Summer Solstice, Soulful Summer

In Japan, the changing of the seasons is a time for celebration and festivity, and solstices and equinoxes are especially revered.

Sailor celebrates the changing of the season with the new Pro-Gear Slim Solar Term series with four translucent, pastel-colored PMMA-resin fountain pens matched to gold-plated appointments. Pastel-green Fuki (“Butterbur”) represents the greenery of the vernal equinox and has rose body ends; deep pink Tako (“Octopus”) celebrates the tradition of eating octopus on the summer solstice and has white body ends; Hagi (“Bush clover”) has a red color matched to blue body ends and celebrates the autumnal equinox; Yuzuyu (“Yuzu citron bath”) celebrates the winter solstice tradition of taking a “Yuzu bath” in colors of blue with yellow body ends. Each cartridge/converter-filling Solar Term fountain pen has a 14 karat gold Sailor nib in fine, medium-fine, or medium.

MSRP: $295 

Contact your authorized Sailor retailer.

With over 20 years of experience in the technique, one might say that filigree overlays are in Visconti’s bones, and the new Visconti Skeleton Limited Edition takes that to a somewhat literal level. Modeled after one of Visconti’s most complex filigree designs, the sterling silver overlay features a rib-and-spine pattern in either ruthenium coating over ruby red shimmering resin or palladium coating over a blue shimmering resin. Other appointments include the Visconti bridge clip in matching plating and matching lacquer and a Visconti logo cap finial. The double-reservoir power-filling fountain pen has an 18 karat gold Visconti nib in matching plating in widths of extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, or 1.3 mm stub. The Visconti Skeleton is limited to 388 fountain pens or rollerballs in each color.

MSRP: $1,995 fountain pen, $1,795 rollerball visconti.it, colesoflondon.com