models, Dupont has applied translucent lacquer over guilloche engraving, creating a depth to the pattern.

The Orpheo is a cartridge converter filling pen. The section is large enough to feel comfortable to me, even with my "big pen" bias. It's finished in black, even on the Vertigo pattern pen. This isn't as jarring to the overall design as it might be, since the section is set off from the barrel with a wide gold plate band engraved with the Dupont name. The front of the section is cut at an angle, and fitted with another gold plated accent.

The nib is made of 18K gold, and is easily the "coolest" part of the Orpheo. It's basically traditional in shape, but with a very fluid shape. Taken in conjunction with the angled cut to the front edge of the section, it makes for an exciting design. The 18K nib is very rigid, but smooth. Dupont nibs have had a very good reputation in the past for being exceptionally smooth and pleasant to use. The Orpheo doesn't seem to be any exception to this history.

The Orpheo is one of those designs that seem excessively plain at first glance, but after closer inspection, turns out to have a lot of interesting detail. It's a nice blend of straight lines and gentle curves, with just enough in the way of gold plate trim to break up the expanse of lacquer. In addition to the clip, there is an end cap on the bottom of the barrel, the wide band between the barrel and the section, and the cap top.

The clip is a substantial affair, and looks strong enough to be reliable in use. With such a heavy pen, having a good, sturdy clip becomes more and more important. The Orpheo's clip managed to hold the pen in place, even in a light cotton short pocket. Better than I had expected at first, considering the weight of the pen!

So. Can I recommend the Orpheo? Definitely yes! That turns out to be an easy question. I'm pretty sure that an Orpheo is in my future. On the other hand, finding the Vertigo pattern is another matter. But even in plain black, the Orpheo is a great pen. Very classy, if somewhat understated.

The nib is neat looking, the quality overall is first rate, and the design is nice and simple. But it's the feel of the Chinese lacquer finish that has me in love with this pen. This is definitely one of those pens that takes holding in your hand to really appreciate. As you hold the pen, the lacquer warms up a bit, leaving you with a pen that has a nice, soothing feel to it.

The Orpheo is not a cheap pen, by any means. But probably one of the few pens that might actually be worth it's list price, given the amount of work that goes into creating the lacquer finish. Finding one at a discount is just icing on the cake!